This year 176 Gavilan College students have been awarded a
combined total of $119,450 in scholarship money from the Gavilan
College Education Foundation, UC Santa Cruz, CSU Monterey Bay and
private scholarships.
Gav students awarded more than $119K in scholarships
This year 176 Gavilan College students have been awarded a combined total of $119,450 in scholarship money from the Gavilan College Education Foundation, UC Santa Cruz, CSU Monterey Bay and private scholarships.
One of these talented students is Frances Soto, the recipient of the prestigious Karl S. Pister Leadership Award from the University of California Santa Cruz. She was chosen as one of the most promising transfer students who will be attending UCSC, and will receive $10,000 a year, for two years, for a total of $20,000.
Candidates for the Karl S. Pister Leadership Award were nominated by the presidents of each of 13 regional community colleges, and recipients were selected by the UCSC chancellor in consultation with the Leadership Opportunity Awards Program Screening Committee.
As a re-entry student at Gavilan College, Soto has been on the President’s List and has earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.6 after completing six semesters. Other accomplishments include volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build homes for low-income families in Alviso, as well as raising a family as a single parent while working full time.
Soto will be majoring in legal studies at UC Santa Cruz in the fall and plans on giving back to the community by providing pro bono legal services to underrepresented groups in the area.
“It is sad to see people who are unable to understand legal documents,” she said. “Not only because they can be very complex and confusing, but because they cannot read them or do no understand their legal rights. Plus they are too poor to pay an attorney to help them interpret the information. I see this basic need here in Hollister and wish I could help out right now.”
Henry Coe named as one of U.S. top 100 campgrounds
Henry Coe Park in Morgan Hill was named as one of the 2008 America’s ‘Top 100 Family Campgrounds’ as announced by ReserveAmerica.
The Top 100 Family Campgrounds were selected based on testimonials, campground ratings and feedback provided by park rangers, regional park management and campers throughout the year Nearly 4,000 parks were reviewed and the final 100 campgrounds were determined based on specific family- friendly criteria ranging from educational programs and visitor centers to camping amenities and overall beauty and scenery.
Factors including the quality and availability of hot showers, laundry facilities, hiking trails, family beaches, radio-free zones, visitor centers, educational programs, children’s events and location were also considered.
People can explore and reserve more than 4,000 campgrounds by visiting
