Four Montebello Unified School District seniors were among seven students from five southeast Los Angeles County high schools who received nearly $4,000 in scholarships as part of the District Attorney’s Environmental Scholarship Program.

These Students were recognized for their efforts to protect and preserve the environment during a scholarship ceremony Thursday at Bell Gardens.
 
Stanley Williams, the District Attorney’s head deputy of consumer protection, presented certificates to the students. As part of the ceremony, the scholarship winners helped plant trees on the Bell Gardens campus.
 
Since 1991, the scholarships have been awarded to graduating seniors who have demonstrated a serious interest in the environment.
 
“We not only congratulate our students for earning scholarships from this program, but we would like to thank them as well,” MUSD Board of Education President Hector Chacon said. “Keeping the environment clean is in everyone’s best interests – it protects all of our livelihoods and the future of our children.”
 
The Environmental Scholarship Program also recognized two Pioneer High School students and one from El Rancho High School.
 
In 1988, an explosion at the Grow Group – a manufacturer of chemical products for swimming pools – created a toxic cloud of 1,000 feet high and a mile long. Twelve people were injured and 30,000 were evacuated.
 
As a consequence, the Grow Group pleaded no contest to one felony count of illegal disposal of hazardous waste in 1990. The company paid a fine of nearly $270,000 which has been used for college scholarships for students from schools in the area affected by the explosion.
 
Montebello Unified School District is a dynamic learning institution employing top-quality educators. It is the combined work of many that allows the District to continue educating more than 30,000 students every year using the 40 Developmental Assets at all of our school sites. It is through everyone’s efforts – students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators – that we are achieving the District’s number one goal of raising student achievement. Learn more online at: http: www.montebello.k12.ca.us.