Two graduating seniors from John Marshall High School received LFIA’s $2,500 Tom LaBonge and Charlotte De Armond Leadership Scholarships during an awards ceremony last week.

Ingrid Hoffert, who plans to study environmental science at UC Davis, was presented the Tom LaBonge Scholarship by Brigid LaBonge, widow of the long-time councilmember.  The JMHS graduate grew up in Silver Lake where she was a volunteer at the Silver Lake Branch Library’s Teen Council.  She also formed a LAPL Teens Leading Change Team that focused on environmental waste in local businesses and published a book on environmental activism. 

“We felt her commitment to activities in the neighborhood was a good representation of Tom’s dedication to Los Feliz and Silver Lake,” said Karen Stetler, who oversees LFIA’s scholarship program.

Raquel Casillas, who will be attending Pepperdine University, received the Charlotte De Armond Scholarship.  Aspiring to be an immigration attorney, she volunteered at the Working People’s Law Firm which works on immigration cases and at the Jenesse Center, a domestic violence intervention program. In addition, she founded her school’s Mock Trial program and participated in Model UN.  She also played volleyball during her four years at JMHS.

Two runner-up awards additionally went to Aileen Soto Garcia and Sara Suarez.

Aileen is headed to Pasadena City College with an interest in advertising/marketing to promote local small businesses.  She volunteered at the Marshall Health Center educating students about reproductive health and mental health services.  She lettered for four years in basketball and served as the team captain.

Sara plans to study biology with an interest in forensic science at Swarthmore College. She served as president of the Marshall Debate Club and the Youngsters  Against Cancer Club.  She was also a member of the Silver Lake Youth Community where she was the outreach manager educating underprivileged students and their families about the college application process.

“We congratulate our outstanding scholarship recipients and wish them the best of luck in their college careers,” said LFIA’s Stetler.

The annual LFIA scholarships were named in memory of long-time community activists Charlotte De Armond, president/chairwoman of the LFIA Board of Directors, and Tom LaBonge, a JMHS alumnus who was CD4’s councilmember for 14 years.