SALEM — Each of them has different educational goals, career plans, and dreams. All of them have endured the personal and financial hardships that result when a parent or spouse is lost to a workplace death or permanently disabled while on the job.

Salma Anguiano of Hermiston is one of seven Oregon high school graduates receiving the 2020 Workers’ Memorial Scholarship award, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) announced in a press release. The awards program helps finance higher education for family members of Oregon workers who have been fatally injured or permanently disabled on the job.

“In the face of serious challenges, these students have shown a lot of heart and a lot of grit in staying focused on their educational pursuits,” said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. “These awards represent an opportunity for us to help them as they continue moving forward on their respective paths.”

The Workers’ Memorial Scholarship is open to any high school graduate, graduating high school senior, GED recipient, or current college undergraduate or graduate student who is a dependent or spouse of an Oregon worker who has been fatally injured or permanently disabled while on the job.