NEW AMERICAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM
2009 SCHOLARS
Overview
In 2009, we received applications from 130 talented immigrant students, representing 62 Bay Area schools and 26 countries of origin. We invited nine extraordinary students to be part of our 2009 New American Scholars Program, awarding them $42,000 in scholarships. Our 2009 Scholars hailed from El Salvador, Mexico, Mongolia, Peru, and the Philippines. They attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Francisco State University, UC Berkeley, and UC Los Angeles.
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Sindy
I'm the first ESL student in my school to ever attempt to earn the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. IB classes are indeed challenging -- they are college level courses -- and to excel I've had to work twice as hard as native speakers.
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Sindy has accomplished what no other English as a Second Language (ESL) student at Sequoia High School has ever done before: she's just graduated from the highly rigorous International Baccalaureate (IB) program. She did this by learning English in only six months, taking a full-load of demanding honors classes, including Theory of Knowledge and Environmental Systems, and earning a 3.87 GPA. Now Sindy is well prepared for the rigors of UCLA, where she plans to study law. Her achievements extend beyond the classroom: she's raised awareness and funds for undocumented students, fed the homeless, led bilingual health presentations, and mentored other immigrant youth. In all, she has contributed over 400 hours of service to her community. We're not the only ones captivated by Sindy -- she was recently profiled on KQED's The California Report and the San Jose Mercury News!
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Elisa
I was accepted into the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) program at UC Santa Cruz. During the four-week residential program, I found myself in a college environment. I quickly adjusted to the college life, and was excited for the coming of each new day. As I gained valuable insight into the Marine Biology field, I realized I was ready for college.
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Elisa is indeed ready for the demands of college. An immigrant from the Philippines, she recently graduated from Pittsburg High School with a 4.56 GPA. She was valedictorian in a school of nearly 2,000 students. During her summers, Elisa pursued college-level academics, first taking AP Macroeconomics at UC Berkeley and then Marine Biology at UC Santa Cruz. She has also taken on many leadership roles, which have enabled her to give back to the community, including an internship with Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal D. Glover and officer positions in her school's Key Club and California Scholarship Federation. Elisa's strong Filipina roots and family ties will continue to support her success as she begins to pursue a degree in Business Administration at UC Berkeley this fall.
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Vianey
I'm constantly bombarded with the statistics declaring that I, a Mexican girl, will get pregnant before 17, drop out of high school, never make it to college, end up working at McDonalds, or become enslaved by drugs. But I know I'm better than these statistics.
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Vianey has never even thought of dropping out of school. At Aragon High School, she's maintained a nearly 4.19 GPA and been on the honor roll every year. She's also played soccer and track and field, been an AVID tutor, and volunteered in the Arthritis Center at Mills Peninsula Hospital. Vianey plans on studying Nursing at San Francisco State University, where she'll be attending in the fall. "I've got a fire burning bright night and day in my bosom," she says. "It reminds me to keep on going and never give up." We’re so excited to see Vianey prove those statistics wrong.
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Mario
I thought about Harvey Milk. He knew that being an "out" politician meant he could be assassinated, but he still fought for gay rights. I reminded myself that leaders have to take risks in order to gain anything. Maybe I could be deported for going public with my story. But maybe I'd also have the chance to change people's viewpoints, affirm the American Dream, and benefit thousands of other undocumented students.
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A few months ago, Mario made a courageous decision. He chose to participate in a nationally televised story about undocumented college students, produced by ABC News Good Morning America. The risk of being identified and deported might have stopped other undocumented students from participating in the story, but Mario is no stranger to difficult choices. After coming from Peru when he was 12 years old, Mario lived apart from his mother and father while attending Oceana High School in Pacifica. He was confronted with many prejudices against homosexuals, especially in his church, but still found ways to embrace his Christian beliefs and homosexuality. Mario graduated as valedictorian of his high school class, and then decided to pursue the rigorous Civil Engineering program at UC Berkeley. He has since been a leader in the gay community, participating in activities with the Bay Area Gay Straight Alliance, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Asians & Pacific Islanders, Queer & Questioning, 25 & Under, All Together (AQU25A).
Read Mario's poem American Monster
Read Mario's story That Morning
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Dulce
As the end of my high school career comes near, I realize how proud I am of overcoming so many obstacles while maintaining my success in school. It would have been easy for me to take a different path in life, but I have chosen to become the first in my family to attend college. As tragic as my experiences have been, I have developed the character and academic skills to do well in college and in life.
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Dulce is a survivor who refuses to let pain or hardship get in her way of graduating from college. When separated from her family and placed in foster care, she remained focused on her classes. In high school, she maintained a 4.22 GPA and took four AP classes, even while working as a waitress 15-20 hours a week. "Dulce has a fiery passion to strive for excellence that none can teach," says her Mathematics instructor. She will start classes at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall, where she intends to major in Mechanical Engineering.
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Christian
Being American means believing in your dreams, believing in the liberty and justice that this country stands for. I do not desire to be famous, powerful, or wealthy. All I yearn for is an opportunity to give back to this country that has given me so much.
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We're certain that Christian will contribute enormously to this country. After all, he's already accomplished so much. In addition to receiving numerous academic awards in math and science, Christian has been an outstanding athlete. He's won the national championship in Tae Kwon Do, and served as captain of his high school's varsity soccer team for three years in a row. Christian's also coached, counseled, and tutored inner-city kids, and cleaned and constructed houses affected by Hurricane Katrina. Last summer, he attended the prestigious Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, which included an in-depth research project, a 5-week hospital internship, and extensive instruction in the Biological Sciences. Christian's the first of his 156 cousins to even apply to college. "Getting accepted into UCLA was a dream come true for me and my family," he says.
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Agustin
Being part of a minority group and coming from an historically challenged background can be one of the most difficult things a student can face. However, being a minority, historically challenged and undocumented is even more difficult. Many students' dreams come to an end when they realize that their parents can't afford to pay for college and the government refuses to help.
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No external challenges can force Agustin to give up on his dreams. In high school, he graduated in the top 10% of his class, received the Outstanding Student of the Year Award, and was president of the Young Latino Leaders club. He also worked up to 30 hours per week to contribute financially to his family. Agustin just finished his third year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he's majoring in Civil Engineering and involved with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). He also tutors immigrant students at Laguna Middle School. He says, "I believe I can make an impact on their lives so that one day they too will pursue a higher education."
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Tsatsral
Since my sophomore year in high school until today, my schedule has always been a combination of school and work; never one without the other. Sometimes I wonder, what would it be like if I didn't have to work? Would I get a 4.0? Would it be possible? I don't know, but I believe that hard work pays off in the end.
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Tsatsral is no stranger to hard work. At 14 years old, she immigrated to the United States speaking no English whatsoever. She was the only Mongolian student at Mandela High School, and remembers having no one to talk to initially. Nonetheless Tsatsral graduated from high school as valedictorian with a 4.17 GPA. Now entering her senior year at UC Berkeley, she pays for tuition by working 16 hours a week as a waitress. She receives no support from her family. "I don’t feel bad or sorry for myself," Tsatsral says. "I enjoy every second of my time here. I love studying Architecture. I love staying up all night making models and drawings."
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Manuel
It all started with a Biology class that I took at Contra Costa College, taught by Professor Tarp. His enthusiasm allowed me to see his passion for Biology, and helped me realize that I had that same passion too. It was in one of his classes that I fell in love with Neurobiology. There was something about those synapses that made me crave knowing more about the brain and neurology.
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While Manuel has always excelled academically, it was at community college that he found his academic calling: Neurobiology. Manuel immigrated to the United States from El Salvador when he was 14 years old. He entered high school not "speaking a drop of English" and graduated with an exceptional 4.14 GPA. To save money, Manuel attended Contra Costa College, where he met Professor Tarp and developed his passion for Neurobiology. He earned a 3.92 GPA in his first three years of college, and recently gained admission to UC Berkeley, where he will be transferring this fall. In addition to his studies, Manuel works 20 hours per week at a retirement home. His time spent working with elderly people has furthered his interest in Neurobiology and solidified his goal to one day become a neurosurgeon.
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