Oceanside Spectrum interview

Elaine Swann of KOCT’s Oceanside Spectrum (right) interviews Don Diego Executive Director Chana Mannen.

2/3/16

The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation is featured as the first segment on KOCT’s February 2016 “Oceanside Spectrum.” The show will air throughout February on TV Channel 18 as well as streaming live and on-demand at www.koct.org.

On the show, Chana Mannen, who began working for the San Diego County Fair in 1970 and who has been Executive Director of the Don Diego Scholarship Foundation since its establishment in 1986, highlights the Foundation’s rich, 30-year history. She tells host Elaine Swann that she and the Board are most proud of what the 165 scholarship recipients to date have accomplished for themselves and their community.

Mannen notes, “Our college scholarship program is unique in that it is associated with the San Diego County Fair and Del Mar Fairgrounds. Applicants must be San Diego County high school seniors who have participated in Fairgrounds activities, either as a member of FFA or 4H, an exhibitor/participant or an employee. Thanks to the great exposure on KOCT and in local print and digital media, we hope to receive applications from many outstanding applicants before the deadline of March 21, 2016.”

Online applications are at https://dondiegoscholarship.org/scholarships/. A total of $44,000 will be awarded to 14 students.

The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation was named for Don Diego, AKA Tom Hernandez, who served as the Fair’s welcoming goodwill ambassador from 1947-1984. The Foundation has awarded $572,500 to 165 aspiring students since its inception in 1986. It also awards grants that support the Fair’s Plant*Grow*Eat program, which teaches elementary students about agriculture and nutrition in a fun, hands-on way. More information is at dondiegoscholarship.org and www.facebook.com/DonDiegoScholarship.