Congresswoman Escobar Honors El Pasoans During Commendation Ceremony

Tonight, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) will be hosting her fourth Congressional Commendation Ceremony, recognizing a group of outstanding El Pasoans whose work has strengthened the community across fields including education, public service, the arts, science, and advocacy.

"It is a privilege as our community's federal representative to recognize the strength, resilience, and talent of our honorees," said Congresswoman Escobar. "El Paso is grateful for their contributions and we are proud to celebrate the profound impact each of these individuals has made on our beloved community."

Information on each of the honorees (listed in alphabetical order) can be found below:

Beatriz Landin created the Wander Pillow, a neck pillow with a blanket stored inside that was featured on Amazon Prime Video's "The Blox".

Blueberry Carrillo gained national recognition by winning the prestigious Dav Pilkey Silver Medal Portfolio Award in June. She was one in twelve in the nation selected and the only student from Texas to receive the award in the Art category.

El Dorado High School's "The Legend" yearbook staff was named a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Award recipient in 2024 for its 2023 yearbook "Como Cuando".

Jose Hurtado, Ph.D is a UTEP professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences and a member of NASA's Artemis II and II Science Teams. He earned a prestigious grant through the Lunar Mapping Program, supported by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey to create high-quality, modern geologic maps of the moon.

Karime Lopez is student leader and innovator in STEM education. In May, she won the FIRST Leadership Award at the 2026 FIRST Robotics World Championship.

Manuela Alejandra Gomez, Ph.D. was appointed as one of only 12 internationally recognized scholars to serve as an advisor and research associate for the Moses Mesoamerican Archive and Research Project at Harvard University.

Marco Sanchez is a student at Harmony School of Innovation is a STEM driven civic leader from El Paso, Texas and is the Founder and President of Harmony Robotics Organization. He founded the El Paso Youth Alliance, a student run organization with the mission to help young people participate in civic engagement and local government. He is an alumni of Congresswoman Escobar's Congressional Youth Advisory Council.

Margie Salazar became CEO of FirstLight, the first woman CEO of a local major credit union. In March, she was named the 2026 Remarkable Woman for El Paso, a program is designed to spotlight women who lead, inspire and forge a path for others in their communities.

Noel Candelaria is a special education teacher in Ysleta Independent School District. He currently serves as Vice President of the National Education Association, the nation's largest labor union representing more than three million educators.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Janina Simmons made history in 2019 as the first Black woman to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School. Her accomplishments also include becoming an ultramarathon runner and a published author.

Shaheli De Silva is a student at Young Women's STEAM Research and Preparatory Academy. Earlier this year, she won the Regional English Spelling Bee in English and tied for first in EPISD's Spanish Spelling Bee.

Shannon Elizabeth Stevens is a local Girl Scout who starred in Cookie Queens, a documentary that follows Shannon and her troop as they sell cookies.