Seven Oregon high school graduates – including one from Hermiston High School – are recipients of the 2021 Workers’ Memorial Scholarship awards, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) announced.
The awards program helps finance higher education for family members of Oregon workers who have been fatally injured or permanently disabled on the job.
Salma Anguiano of Hermiston is one of the award recipients. Anguiano is a 2018 graduate of Hermiston High School. She is studying American government and politics, and Chinese language and literature at Whitman College. She has won the award four consecutive years.
Anguiano said she wants to “use my experience and background to influence equitable public policy that benefits individuals who come from marginalized backgrounds.”
A vehicle accident left her stepfather, who worked at a dairy farm, a quadriplegic. Anguiano is receiving a $4,000 award.
“In the face of serious challenges, these students have shown a lot of heart and a lot of grit in staying focused on their educational pursuits,” said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. “These awards represent an opportunity for us to help them as they continue moving forward on their respective paths.”
The Workers’ Memorial Scholarship is open to any high school graduate, graduating high school senior, GED recipient, or current college undergraduate or graduate student who is a dependent or spouse of an Oregon worker who has been fatally injured or permanently disabled while on the job.
