June 2025

Progress Newsletter

By Savannah Lira, Program Manager, and Andrea Smith, Program and Communications Associate

It's summer! And with that means the school year has come to a close and graduating seniors are heading off to college in the Fall.

Education has always been a core pillar of PVF's work. In addition to our Teacher Grant Programs, we administer many types of college scholarship programs, all designed by generous donors who are inspired to give back to their communities and lift up the next generation.

From supporting high school athletes, to international scholars, to students who will be the first generation in their family to go to college, these scholarship programs provide incredibly dedicated students with the resources to achieve their dreams.

Our newest scholarship program, the Christopher Moore Memorial Scholarship, was established this school year for students at Oakland high schools in honor of a young man named Christopher who demonstrated a deep love for music, baseball (especially the Oakland A’s) and the outdoors. His mother, Camille Moore, and his grandmother, Aline Lewis Wellington, were both educators, and Christopher well understood the value of education.

The first recipient of this new scholarship is Arianna Cortez, an exceptional graduating senior from Oakland High School. A lifelong musician, Arianna first picked up a violin in 4th grade and hasn’t looked back since. Her dedication to music extended beyond the orchestra pit and into the spotlight as she took part in several musical theater productions, bringing stories to life. Her love of music became not just a creative outlet, but a source of confidence and community. 

The Grace Scholarship Program was established in 2006 by an anonymous donor to support bright Zimbabwean students admitted to US universities as part of the US Achievers Program (USAP). These scholarships provide critical gap funding necessary for select students to afford the full costs associating with attending university, even after receiving generous (and sometimes full ride) scholarships from their admitted schools. These students are supported through their full undergraduate career and often keep in touch long after, sharing their successes and achievements made possible by their Grace Scholarship.

One Grace Scholar, Danai Mandebvu (pictured center below), has just graduated from Hope College in Michigan with a degree in Theatre and Global Studies and will be attending the prestigious Juilliard School this Fall for her Masters in Acting.

Pictured (Left to Right): Trust Munopa Shoko, Danai Mandebvu, and Julienne Nkanka.

The Childress Family Foundation Scholarship was created in 2022 by Josh Childress to empower student athletes at his alma mater, Mayfair High School in Lakewood, CA, to continue to strive for excellence on and off the court or field. 

I want students to know that anything is possible and I believe that I have a civic and social responsibility to utilize my resources and influence to make the world a better place for the youth. - Josh Childress

Since it launched, the Childress Family Foundation Scholarship has provided scholarships to 15 graduating seniors to recognize the hard work they put in as student athletes and support their college education. In its fourth round of awards this past school year, the Childress Family Scholarship recipients were leaders within their school - graduating as Valedictorian, Captain of their sports teams, and entrepreneurs - and are an inspiration as they work towards their goals. 

Pictured (Left to Right): Elizabeth Simkins, Anniyah Littlejohn, Josh Childress, Brandon Taing, and Izel Ramirez.

Judy Macias was a notable community leader on the Coastside for decades, bringing volunteers together to implement innovative and creative solutions to meet vital community needs. With Judy’s passing, the Judy Macias’ Young Leaders College Fund was established at PVF to honor her legacy by recognizing young women in the next generation who demonstrate notable leadership potential through their involvement in school and community service and solid academic performance. Judy was the first in her family to go to college so it was also important that each student would also be the first in their family.

Two young leaders from the first round of scholarships, Michelle Hernandez-Zamora and Mitzi Hernandez-Zamora, just graduated from UC Berkeley thanks to the support of the Judy Macias’ Young Leaders College Fund.

We are excited to shine a spotlight on CoastPride, an incredible organization committed to building a community where all people, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, are celebrated for who they are.

Founded in 2019, CoastPride was born from the urgent need for LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit) visibility and support in rural, geographically isolated areas from Pacifica to Pescadero.

As described by the CoastPride team, "With a focus on equity, intersectional inclusion and access to health services, CoastPride has become the first of its kind on the coast—serving as a space for connection, education, and a vital lifeline for LGBTQIA2S+ people facing hostility and erasure. Trans and queer folx offer joy, creativity, and a new way of seeing the world. Trans ways of being challenge the binary view that shapes our world, expanding possibilities and broadening our understanding."

Read their guest blog post on our website to learn more about their work in our communities.

Savannah Lira, Program Manager, is responsible for program management and development, as well as communication materials at PVF. She is an AmeriCorps Alum and has a background in economic development and grantwriting.