SACRAMENTO – Jesus Holguin’s devotion to supporting education is why he was honored as a California Lottery “Hero in Education” on “The Big Spin®” show airing statewide November 17, 2007.
Holguin’s two daughters attend high school in the Moreno Valley school district and they are the reason he got started in community work, he wanted to make sure their world was the best it could be. He first got involved in parents’ committees when his oldest daughter started kindergarten. He quickly realized that if he could improve his daughters’ world, he could improve the worlds of a lot of kids in the community. He then worked his way up, eventually getting elected to the Moreno Valley Board of Education.
In addition to setting policies for the school district, he is involved in several organizations that benefit youth. He works with groups like the Rotary Club and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, but his pride and joy is a group called Moreno Valley’s Promise. Their focus is to gather organizations that provide services to youth and connect those groups with the kids who need help. Whether it’s educational or counseling services, they work hard to connect the organization with the kids and get kids involved in their communities as well. They are currently working on a project where children will deliver gifts and goodies to other children in hospitals and homeless shelters, where they wouldn’t normally get help.
Holguin is also working with organizations that will not only help youth find ways to stay away from violence and drugs, but encourage outstanding behavior. He is working on a program that will reward students for their outstanding achievements and reward the parents for teaching their kids well. Moreno Valley Promise also has programs in the works that will encourage students in the areas of art, music and sports. Jesus Holguin goes above and beyond doing right by his family by taking it upon himself to do his part to better the lives of all Moreno Valley‘s kids. For that, he is truly a Hero in Education.
Presenting Holguin with his award was actress Loretta Swit, an actress who is best known as Major Margaret Houlihan on M*A*S*H, considered by many to be the greatest TV show of all time.
The California State Lottery's ‘Hero in Education’ award has been presented monthly on The Big Spin show since 1999. The Lottery presents these awards to recognize special individuals who volunteer time and resources to their schools and communities.
Over 95 cents of every Lottery dollar is returned to the community in the form of contributions to education, prizes and retail commissions. The California Lottery contributes at least 34 cents of every dollar that players spend on Lottery products to public education and returns more than 50 percent of sales to players in the form of prizes. Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has contributed more than $19.6 billion to California schools out of total sales of more than $53.25 billion. Retailers win too, earning $3.4 billion in compensation since 1985.
For more information please visit www.calottery.com/support.