TAMPA, Fla. — As the school year nears the end, it’s the season to start thinking about scholarships.

What You Need To Know

  • Hillsborough Education Foundation deadline to apply for scholarships

  • The Hillsborough Public School system has resources to help Hispanic students apply for scholarships

  • Maria Otero is a bilingual counselor and says helping Hispanic parents understand how to apply for scholarships is important

Wednesday marked the deadline for several scholarships available from the Hillsborough Education Foundation. Several of those are tailored to Hispanic students.

College is expensive and for some, scary. Maria Otero knows first-hand how important having family support through this process is.

“My parent had no guidance on what to do when it came to my time to graduate, so I took it upon myself to go out and do my research," Otero said.

Now as a bilingual counselor, she is helping students navigate the steps to getting into college by helping them apply for scholarships. 

The Hillsborough Public School System guides students and parents with scholarship applications through their parent school partnership program. It’s held in Spanish several times a month at different high schools.

They also have a bilingual hotline where parents can ask questions, and a scholarship matrix is sent out to every school detailing what students can apply for.

“We try to help them out, and it’s so rewarding to see how a child comes back to you and say because I was able to help, I helped my family and now I’m able to help my community,” Otero said.

The scholarships range from four-year colleges, community and technical colleges.

Otero says the Hillsborough Education Foundation plays a big role in helping Hispanic students attend college.

Angie Anthony, the director of Scholarships and Grant Programs for the Hillsborough Education Foundation, said it’s important to apply for these scholarships.

“All of the scholarships have different criteria, some don’t even require a minimum GPA, so don’t think that you’re not good enough to apply. You certainly have a background," Anthony said.

Otero said it’s important for her to provide opportunities for Hispanics to succeed. She has even put together kits for parents to use as they help their child make the transition to college.

“We also provide them a couple of community resources and how to’s in Spanish and English," she said.

Just like scholarships have guided Otero through her educational journey, she wants to be that helping hand for others.

The Hillsborough Education Foundation said the application should take about an hour to complete.