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Community Corner

Assistance League of Diablo Valley Awards $73,200 in Scholarships

Assistance League® of Diablo Valley 2014 Scholarships recipients are, seated l. to r.; Alison Spencer, Ryan Tsao, Delila Brookstone, Walter Munoz, and Evan McCurdy.  Standing, l. to r.; Margie Basile, President, Eric Wagoner, Sierra Talavera-Baca, Isabelle Santiago, Gloria Duarte, Lucero Davalos Viscarra, and Jodi Riley, Scholarships Chairman.  Not present due to academic schedules; Hailey Russell,  Anthony Adrade, Raju Kajol, Latasha Johnson, Elena Sierra, Monica Aguilar, Jessica Costello, Armani Jones, Fearious McClary, and Johneshia Mullins.

One of eight philanthropic programs of Assistance League of Diablo Valley, Scholarships was established in 1999.  

Each year, this program offers financial aid to high school, foster youth, community college, and university students who demonstrate the need and desire to improve their lives by furthering their education.  

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Scholarships Chairman Jodi Riley reported at the May regular chapter meeting that 20 deserving students received a total of $73,200.  

These aspiring robotics engineers, architects, physical therapists, and economists are Contra Costa County residents who have maintained a 2.8 grade point average, have already given back to the community by participating in service organizations, and have provided a timeline for academic and career goals.  

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This fall, they will pursue their studies at such institutions of higher learning as University of California-Davis, Sacramento State University, and Brigham Young University.

High School Scholarships recipients included:  
  • Armani Jones, El Cerrito High School,  El Cerrito; 
  • Lucero Davalos Vizcarra, Kennedy High School, Richmond;  
  • Kajol Raju, Pittsburg High School, Pittsburg; 
  • Fearious McClary and Monica Aguilar, Deer Valley High School, Antioch;
  •  Anthony Andrade, Mt. Diablo High School and 
  • Isabelle Santiago, Concord High School, Concord; 
  • Ryan Tsao, College Park High School, Pleasant Hill; 
  • Eric Wagoner, Independence High School, Brentwood; 
  • and Alison Spencer, San Ramon Valley High School, Danville.

Community college awardees were: 

  • Gloria Duarte and Johneshia Mullins, Los Medanos College, Pittsburg;
  •   Delila Brookstone, Latasha Johnson, Evan McCurdy, Walter Munoz, Elena Sierra, Jessica  Costello, and Sierra Talavera-Baca, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill.

In addition, Hailey Russell, a 2013 Scholarships awardee, received the annual Mardis Preciado Memorial Scholarship, anonymously donated, that awards $20,000 over a three year period.  

An Agricultural Business major at Chico State University, Hailey was not in attendance due to her rigorous schedule, which included milking 90 cows before attending classes and studying for final exams.

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