Local Students Benefit from Words Alive
Words Alive, a leading San Diego non-profit literacy organization that inspires a commitment to reading and develops shared reading experiences for children, youth and adults, has selected 12 outstanding young people from six San Diego County Juvenile Court and Community Schools as the 2012-2013 Words Alive Westreich Scholarship recipients. Each will receive a scholarship award ranging from $1000 to $5,000 for the 2012-2013 academic year.
Words Alive will host its annual Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Awards Ceremony, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 14 to recognize the 2012-2013 scholarship recipients. The ceremony takes place at the South County Regional Education Complex at 800 National City Blvd., National City, CA 91950.
Left to right are Cynthia Valenzuela, Words Alive
Westreich Scholarship student; Domminiece Willis, former Words Alive Westreich Scholarship student; and Jessika Valenzuela, Words Alive Westreich Scholarship student.
The 2012 Words Alive Westreich Scholarship program recipients are: Yadira Avitia and Joel Guadarrama from Chula Vista Main Street; Cynthia Medina from Lindsay Community Day School; Catherine Campos, Brittany Jackson, Cynthia Valenzuela and Jessika Valenzuela from Monarch School; Judith Garcia from MET High School; Francisca Jimenez from North County Technology and Science Academy; and La’Shanae Johnson, Martika Lee and Trisha McElroy from Toussaint Academy of the Arts and Sciences;. These remarkable recipients will be attending University of California, Santa Cruz; San Diego State University; Arizona State University; California State University Channel Islands; Palomar Community College; South Western College; and San Diego City College.
Unlike other scholarship programs, which typically fund only books, tuition and educational supplies, each recipient is eligible to receive funds to cover the cost of rent, food, childcare, travel expenses, and clothing, among other expenses. Additionally, this scholarship program is unique in that each recipient is expertly matched with a one-to-one mentor who meets with them regularly throughout the school year providing guidance, direction, and often times, that simple “shoulder” to lean on.
The Words Alive Westreich Scholarship Program was created by Ruth Westreich, a noted San Diego philanthropist, whose generosity with Words Alive allowed for the founding of the scholarship. The program awards scholarships to past Words Alive Adolescent Book Group program participants to support them in their pursuit of higher education at the college or vocational level.
“Words Alive is honored that Ruth Westreich and the Westreich Foundation established the Words Alive Westreich scholarship. Their generosity has allowed us to help many bright, talented, dedicated teens achieve their educational goals. The whole community will benefit from what the students, in turn, offer back to all of us,” remarks Words Alive founder and board member, Leslye Lyons.
Category: Education
