Hendrick Hudson Junior Awarded with Prestigious Horatio Alger Scholarship

Hendrick Hudson High School junior George Garcia Sagastume was recently named a 2026 Horatio Alger New York Scholar and will receive $10,000 for college tuition.

Awarded by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc, the honor is granted to students from across the country who have faced significant obstacles and who plan on pursuing a bachelor's degree.

The $10,000 scholarship must be used toward the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, beginning in Fall 2026. George will also receive access to a full range of services from the Horatio Alger Association, which will include a virtual college success program.

George was born in the United States, but moved to Guatemala when he was just five months old. While his father stayed behind, George and his mother moved back to the United States due to mounting crime and in order to ensure their safety.

While he faced challenges learning a new language and adapting to a new culture with no family and friends close by, George was eventually able to acclimate to his new surroundings and thrive. He even began working at a young age to help support his family financially.

“George plans to attend college to study criminal justice,” his counselor, Jessica Downey, said. “He looks forward to applying this fall to different universities and graduating high school next year. He will be the first in his family to attend college and is thrilled to be recognized as the recipient of this prestigious award!”

Both the honor and the organization are named after the author Horatio Alger, who wrote young adult novels in the 19th century. Through its need-based scholarship program, the organization honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have overcome adversity and supports promising young people to pursue their American Dream through higher education and technical scholarships.

Through its national and state scholarship programs, the association awarded $17.4 million to 1,830 students across the country in 2024.

“Many students in the United States apply for this scholarship,” said Dr. Aaron Kleinman, Hendrick Hudson’s Director of Guidance. “For George to be selected is quite impressive.”