Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Scholarships Program Chair Cindi Segale (row 2, far left) congratulates recipients (row 1, l to r) Momal Afzal, Selene Prado-Rodrigues, Jacqueline Inclan, Cassandra Affinito and daughter, Hayoun Lim and Gilbert Arcilla; (Row 2, l) Karina Simpson, Juan Lopez Mendez, Darrel Muonekwu, Marcy Tegtmeier, Paramveer Singh, Jonathon Bayle, Aaliyah Karunaratne and Summer Hadla; Row 3, l to r) Eric Wagoner, Martin Magsombol , Monique Blot, Jennifer Ochoa, Sumbal Ghafoor, Jason Frost, Olivia Blea, Azeema Yahya, Danesha Lewis, Lina Isa and Jerry Lai.
Since 1999, Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s Scholarships program has provided financial and emotional support to high school, community college, university students and returnees to the academic community who express a desire to advance through education by maintaining a designated grade point average, volunteering in campus and community projects, and charting an academic time line.
While these requirements document both academic and community achievements, the interview phase gives the Scholarships Committee members invaluable insights as to how these aspiring political scientists, clinical psychologists, mechanical engineers and physicians have defied overwhelming challenges. Several are returning recipients. At a recent awards ceremony, Scholarships Chair Cindi Segale introduced the 42 candidates by stating, “This year is a banner year for Scholarships!” The support they offered to each other during their acceptance speeches explains why. Let this verbal collage amplify: “This [scholarship] empowers me…without you [Assistance League of Diablo Valley], I would never be able to achieve my dreams…don’t settle…continue to fly…I have a chance to achieve equity…I want to thank my family…I want to help people.”
High School awardees include Momal Afzal and Sumbal Ghafoor, Pinole Valley High School, Pinole; Jason Frost, Alhambra High School, Martinez; Aaliyah Karunaratne and Paramveer Singh, Pittsburg High School, Pittsburg; Melissa Salmeron Pedroza, John F. Kennedy High School, Richmond; Jonathon Bayle, Darrel Muonekwu and Selene Rodriguez, Concord High School, Concord; Hayoun Lim, College Park High School, Pleasant Hill; Jerry Lai, Monte Vista High School, Danville; and Michael Yao, Dougherty Valley High School, San Ramon.
Community College recipients are J. Trinidad Arceo, Jacqueline Inclan, Martin Magsombol, Juan Lopez Mendez, Jennifer Ochoa, Candace Collier, Kayla Concetta Gordon and Cherreyle Poindexter, Los Medanos College, Pittsburg; Gilbert Archilla, Olivia Blea, Brittany Chauvin and Justine Overmyer, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill.
