2 SISD students awarded $10,000 scholarships by The Great Khalid Foundation

EL PASO, Texas -- A surprise like no other! Two Socorro Independent School District students were surprised with scholarships from The Great Khalid Foundation.

Ariah Labrado, a senior at Eastlake High School, and Raul Romero, a senior at Pebble Hills High School, both received scholarships totaling $10,000.

The Great Khalid Foundation Executive Director Linda Wolfe presented the scholarships in a surprise visit at each of the students' school.

Romero told ABC-7 that he's excited to use the money to pursue a career in music education.

"Everybody in the world has a connection to music and that's why I want to become a music educator," Romero said. "To really bring that out in people. I just really wanna push people and push my future students to create that passion and that drive that I found when I was a little 6th grader."

Students from across the country applied for The Great Khalid Foundation scholarships and submitted transcripts, essays, and a performance video showcasing their skills.