Angel Heredia read just one word — “Congratulations” — and knew his life had changed.
Earlier this week, the Hinkley track star and multiple-time Class 5A state champion ripped open a letter from the Daniels Fund and received the best news possible.
Heredia was one of four Hinkley students — and 28 overall in Aurora — to be awarded a Daniels Fund scholarship, which covers the cost of “tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and miscellaneous educational expenses” for four years of college.
It’s basically the biggest win of Heredia’s life.
“The first word I saw was ‘Congratulations’ and I took a big sigh of relief,” Heredia said. “I felt a big pressure released from my shoulders. It’s a good feeling knowing I have college paid for now.”
Because of his ability on the track, the two-time 5A 300 meter hurdles state champion and part of the Thunderbirds’ title-winning 4×200 meter relay last season already had an athletic scholarship in his future at the University of Colorado.
Heredia announced his verbal commitment to CU a week earlier, but the program indicated he would not receive scholarship money for a couple of years until current seniors and juniors were off scholarship.
The Daniels Fund — which Heredia applied for at the strong insistence of his counselor at Hinkley, who made him spend two weeks in the College Career Center writing answers to essay questions, which preceded an interview — will now take care of any of the cost he would have had to incur, which would have been a financial hardship on his family.
“I have a single mom and she can’t really support me as much as she’d like to, so I was glad I got to tell her ‘You don’t have to worry anymore, it’s all paid for,’” Heredia said.
With his future looking bright, Heredia can concentrate on getting back on the track.
He’s been held out of competition for the first few weeks of the season and he tries to get to 100 percent health. Heredia expects to return soon and take aim at a third state title in the 300 hurdles
Heredia also hopes for a possible repeat in the 4×200 relay as teammates Oscar Sarabia and Casey Sharpe also return from last season, though the graduation of sprint star Darrien Wells leaves a big opening.
Note: Hinkley had four of 16 Daniels Fund winners from the Aurora Public Schools district, while 12 students from Cherry Creek Schools and two from Regis Jesuit High School’s Boys Division also garnered the award.
Among the other athletes to win Daniels Fund scholarships include Aurora Central volleyball player Akolda Redgebol, Hinkley football and basketball player Calvin Pope, Overland tennis player Camden Ervin, APS co-op swimmer Danyion Reagan of Rangeview, Rangeview tennis player Abel Negussie and Regis Jesuit cross country runner Austin Layne.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
2018 AURORA DANIELS FUND WINNERS
Aurora Central: Steven David Asher; Akolda Sebet Redgebol; Armonium Wondu Tsegaye; Eaglecrest: Djelika Dansoko; Grandview: Bethel Gashaw; Hinkley: Pamela Arzate; Josue Estrada Murillo; Angel Francisco Heredia Aleman; Calvin Westley Pope; Overland: Halima Abdirahman Afrah; Jennifer Lulu Aklilu; Camden Andre Ervin; Yordanos Adane Limeneh; Belem Esmerelda Magana Martinez; Deependra Pokhrel; Priscila Rivera Avila; Rangeview: DeJuan Lowell Chapa; Nathan Davis Jones; Andres Marquez; Brayan Manuel Melendez Rodriguez; Abel Berhanu Negussie; Nadya Christian Nfaoui; Danyion Jay Robert Louis Reagan; Regis Jesuit — Boys Division: Eliseo Lorenzo Esparza; Austin Lee Layne; Smoky Hill: Zain Mian; Alexandra Victorovna Shadrina; William Smith: Salma Zahra Fakiri
