In June, the nonprofit announced that it awarded $45,000 in scholarships to 9 local students in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. The recipients of the scholarships include graduating high school seniors from 5 of the 6 schools in the district: Back Bay/Monte Vista, Costa Mesa, Early College, Estancia, and Newport Harbor. “Each of our Scholars has been uniquely deserving of our funding….be it academic success, personal achievements or community involvement, each has confronted extreme obstacles and demonstrated rare single-minded resourcefulness and maturity,” Scholarship Committee member, Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis said in a news release. “They continually inspire and instill us with great faith and pride in our next generation of multi-talented adults, parents, leaders and community volunteers.” The scholarships, which are awarded based on a combination of personal need, school activities, philanthropic spirit in the community, and grade point average, are self-funded through proceeds from the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa’s on-site thrift and consignment shops, private donations, endowments, and fundraising events. Since 2002, Assistance League of Newport-Mesa has awarded more than $410,000 in scholarships to over 236 deserving graduating seniors.

A critical part of the program involves assigning members as mentors to each scholarship recipient to provide a unique system of emotional and responsible support.

Meet six of our Scholarship recipients who are still benefiting from Assistance League’s financial support as they continue their college education.

Top Row:
Breanna Charanza- Jr., Texas Woman’s U
Kyra Cleveland- Sr., UT Austin
Shaylin Ardoin- Sr., UT Austin

Bottom Row:
Daniel Gomez- Jr., Texas A&M
Silvia Arroyo- Jr. University of Houston
Elisabeth Van- Fr., Texas Tech

Since November 2006, the nonprofit organization has given away $1 million in scholarships to high school seniors entering college, those continuing college, those getting training to join the workforce, adults continuing their education and those with special needs. More than 1,600 residents have been served through the scholarship program.

On Monday morning, volunteers with the group showcased a banner that will be placed outside their Thrift Shop at 126 N. San Jacinto Street in downtown Conroe. The banner reads “Celebrating $1 million dollars in scholarships.”

There will also be a six-month celebration leading up to an event that will celebrate the volunteers and this special milestone on April 12, 2021. Volunteers in the Thrift Shop will also wear a special designation on their badges.

“The success of the program is a tribute to each of you,” Past ALMC President and Scholarship Committee Chairman Janita Love told the volunteers. “Thank you members for sorting, pricing, ironing, assisting our customers, I could go on and on.”

The five types of Assistance League scholarships include high school senior scholarships, continuation scholarships, scholarships for adults returning to education workforce scholarships and scholarship funds provided for physically-challenged or special-needs individuals who lack the financial resources to participate in therapeutic programs that can improve their well-being and functional skills.

Funds raised in the chapter’s Thrift Shop go to support the various projects of the organization, including the scholarship program.

Each of the selected high school seniors was awarded a $2,500 scholarship and was chosen from a pool of 66 applicants from various Montgomery County high schools based on need, community engagement, and academic achievement. Each recipient demonstrated the importance of working in the community to help others and to give back now and in the future.

Students who were chosen came from eight local high schools throughout the county –Willis, Montgomery, Magnolia West, Conroe, College Park, New Caney, Caney Creek, and College Park.

The recipients are: Carlos Barcenas, Willis High School; Ally Lynne Crocker, Montgomery High School; Crystal Caroline Dabdub, Magnolia West High School; Claudia Vanessa Garcia, Conroe High School; Noah Hunter Krivi, College Park High School; Kizzy Jo Riley, New Caney High School; Jose Alfredo Solis, Caney Creek High School; Mariana Daniela Solis, College Park High School; Jennifer Ann Trevino, College Park High School; and Bianca Vazquez, Conroe High School.

Though we are living through a difficult period, Assistance League of Montgomery County continues to operate its Thrift Shop and is therefore, able to continue helping the Montgomery County community with not only scholarships, but new school clothes for students, fans for seniors, and dolls for children who have experienced trauma.

Assistance League is a national nonprofit organization that transforms the lives of children and adults through community programs.  Assistance League of Montgomery County was organized in 1985 and chartered in 1995 as the 92nd chapter of Assistance League.

The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers who donated more than 51,000 hours and touched the lives of thousands of children, women and men in our community this past year.

Since its inception in 1985, Assistance League of Montgomery County has returned over $7,000,000 to the Montgomery County community.

Ten young Assistance League of Long Beach scholars received scholarships, gifts and more Saturday at a drive-in graduation put on by CAMEO, the professional auxiliary of Assistance League of Long Beach.

CAMEO members have been mentoring the seven high school and three Long Beach City College students for three years and two years, respectively. Upon completing the program, each student receives a $2,000 scholarship (after completing the first two semesters of university work), a computer or iPad and other gifts.

Each student also received a restaurant gift card to take their family out in lieu of the traditional awards luncheon.

The event took place in the Cherese Mari Laulhere Philanthropic Center parking lot on the Assistance League of Long Beach property. The students moved through several stations to collect their awards.

“If you had told me last fall that we would be celebrating graduation in a parking lot, I would have thought you were teasing,” Lisa Viets, incoming CAMEO chair, said in a release. “But with the pandemic still happening, our CAMEO mentors used a little creativity and made today a memorable experience for our graduates.”

High school graduates are Adriana Andrade, Luis Rojas, San Nita Te, Crystal Reaves, Kaniyah McDaniel, Jocelyn Yanez and Areli Morales-Castaneda. LBCC students are Laura Ayala, Ruth Portillo and Monica Casillas.

Hayat Sherif and her mother are pictured as Hayat is receiving a check from Sophia Bouvier

: Samuel Maturino with his mother. Samuel was being interviewed by Mona Ackerman

Assistance League of North Coast presented ten high school seniors from schools in Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista each with a $2,500 scholarship to be used toward their next step in educational goals. Students applied online at our website, then were interviewed by members of our chapter who all used a rubric developed by Ken Clark, a member since 2017. Most of our judges read at least 10 applications before interviewing the students.

Barbara Bradham, who had the idea for the scholarship program two years ago when she was president said, “I am so very proud that we will be awarding our first scholarships to these very deserving seniors.” She shared that she really wanted to create a program that would reward students’ service to their community.

Anne Manwaring, chairperson for the program stated,” I wish to praise the committee. They truly did an incredible job. Each member was willing to persevere despite the virus. It was a great experience and very rewarding.” The committee is looking forward to continuing this program for many years into the future.

Sondra Peppe, our president, had a few words to share with the scholarship winners. It is a quote from Anthony Robbins, “The only impossible journey is the journey you don’t begin.” All these students have taken a great step forward in their journey to their future.

The winner, the name of their high schools and members of the chapter who interviewed them are listed below.
Samuel Maturino – Trade Tech of Vista – Mona Ackerman
Salvador Vallejo- El Camino- Lori Broody
Hayat Sherif – Sage Creek – Sophia Bouvier
John Hensel – New Haven – Philomena Roma
Veeral Patel – Carlsbad – Beverly Charles
Loreli Pena – Vista – Sandy Matheus
Renee Sugia – Ray Murry – Ken Clark
Leana Cortez – Rancho Buena Vista – Sandy Matheus
Tessa Beasley – Oceanside – Fran Tovar
Shaelynn Solio – Mission Vista – Pattie Weeg

ALW 2020-2021 Scholarship Winners

This is the sixth year that the Ocean View School District has participated in Assistance League’s program, and over that time, teachers have received more than $207,000 in learning resources for the benefit of students.

This year’s grants will be used for everything from books to robotics, to gardening and composting supplies, to STEAM and math manipulatives, and much more.

“Our District’s motto is, “Ocean View School District: Where Achievement and Relationships Matter!” said Dr. Carol Hansen, Superintendent. “We are so grateful to have this relationship with  Assistance League of Huntington Beach, and their support for our students’ education.”

“Assistance League is excited to enhance the classroom learning experience through the Links to Learning awards to these amazing teachers,” explained Doris Kennedy, President of Assistance League of Huntington Beach. “Our Mission is to transform the lives of children and adults through our community programs.”

This article was released by the Ocean View School District.

What better combination for today’s students than a scientist/engineer who is also a children’s author?  Assistance League of Los Gatos-Saratoga is hosted Emily Calandrelli, children’s author and The Space Gal, to present two assemblies for students at schools in Campbell Union School District in January.

In support of Assistance League’s programs providing STEM and Literacy training to students, Calandrelli talked with the students about careers in engineering and science as well as her experiences on TV and working as a children’s book author.  Calandrelli has written 4 children’s books about Ada Lace who is a third grade scientist and inventor extraordinaire. Assistance League donated 30 copies of each of Calandrelli’s four books to Rosemary and Blackford Schools.

In the past 15 years Assistance League has returned $1 million to our community utilizing 250,000 volunteer hours to serve 110,000 clients.  Most of the clients are elementary age children who live at or below the poverty line with some homeless In addition to reading to students monthly and providing hands-on experiences in STEM, volunteers tutor kindergarteners and first graders, provide warm coats and gift cards for new shoes and teach students how to plant and grow a garden.

Calandrelli is Executive Producer and Emmy nominated host of FOX’s Xploration Outer Space and chief correspondent on Netflix’s show, Bill Nye Saves the World.