The Mexican Day Parade of New York presented a $1,000 scholarship to Erik Quezada (2nd from right to left), a junior majoring in electrical engineering.

An outstanding student at the Grove School of Engineering, he dropped out of high school in Mexico, his native land, six years ago. Then he came to the United States to seek the American dream.

During his years out of school, Quezada worked in restaurants. But this work was not satisfying and he decided to enroll at City College and study engineering. He is an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers at the college, and plans to undertake graduate studies after receiving his bachelor’s degree.