Friday, May 29, 2009
Page 3
D.A.’s Office Awards Scholarships to High School Students
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office yesterday presented $9,000 in scholarships on as part of its 17th Annual Environmental Scholarship Awards Ceremony.
Since 1991, the District Attorney’s Office has awarded $191,000 in scholarships to 318 local students, officials said in a release.
This scholarship program stemmed from a 1990 settlement the District Attorney’s Office reached with Grow Group Inc., a manufacturer of chemical products used in swimming pools.
In 1988, an explosion at the Grow Group’s plant injured 12 people and triggered the evacuation of 30,000 people from residences and businesses.
Grow Group pleaded no contest to one felony count of illegal disposal of hazardous waste and three misdemeanor counts of unlawful storage of hazardous waste. It also agreed to pay a fine of nearly $270,000 to be used for college scholarships for students who attend the five high schools in the area affected by the explosion.
At yesterday’s ceremony, which took place at Montebello High School, scholarships were awarded to 14 graduating seniors from Montebello, Bell Gardens, Pioneer, Schurr and El Rancho high schools who have demonstrated serious interest in the environment.
District Attorney Steve Cooley praised the recipients for “hav[ing] proven they care about the environment and are willing to lead their communities in protecting and preserving our natural resources,” adding that his office was “proud to partner with these high schools to help foster future guardians of the environment.”
Copyright 2009, Metropolitan News Company