{"id":20105,"date":"2012-08-28T19:55:37","date_gmt":"2012-08-29T02:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.57.196.122\/~gdatwofo\/theavtimes\/?p=20105"},"modified":"2013-01-18T21:31:56","modified_gmt":"2013-01-19T05:31:56","slug":"uav-awards-full-scholarship-to-vida-graduate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2012\/08\/28\/uav-awards-full-scholarship-to-vida-graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"UAV awards full scholarship to VIDA graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Sheriff Lee Baca presents Isaac Mendez-Candelario with a four-year scholarship to the University of Antelope Valley. The scholarship was awarded through a joint partnership between UAV and the Sheriff\u2019s Department.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LANCASTER \u2013 Two years ago, Isaac Mendez-Candelario<\/strong> was making bad choices.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was only 16 and was a little trouble maker who thought life was just a joke,\u201d Candelario said. \u201cI was into graffiti.\u201d<\/p>\n

The teenager tagged his way through Palmdale; and by the time he was busted, he had racked up $20,000 worth of damages and a $1,200 ticket.<\/p>\n

Then mom stepped in and forced her son into the Sheriff\u2019s Department\u2019s Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives (VIDA) program, a 16-week re-directional program for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 17.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Mendez-Candelario hugs his mother, Christina Mendez, at the ceremony. He credits his mother for his success.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt was a tough love kind of thing,\u201d said Christina Mendez. \u201cI wanted the best for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her tough love worked.<\/p>\n

Candelario not only completed the VIDA program, but he managed to pay off nearly $3,000 of his debt with the money he earned cutting grass, washing cars and recycling. He said he also learned valuable life lessons.<\/p>\n

\u201cVIDA taught me integrity and respect, basically how to be a man,\u201d Candelario said. \u201cIt\u2019s about doing the right thing even if no one is looking.\u201d<\/p>\n

For his hard work and dedication, Candelario was selected as the first recipient of a fully paid, four-year scholarship to the University of Antelope Valley. The scholarship was awarded through a joint partnership between UAV and the Sheriff\u2019s Department.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsaac is making history,\u201d said UAV CEO Sandra Johnson. \u201cYou are an example for all the children, your family and our community, and we applaud you for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson joined Sheriff Lee Baca, commanders from the Lancaster and Palmdale Stations, and VIDA deputies for a ceremony Tuesday to formally recognize Candelario for his achievement.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will be a great role model for the future, for other students who will come here,\u201d Sheriff Baca said to Candelario. \u201cI am just honored and pleased to share in your success today.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Tuesday\u2019s ceremony, UAV officials also announced they will be awarding two bachelor program scholarships each year to VIDA graduates selected from the Antelope Valley.<\/p>\n

VIDA will select graduates for the scholarship who continue to show positive progress after completing the program. Those interested in obtaining the scholarship will also need to meet certain GPA and community service requirements to qualify.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Scholarship recipient Isaac Mendez-Candelario and his mother, Christina Mendez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe VIDA program has always been about helping young men and women achieve their dreams. Earning a college degree is one of the aspirations many of our participants dreamed of, but never thought possible,\u201d said Captain Robert Tubbs from the Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau. \u201cThe University of Antelope Valley\u2019s partnership with us will now make some of those dreams a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the recent partnership we have secured with the University of Antelope Valley, the opportunities for the young men and women who graduate the program can continue well beyond high school,\u201d said Lancaster Station Commander, Captain Robert Jonsen. \u201cVIDA opens the door to endless possibilities, and I hope every participant takes full advantage of what the program has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candelario began his classes at UAV this week, and he\u2019s majoring in criminal justice. He said he ultimately hopes to become a high ranking Naval officer. Candelario also hopes to inspire other VIDA participants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe VIDA program works,\u201d Candelario said. \u201cIt helped me and I\u2019m pretty sure it can help others too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an awesome program, and I recommend it to everybody who has had trouble with their children,\u201d said Christina Mendez. \u201cYou can make one mistake in your life, but you can also turn around and make it positive, so I\u2019m very proud of him.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information about the VIDA program, visit www.vida.la<\/a> or contact Lt. John Voza at 323-981-5300.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LANCASTER \u2013 Two years ago, Isaac Mendez-Candelario was making bad choices. \u201cI was only 16 and was a little trouble maker who thought life was just a joke,\u201d Candelario said. \u201cI was into graffiti.\u201d The teenager tagged his way through Palmdale; and by the time he was busted, he had racked up $20,000 worth of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":20112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20105"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}