Graduation season is my favorite time of the year, especially when I hear about the amazing colleges and universities students across El Paso have enrolled in and the career paths they hope to pursue with their college degrees. It reassures me that the work we do at CREEED, in partnership with our local school districts, to prepare students to enroll and pursue a college education is working.
I also know that the road to college completion isn’t always easy, and for many of our students, it can also be costly. That is why CREEED is proud to support some of our region’s highest-achieving students who are pursuing a four-year college degree with scholarships. This ensures they can focus on their studies and not get bogged down with the stress of how to pay for a college education.
To date, we have issued $40,000 in scholarships and supported a total of 16 students. This year, we are supporting four outstanding El Paso students for their academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to serving their communities. Each recipient brings a unique story and ambition that reflects the potential of students in our region.
Meet the 2025 Scholarship Recipients!
In 2024, CREEED launched the Excelencia Scholarship for Future Educators for students planning to become teachers. Through this initiative, we aim to ensure El Paso’s future teachers are well-equipped to serve our community by providing financial support to offset the costs of earning a degree in education.
This year, we’re proud to award the Excelencia Scholarship for Future Educators to:
Isela Palacios (Socorro ISD)
“My experiences have helped me not only grow as a student, but they’ve defined my passion for education and my aspirations to become a teacher who can make a positive impact on students’ lives. After college, I hope to be a teacher students can look up to and reach out to for help.”
Isela graduated from Mission Early College High School with a 4.0 GPA and will attend the University of Texas at El Paso to pursue a degree in education in the fall. During high school, she led several community service projects, played club Volleyball, and got a head start on her college career after taking various dual credit and AP courses.
This year, we launched the F.A.S.T. Rising College Scholarship to empower students from the Fabens, Anthony, San Elizario, and Tornillo school districts by helping them further their education at college. We hope to reduce the financial barriers students often face, making it easier for them to enroll in college and continue their academic journey after high school. Through our F.A.S.T. Rising College Scholarship, we are proud to support:
Celeste Ojeda-Manzano (Fabens ISD)
“As important as my work in high school was, I know the best is yet to come. I know there is no place for anything other than success in my life as I have overcome hardships in my community and will soon give the following generations the “push” and guidance they need.”
Celeste, who recently graduated from Fabens High School with a 3.87 GPA, will attend Texas Tech University to study finance with a minor in actuarial science. She took several dual credit and AP courses, served as the National Honors Society Historian, and volunteered on several community service projects in school and church. Celeste helped her mom take and pass the GED, where she found her fascination for math.
Crystal Carrasco (Anthony ISD)
“I chose psychology because growing up, I always enjoyed helping others. My overall expectation that I wish to achieve in my college career would be to make a difference when people reach out to me. Going to college and being able to major in psychology will give me the chance to help others even more.”
Crystal, who graduated from Anthony High School with a 3.72 GPA, will attend the University of Texas at El Paso to pursue a degree in psychology. During her time in high school, she was in the marching band and a member of the National Honors Society. She also volunteered with her school’s sports teams and color guard during their competitions.
Elizabeth Martinez (San Elizario ISD)
“Nursing can give me the opportunity to provide direct care and make a great impact on many patients’ lives through understanding and compassion. I really love the idea that I can be there for people during very difficult and vulnerable moments where I can. Support them physically and emotionally. Besides being able to secure a job in my determined field of study, one of my biggest aspirations is to further my education to pursue a master’s and become a nurse practitioner.”
Elizabeth recently graduated from San Elizario High School with a 4.0 GPA and her associate’s degree. She’ll begin her studies in nursing at the University of Texas at El Paso in the fall. In high school, she was the Captain of the Starlettes Dance Team and a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society. She volunteered with El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, St. Giles Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and children in her church.
We are very proud to support these future leaders and wish them the best as they embark on their journey to obtain a college degree.
If you would like to learn more about our scholarships or other CREEED initiatives, please email us at info@creeed.org.