Four Fontana High School students are named 2021 Dell Scholars and will receive $20,000 scholarships | News

Fontana High School seniors Victor Campos, Karen Hurtado-Mendez, Phillip Olguin and Kimberly Sandoval have been named 2021 Dell Scholars by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an honor that comes with $20,000 scholarships to support their dreams of higher education.

All four honorees are high-achieving scholars, with plans to attend prestigious universities and pursue careers that support community betterment.

“The Class of 2021 is full of high-achieving, service-minded scholars, and these four Fontana High School students are no exception,” Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “Congratulations to Victor, Karen, Phillip and Kimberly on these well-deserved scholarships.”

Campos is an accomplished student-athlete who juggled four years on the varsity cross country and track and field teams with Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), the California Scholarship Federation and volunteering and tutoring at his local church. Campos also served as a Junior Honor Attendant, recognizing his strong academic achievement.

He plans to attend UCLA or UC Irvine to earn a degree in mechanical engineering. In the future, he hopes to design new systems and robotics.

“As a first-generation student, I feel quite unprepared to embark on this new college journey,” Campos said. “I am very thankful to be called a Dell Scholar knowing that I will have the resources and support throughout my journey to help me achieve my dreams. As a Dell Scholar, I have become confident in realizing that there are no limits toward pursuing a higher education.”

Olguin has played baseball for the Steelers for four years, three of them on the varsity team. He plans to major in civil engineering at UC Irvine; after college, he hopes to use his infrastructure knowledge to help build a better community for himself and future generations.

As a four-year water polo athlete, Hurtado-Mendez became fascinated with body mechanics, an interest she hopes to pursue in college. Hurtado-Mendez has her sights set on UC San Diego, where she hopes to major in human biology before pursuing a career as a physical therapist.

Her experience gained in Fohi’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program will allow her to work as a CNA through college, providing hands-on experience as she works toward her degree.

Sandoval hopes to attend the University of La Verne, where she intends to major in computer science with business applications. As she pursues her goal of becoming a computer programmer, she also hopes to delve further into nonprofit work, focusing on community issues like period poverty, water and air pollution, and mental health awareness.

As Dell Scholars, Campos, Hurtado-Mendez, Olguin and Sandoval will receive their scholarships over four years, a laptop and textbook credits. They will also receive access to a support network of students, peer mentors and Dell staff, with services including confidential counseling, financial aid coaching and work-life solutions.