CSUMB students wins $2,000 film commission's scholarship

Briana Gonzales, a student at the Cinematic Arts and Technology program at California State University, Monterey Bay, was named the 2017 winner of a $2,000 scholarship in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program. She is a Seaside resident, originally from Porterville, Calif.

Gonzales is set on pursuing a filmmaking career, and is focused on stop-motion animation which she feels offers opportunities to be creative and innovative. “It is rigorous work, but rewarding when I see my set and characters come to life,” Gonzales said in a statement.

“This award will allow me to invest in equipment and create a more intricate production set and well-constructed characters which would in turn show off my skills to studios and film festivals and help further my career in the art that is stop-motion animation,” Gonzales said.

The Monterey County Film Commission film student scholarship program was created in 2008 to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film as well as beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or those enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.

Contributions to the film commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program were made by the Craig and Paula Tigerman family, in-kind support from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and numerous local donors.

Donations are welcomed for next year’s program, according to Jeff Clark, film student scholarship committee chairperson and chair of the board of the Monterey County Film Commission. For more information call 831-646-0910 or email info@filmmonterey.org.

AAUW Monterey awards $9,000 in scholarships

The American Association of University Women -- Monterey Peninsula Branch just awarded $9,000 in scholarships to six students, including MPC graduates Joy Johnson and Zulema Cortez Cuevas and CSUMB students Adriana Lopez-Romero, Karina Pizano, Sandra Cervantes, and Vanessa Tejada.

For more information about the organization and its programs, click here.

In addition to a Gates Millennium Scholar, Everett Alvarez has a Questbridge scholar

One of the things I love about covering education is how much of an education I get on a regular basis.

For instance, I've never heard of the Questbridge scholarship before. This week I found out about it, thanks to Yasmin Marquez, a Everett Alvarez senior who just became a Questbridge scholar.

A Questbridge scholarship is not as generous as a Gates Millennium scholarship (awarded this year to two North Salinas High students and another from Everett Alvarez -- see my story here) but I would not say 'no' to it. It's worth over $200,000 for four years, and it covers room and board, travel, books, with a combination of federal grants and other assistance. Students have to be matched with a top university that will accept them, and Marquez will be attending the University of Southern California.

Marquez is a first generation student. At Alvarez she earned a 4.428 GPA and has participated in  volleyball, theatre, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Puente Club, Interact Club, Math and Science at Alvarez (MASA).

"Over the summer, in my community, I volunteer as a tutor for the migrant education program. Also, I participated in the CHAMACOS Youth Community Council, and I helped plan Ciclovia Salinas, totaling approximately 420 hours of service in my community.

She plans to major in Business Administration and Public Policy, and she plans to return to Salinas to help improve the community.

Love my fellow Trojans. Fight on!

Everett Alvarez teacher Jordana Henry flanked by scholarship winners Rebeca Escamilla and Yasmin Marquez

Scholarships galore!

High school seniors should be done with college applications and by now, many even know which college or university they'll attend.

Here's a couple of ones. I'm sure I'll come across more in the weeks to come.

The S.T.A.R. Foundation of Monterey County is accepting applications for the Performing Arts Scholarship Awards for 2016-2017. Deadline is April 30. The program exists to help graduating Monterey County high school seniors pursue their interest in the performing arts beyond the secondary school setting. Depending on available funds, students attending a two-year college will receive $500. each year. Students attending a four-year college will receive $1000. per year. For more information, contact Suzanne Mentzer at susanne@starfoundationmc.org or click here.


Caltrans offers $750 scholarships

Caltrans District 5 and the California Transportation Foundation (CTF) are offering three $750 scholarships to high school seniors within the five county district (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties).

This scholarship program is entirely employee funded through the proceeds of coffee and snack sales in the district cafeteria. The scholarship program is designed for college-bound senior high school students who are planning to pursue a career in transportation and live within the five counties of the district. Applications must be postmarked by April 29, 2016.

For more information contact Joni Mullen at Joni.Mullen@dot.ca.gov or visit the California Transportation Foundation Scholarships page here.

Know a worthy high school graduating senior in the Monterey Peninsula?

The Monterey Peninsula College Foundation is accepting nominations for the Howard & Karin Evans College Incentive Program. Nominations may be submitted by staff members from any high school or organization that works with qualifying youth in the MPC service area.

Awards are made to students graduating from Carmel, Marina, Monterey, Seaside, or Pacific Grove high schools who come from a disadvantaged backgrounds and may not be able to finish college without additional support. More information and nomination forms are available here. Nomination forms for this program must be received by April 1, 2016.

In addition to the college incentive program, the Foundation is also accepting applications from qualified students for MPC Alumni Scholarships and Robert K. Bullock Journalism Scholarships.

Great scholarship opportunity for Dreamers!

TheDream.US provides college scholarships to highly motivated DREAMers who want to get a college education but cannot afford it. The scholarships will help cover up to $25,000 of tuition and fees for an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at one of the organization's Partner Colleges.

The organization "Partner Colleges" are spread throughout the United States, but in California are University of La Verne, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, San Jose State University, San Francisco State, Mt. San Antonio College, Long Beach City College, De Anza Community College, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Long Beach, and Cal State East Bay.

No, no Hartnell, MPC, or CSUMB.

This scholarship is available to high school seniors or high school graduates with demonstrated financial need who are first time college students and be eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA.

Deadline to apply is Feb. 15. For more information, click here.

Monterey College of Law establishes scholarship for alums of Boys & Girls Club

Monterey College of Law is establishing a scholarship program for alums of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County.

The Monterey College of Law will provide an annual, full-tuition law school scholarship to alumni of the Monterey County Boys & Girls Clubs for each of the next 10 years, starting this fall. The law school will also establish a similar scholarship program with the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz.

"We share an important mission with the Boys & Girls Clubs by providing quality educational opportunities for local students,” said Mitchel Winick, dean and president of the law school, during the announcement of the scholarship at the annual breakfast of the Boys & Girls Club in Seaside.

 “This is a unique and exciting opportunity to recognize special students from our community who have worked hard and earned the chance to achieve their dream of becoming a lawyer," he said.


"This special scholarship program not only represents an extraordinary opportunity for our youth, it represents one of the largest financial sponsorships in the history of our organization," said Donna Ferraro, president and chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club.  "This program is another inspiring example of how our community stands behind our slogan 'Great Futures Start Here'."

Persons interested in the Monterey College of Law scholarship program should contact Mary Dawson at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County at 394-5171.

Another scholarship available to Monterey-area high school students

The New Millennium Scholarship will be awarded to four Monterey Peninsula public high school students who have a vision for their contribution to the community, who have shown determination and willingness to overcome hardship to achieve their educational goals, and who are striving for excellence on a personal and academic level.

The scholarship is sponsored by The Fishwife and Turtle Bay restaurants.

One $2,000.00 tuition scholarship, and three $1,000.00 tuition scholarships will be awarded in 2014. The recipients will be announced before graduation, in June.

Completed applications must be postmarked-or hand delivered by March 31, 2014. For more information and a complete application, click here.

For more information, call 375-7108 or email fishwife@fishwife.com

To qualify for the 2014 New Millennium Scholarship you must be a graduating Senior currently enrolled at Carmel High, Monterey High, Pacific Grove High, Marina or Seaside High. Student must carry a minimum 3.0 GPA (based on Sophomore and Junior years).

Scholarship opportunity from National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators will award the John S. Martinez  Leadership Scholarship  to Latino public high school students who reside in the district of a Hispanic State Legislator.

The scholarship has been specifically designed to help Hispanic high school students achieve educational success. This program has been implemented within the thirty eight (38) states and territories that have Latino state legislators. The award will be provided to a total of 11 Hispanic public high school students and no more than two recipients will be selected per state.

Each recipient will be awarded a one-time $3,000 grant towards their higher education in recognition of outstanding academic achievements and leadership. Additionally, recipients will have the chance to meet with their local Latino legislator. This scholarship is in honor of the late John S. Martinez, a Hispanic leader who served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives and a former president of National Hispanic Caucus.

The deadline to submit an applications is March 15, 201. Find the application here.

Monterey Peninsula students, here's a chance to earn $10,000

Applications for the $10,000 Investment in Community Graduate Fellowship by the Willis W. and Ethel M. Clark Foundation will be accepted through Jan. 31.

The Investment in Community Fellowship is awarded each year to a deserving graduate student who was born, raised or lived on the Monterey Peninsula and who intends to return to the area and be of service to the local community after completing his/her graduate degree.

The award can be used to cover the ordinary costs of graduate school including tuition, books, room, and board.

Students have to be enrolled full-time in an advanced program of study. They have to prove they are receiving above average grades. They have to demonstrate commitment to volunteerism and public service. They need to have intention to remain connected to the Monterey Peninsula through work or residence.

Fellowship to be awarded Spring 2014. For more information about the Clark Foundation and the fellowship click here.

Family day for charity and scholarships at Carmel High School

The Carmel High School Foundation and the students of Carmel High School are sponsoring a race and a family day  to raise funds for scholarships and to benefit the community as a whole.

The event will take place Oct. 27, and will feature:

A 5K race,
A 2K fun run/walk
Family day for charity

Registration starts at 8 a.m. at Carmel High School. The race begins at 10 a.m.

Race entry fees are $35 for adults, $10 for students, $5 for kids ages 6-12, and $65 for families. For more information, or to register, click here.

Race fee includes a student-designed T-shirt. Race proceeds benefit student scholarships.

Family Day for Charity is a free community event and it will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers ask community members to bring donations of  non-perishable food, new socks and cash.

All contributions for Family Day for Charity will go to local charities, including MEarth, The Carmel Valley Angel Project, Hope Center Food Pantry, Big Sur Health Clinic and Legal Aid for Seniors. Family Day is sponsored by Carmel High School student clubs and organizations.

For more information regarding the 5k/2k run, or to donate, contact Kelli Foy at Carmel High School Foundation, 915-9831. For information about Family Day for Charity, or to donate, contact Diana Vita at Carmel High School, 624-1821.

Volunteers needed for Seaside's "Walk of Success"

The yearly “Walk of Success" spreads the word about Imagine College and the $4,000 scholarships available to freshmen at Seaside High.

Will you volunteer to spread the good news?

On Saturday, Oct. 19, volunteers will visit the families of eligible students, letting them know about the program and how to make the dream of college a reality. The day will begin at 8 a.m. with a brief orientation and breakfast at Seaside High. Home visits will get under way at 9:30 a.m. and run through 1 p.m.

Imagine College is held at CSUMB each summer. Several hundreds students spend a week on campus, taking a class and learning about what it’s like to be a college student.

For further information or to volunteer for “The Walk for Success,” contact Christina Frazier, AmeriCorps coordinator at imaginecollege.frazier@gmail.com, call 392-3530, ext. 2070, or sign up by visiting shs.mpusd.k12.ca.us and clicking on the volunteer registration link.

Learn more about Imagine College at CSUMB here.

Monterey Peninsula College awards nearly $250,000 in scholarships

The Scholarship Program at Monterey Peninsula College helps students with grants for costs such as tuition, fees, textbooks, and other necessary expenses. The Monterey Peninsula College Scholarship Program is sustained through local and nationwide donors.

Each spring donors and recipients are honored at the college’s Scholarship Awards Ceremony. This year 192 scholarships totaling $246,467 dollars were awarded to 154 MPC students, including $132,000 funded through the Monterey Peninsula College Foundation.

The MPC Foundation gives donors the opportunity to contribute or set up their own endowments to support causes they believe in. For instance, the MPC Foundation’s newly established Robert K. Bullock Journalism Scholarship fund awarded $37,000 to students pursuing a career in journalism communications and/or mass media at MPC. Of the funds, $4,000 to four high school scholarships, $12,000 to six MPC students returning in the fall and $21,000 to five MPC students transferring to four-year institutions.

For a full list of recipients, click here.

Carmel's Jane Margaret Brunson heading to UCLA with $10,000 scholarship

Jane Margaret Brunson of Carmel is heading to UC Los Angeles in September with a scholarship from Jewish Guild Healthcare. She is one of 16 legally blind, college-bound high school seniors throughout the United States to receive scholarships of $10,000 each from the Guild for this upcoming academic year.

The GuildScholar Program was launched in 2005 and awards each student a scholarship to help assure that more students with vision impairments are able to enroll in a college or university that might otherwise be out of their reach financially. While there are other scholarships available for such students, this is the largest program of its kind in the country. It was created, in part, through a generous grant from the Jeannette A. Klarenmeyer Trust. As many as 16 students are selected for scholarships each academic year. For information on the GuildScholar Program’s scholarships for the 2014 academic year, contact Gordon Rovins at 212-769-7801 or e-mail guildscholar@guildhealth.org.

Filipino Women's Club awards scholarships to six students

The Filipino Women's Club of Salinas in Monterey County held its 64th Scholarship Luncheon on June 8, 2013 at the Harden Foundation Estate. The following students were awarded scholarships this year.

Elizabeth Rocamora Kamine- Sacramento, CA
Aya Aycalar Chato- North Salinas High School
Michael Olivas- North Salinas High School
Pricilla Viray Edwards- Grand Prairie, TX
Caryssa Galindo Brandt- Fairfield, CA
Andrea Lynn Lim- Salinas High School

The club was founded in 1930 to support struggling Filipino-American farm workers. Scholarships are awarded to students every year to encourage the pursuit of higher education.

"We wanted our children to have a better education and a better life here in the States," said Susan Valeriano, Scholarship Chair and a former club president. Through various fundraisers and events, the club is able to raise funds for the scholarships, as well as share their Filipino cultural heritage with the community.

In the picture, from left to right: Erasmo Jr. Olivas (accepting on behalf of his son Michael Olivas), Scholarship Chair Susan Valeriano, Elizabeth Rocamora Kamine, Caryssa Galindo Brandt, Andrea Lim, Aya Chato, Raymond Rocamora (accepting on behalf of Pricilla Viray Edwards)

Two scholarships in one for an Ag student

Wednesday, Feb. 27, is the deadline to apply for the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship.

A $2,000 award for a student entering or currently attending college and majoring in agriculture. This award will be allocated for the remaining years in college with verification of registration for each session of full time classes.

The recipient of 2013 Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship will also receive a $2,000 award from American AgCredit.

To be eligible for the scholarships, students must live in Santa Cruz County or within the Pajaro Valley Unified School District boundaries, or be a member of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau. Criteria for the scholarship are based on student leadership skills, a demonstrated commitment to the industry, grades and financial need.

Deadline for submitting applications for the Agri-Culture Scholarship Program is Feb. 27.

To request an application, please contact the Financial Aid office at your school or the Agri-Culture office, 141 Monte Vista Ave., Watsonville, CA 95076. (831) 722-6622 or (831) 818-1193

Bright Minds Scholarship presentation at MPC today

Attention Monterey Peninsula College students: from 2:30 to 3:30 pm today there will be an information session on the Bright Minds Scholarship, which awards 10 scholarship of up to $30,000 a year and 90 $2,500 scholarships.

Respresentatives from Pacific Gas and Electric Company, sponsor of the scholarship, will be on hand to answer questions. Deadline to apply is Feb. 28.


The meeting will take place at the Library an Technology Center, Rm. 216.
For more information about the scholarship, click here.

#FreeToTweet: could you win a $5,000 scholarship?

Last year, Marina Abigail "Abby" Hoffman, now a freshman at UC Berkeley and a graduate of Steven, tweeted her way to a $5,000 scholarship for her message about the First Amendment.

Could the winner be you this year?

Beginning at midnight on Dec. 1 through 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 15, (yea, I'm arriving late to the party) students at a high school, community college or university ages 14 and up can tweet their support for the First Amendment with the hash tag #FreeToTweet, which will enter them in the “Free to Tweet” scholarship competition.

Last year’s campaign received more than 17,000 submissions in one day, including a tweet of support from the White House.

Students can enter the scholarship competition by tweeting a message of support – using the hashtag #FreeToTweet – for the First Amendment. A panel of educators and First Amendment experts will review the entries and award five $5,000 scholarships.

Judging criteria and complete rules can be found here. Updates on the event can be followed on Twitter at @FreeToTweet2012.

Salinas has two National Merit semifinalists

but word has it Monterey County has six. Where are the other four?

Aradhana Sinha and Brennan Fahselt of Salinas High were named among 16,000 students nationwide who made it to the semifinals of the National Merit Scholarship program, which recognizes the most talented students in the United States. I've been getting really good reports about Aradhana for the last few years, so I'm not surprised she's in this distinguished list. It's the first I hear from Brennan, but likely won't be the last.

The semifinalists have an opportunity to compete for 8,300 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered in the spring.

About 1.5 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as an initial screen of program entrants.

The nationwide pool of semifinalists represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

Pretty amazing feat, huh? Congratulations, Aradhana and Brennan! 

Carmel students receive scholarships

Makena Loop, Matt Rudolph, Abby Ferrall, and Elizabeth Reyes were selected by the Rotary Club of Carmel Valley to receive their high school senior scholarships.

At Carmel High Loop received a $1,000 scholarship. Rudolph and Ferrall each received a $500 scholarship. They were selected based on their community involvement, leadership, financial need and grade-point average.

At Carmel Valley High, Elizabeth Reyes received a $500 scholarship. Instructors at the school selected a student who has shown strong aspiration in pursuit of higher education or vocation.

It's always nice to be recognized for strong efforts, so congratulations to these winners!