A Brief History

In the year 2000, Sparx and Lorenzo Antonio decided that they wanted to do something to express their thanks to the New Mexico community that has shown them so much support throughout their careers. They have always believed that a good education is very important in order to excel in life. After long discussions, they decided that they wanted to create a scholarship for New Mexico students.

Sparx and Lorenzo knew that they would need help with this project. They approached APS (Albuquerque Public Schools) with their idea and thanks to the acting superintendent, Mr. Joseph M. Vigil, APS generously offered their support. At that moment, the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship was born!

The first Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio concert was held in September of 2002 and thanks to all of the people who attended, along with all of the sponsors, people, and organizations involved, it was a huge success.

After receiving and reviewing all of the applications, the first recipients of the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship were chosen. Each Scholarship was worth $4000.00, making it one of the most sought after scholarships that year.

The second Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio fundraiser concert was held in September of 2003. Unfortunately, there was a tragedy just months before the concert. Mr. Vigil was a passenger in a terrible car accident. Tragically, he did not survive.

Despite this unfortunate turn of events, Sparx and Lorenzo, along with APS and ENLACE (ENgaging LAtino Communities for Education), decided to redouble their efforts in continuing to make the Scholarship a success. It was decided that, not only would the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio concert be dedicated in Mr. Vigil's memory, but also that one of the scholarships given that year would be given in his name and would be worth double the amount! Sparx and Lorenzo also decided to expand the scholarship eligibility to include not only APS, but also northern New Mexico high schools.

The third Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio fundraiser concert was held September 26th, 2004. Once again, thanks to everyone who attended and everyone involved, it was a huge success. The ceremony to present the scholarships to the third year recipients was held in May, 2005. Sparx and Lorenzo were happy to say that, after 3 years, they had achieved one of the goals of this project: Starting that year and continuing to the present time, the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship would be available to any graduating New Mexico public high school student!

On September 25th, 2005, the fourth annual Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio concert took place before a sell out crowd. After that, a record number of Scholarship applications were downloaded and sent in by students wishing to further their academic careers.

On April 25th, 2006, the Awards Ceremony for the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship was held at the beautiful National Hispanic Cultural Center. It was a great event full of emotional and touching moments. Many of the recipients were unable to hold back their tears of joy at the time that they received their $4,000.00 Scholarship, and this greatly stirred the emotion of the audience. They spoke about their lives, their futures, and what this Scholarship will help them accomplish.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was when the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio $8,000.00 Scholarship in memory of Joseph M. Vigil was awarded to Roman Escandon. Roman received a standing ovation from all that were present.

A record number of Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarships were given out for the year 2006. One $8,000.00 Scholarship, and nine 4,000.00 Scholarships were awarded to Albuquerque Public High School students. In addition to that, there were eight $2,000.00 Scholarships awarded to other New Mexico Public High School students.

The fifth annual Scholarship Concert was held before another sell out crowd on September, 24th 2006 and in the months following the concert, students downloaded and sent in their application forms.

On April 24, 2007, the Awards Ceremony for the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship took place at the Sandia Hotel & Resort. 27 Scholarships were awarded, each worth from $2,000.00 to $8,000.00, surpassing all previous years! The 27 Scholarships were awarded to students from all over the state, representing the diverse New Mexican population.

The new Scholarship application forms are available now. Remember that we now offer 3 different Scholarships and any graduating New Mexico public high school student can apply.

Sparx and Lorenzo Antonio would like to thank everyone who helped make the Sparx & Lorenzo Antonio Scholarship a success, and they wish all of the Scholarship recipients a bright, academic future.