By Caitlin Wolfe
DouglasNow.com
“He couldn’t believe it was him,” says Brandy Hooper, the Market Training Leader of Taco Bell in Douglas when describing the moment Moises Guzman, a Coffee High junior, found out he was the recipient of the Live Mas Taco Bell Scholarship.
Moises, a Taco Bell employee, found out he received a $10,000 scholarship on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. He was one of many students across Georgia who applied for the Live Mas scholarship, and to his surprise, he was chosen.
According to his manager Brandy, this is a nationwide scholarship that Taco Bell gives out every year. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of students who work at Taco Bells across the state who apply for this scholarship yearly. This year, the scholarship was awarded to nearly 1,000 Taco Bell fans and team members across the country. Brandy states this year alone, the Taco Bell Foundation is awarding more than $10 million in Live Más Scholarships – the most ever in the nonprofit’s history. Since 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has reached more than 5 million young people across the country and has awarded $155 million in grants and scholarships, focused on education and career readiness.
Moises, a Taco Bell employee of 10 months, applied for the scholarship in hopes of receiving $5,000, but instead received double. When asked what these students are to do in order to become a possible recipient, Brandy states Moises had to fill out the scholarship application and create a 2 minute video describing his ambitions, goals, and how working at Taco Bell has made an impact on his life.
Employees and staff joined together last week at Taco Bell to find out who had been chosen as the scholarship recipient. Moises was one of nine students from the Douglas Taco Bell who applied for this scholarship. According to his manager, when Moises’ name was announced, he was overcome with joy and surprise. “He stood up. Then sat back down. Then stood up again. He couldn’t believe it. It was very emotional for all of us,” says Brandy when speaking of the moment Moises heard his name called. He accepted the scholarship alongside his parents who were there to proudly celebrate their son on being awarded this amazing opportunity.
“It was a blessing to me,” says Brandy, when speaking of the moment she found out that one of her employees had been chosen to receive the Live Mas scholarship. She states, “My employees are like family to me.” According to Brandy, when customers at Taco Bell are asked to round up their total after ordering, that change goes toward scholarship funds for students like Moises who want to further their education after high school.
After graduation, Moises plans to attend South Georgia State College to earn a degree in engineering and business. He was awarded the scholarship on April 24 at the Coffee High School honors ceremony.