Scholarship Winner

Meet Our Scholarship Winner!

Congratulations to Hayes Ava on winning our 2026 Right Mindset Scholarship!

Biography:
I am from Allentown, New Jersey and I will be beginning my first year of college at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While I am at college, I hope to pursue both biology and political science on a pre-law track! Throughout my life, I have been involved in agriculture, specifically through the sheep industry. In 2019, I bought my own sheep, a Natural Colored Lincoln, and since then I have expanded my flock to 30+ sheep. This sheep business of mine, Hayes & Hooves, co-founded with my sister, has taken off in the form of championships at national shows. I have used this knowledge of agriculture to propel me to attending and competing in agricultural competitions at the National FFA event for three years in a row. In addition to spending a lot of my time on the farm, I am also very involved in athletics, specifically tennis. I am dedicated to community service, having served as a National Honor Society officer for two years at my high school. Outside of clubs, I put a great emphasis on my academic capabilities by joining the Academic Team at my school and winning national recognition from College Board for my AP scores.

Reaction Statement:
I am so incredibly honored and thrilled to have received the 2026 Right Mindset Scholarship. Knowing that I will be able to start college with less financial stress leaves me feeling so excited for the upcoming year!”

Congratulations to Isabella Garcia on winning our 2025 Right Mindset Scholarship!

Biography:
Isabella Garcia is a first year pre-medical student pursuing a degree in Rehabilitation Therapy at Florida International University. Growing up, Isabella Garcia played competitive soccer in the Elite Club National League before finding her passion for the medical field. Isabella traded her cleats for a pair of scrubs and began her volunteer work at Baptist Health’s Emergency Department at fifteen years old. Since starting, she has worked over 2 years in the field having learnt the values and qualities it takes to work on the front lines. Isabella’s unwavering dedication and love for service has since then been recognized by Baptist when she was offered an internship in the Oncology Unit. This opportunity was a milestone in Isabella’s pre-professional career where she combined her passion and experience to make a profound impact on patients’ lives. Isabella’s most recent accomplishment includes being nominated for the prestigious Silver Knight Award after creating Community Paws: a non-profit aiming to spread hope, support, and companionship to hospitals, libraries, and schools through the use of animal assisted therapy. Her resounding effort to become certified in animal therapy as a high school student allowed her to provide professional care to patients at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, students in Miami-Dade County, families at Kristi’s House, and more. Beyond service, Isabella’s academic standings speak for itself as she has maintained high performance while taking Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes throughout her time at Miami Arts Studio 6-12. She was also involved in multiple honors societies, clubs, and graduated with over 800 community service hours. Despite the many challenges Isabella faced during her early years of high school, she has utilized her resilience to sustain a “Right Mindset,” knowing that adversity is an opportunity. As she begins her college career,

Isabella hopes to fulfill her dreams and become a physician specializing in Emergency Medicine, providing the highest quality care while saving lives.

Reaction Statement:
“It is with great honor to be named as the 2025 Veliz & Associates Right Mindset Scholarship winner. This recognition means a considerable amount to me because “Right Mindset” is a principle I live by, it enables me to strive for excellence during the positives and have resilience during the negatives. I am profoundly grateful for Veliz & Associates investment in my future; this is not just benefitting me as a student financially, but is inspiring me to continue to work hard in my future endeavors. I am incredibly grateful for this support and am excited for the opportunities ahead!”