Joe Falcon, Mrs. Duenas, and Joe's mother, Mrs. Falcon.
Joe Falcon will be attending Cal Poly Pomona.
A Special Message from the Committee:
The committee would like to thank the following people at Diamond Bar High School (DBHS) for all their help.
Mr. Tim Bryan
Glen Osaki
Dave Desmond
Julie Salas
Joanne Taylor
Susan Craig
Teresa Burton
Gina Vita
We would also like to thank everybody from the DBHS Class of 1985 and the many others who donated money to the Mr. Duenas Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship would not be possible without your donations.
The Mr. Duenas Memorial Scholarship would have never gotten off the ground without the help of Denise (Butler) Vollmer. A special thank you to Denise.
The committe is proud to introduce, Joe Falcon, the first winner of the Gary Duenas Memorial Scholarship.
The 2005-06 Gary Duenas Memorial Scholarship Winner: Joe Falcon.
A few things about Joe Falcon:
Will attend Cal Poly Pomona.
Intends to major in electrical engineering.
Played four years of football at DBHS.
Also received the Pathways Scholarship from DBHS
Earned three grants for college.
The following is Joe's essay that was submitted to the committee.
Essay question: Why do you feel it’s important to encourage and inspire people to be all they can be and believe in themselves? How has someone inspired you to be a better person?
Encouraging and inspiring a person can be a difficult task, but the outcome can be very fulfilling. By encouraging a person, the person can reach their full potential and get the most out of life. Sitting on the couch and watching television is great, but that is what most of our nation is doing. This is why obesity is slowly becoming the number one killer. Inspiration is not only good for the man, but good for the soul. Many writers and artist, both in music and art become inspired by someone they looked up to and then develop ideas for music, and the other arts. Plato could have become a poor beggar on the streets of Ancient Greece if Socrates had not inspired people to think for themselves and study the earth and heavens around them. The line, “Great Thinkers think alike” is a perfect example of inspiration. Great Thinkers think alike, because they feed mentally off of one another; through inspiration and encouragement.
Although encouragement and inspiration comes from many, one particular person that inspired me to be a better person would be my mother. She told me how difficult life was for her growing up, how joining gangs and skipping school was the way to literally survive high school, and how getting pregnant young and not continuing school was both the best and worst time of her life. She told me that even though these things had happened to her, she did not want the same thing for me, and always encouraged me to think for myself and go to school to be educated and surpass the troubles of life. My mother moved me from areas of gang rule to Diamond Bar, where education was very important and teachers worked to inspire children to be better. She inspired me to go to college and stand up for what I believe in, because if I never said anything, the problem would never get solved. When I said that Mt. SAC was going to be the school of choice for me, she told me that I was better than that and I could go anywhere if I really wanted to. I worked hard in high school and have now been accepted into Cal Poly Pomona under the major of Electrical Engineer. Her inspiration and encouragement has kept me off the streets and out of gangs and drugs, and I thank her for that by giving my best in life.
Below is the letter of recommendation from Miss Reza, a teacher at DBHS, for Joe Falcon. (Please click onto the letter for a better view)
The following is Joe's essay that was submitted to the committee.
Essay question: Why do you feel it’s important to encourage and inspire people to be all they can be and believe in themselves? How has someone inspired you to be a better person?
Encouraging and inspiring a person can be a difficult task, but the outcome can be very fulfilling. By encouraging a person, the person can reach their full potential and get the most out of life. Sitting on the couch and watching television is great, but that is what most of our nation is doing. This is why obesity is slowly becoming the number one killer. Inspiration is not only good for the man, but good for the soul. Many writers and artist, both in music and art become inspired by someone they looked up to and then develop ideas for music, and the other arts. Plato could have become a poor beggar on the streets of Ancient Greece if Socrates had not inspired people to think for themselves and study the earth and heavens around them. The line, “Great Thinkers think alike” is a perfect example of inspiration. Great Thinkers think alike, because they feed mentally off of one another; through inspiration and encouragement.
Although encouragement and inspiration comes from many, one particular person that inspired me to be a better person would be my mother. She told me how difficult life was for her growing up, how joining gangs and skipping school was the way to literally survive high school, and how getting pregnant young and not continuing school was both the best and worst time of her life. She told me that even though these things had happened to her, she did not want the same thing for me, and always encouraged me to think for myself and go to school to be educated and surpass the troubles of life. My mother moved me from areas of gang rule to Diamond Bar, where education was very important and teachers worked to inspire children to be better. She inspired me to go to college and stand up for what I believe in, because if I never said anything, the problem would never get solved. When I said that Mt. SAC was going to be the school of choice for me, she told me that I was better than that and I could go anywhere if I really wanted to. I worked hard in high school and have now been accepted into Cal Poly Pomona under the major of Electrical Engineer. Her inspiration and encouragement has kept me off the streets and out of gangs and drugs, and I thank her for that by giving my best in life.
Below is the letter of recommendation from Miss Reza, a teacher at DBHS, for Joe Falcon. (Please click onto the letter for a better view)
