The scope of this annual undertaking would not be possible without dozens of unsung volunteers who have been working behind the scenes since the January 16 application deadline. A team of 18 processed the more than 3,060 applications, a 30 percent increase from the prior year. Sixteen screened the applications to make sure they complied with the guidelines set by donors. A committee of 40 volunteers rated the 1,371 eligible applications and made recommendations to the VCCF board for the final awards.“This is community at its best,” said Hugh J. Ralston, president & CEO of the Community Foundation. “Donors and volunteers work together to give young people a better future, furthering one of the oldest building blocks of community: one generation staking the next. An investment in these students creates one of the very best long-term returns for Ventura County.”Scholarship winners for Santa Paula were: Savannah C. Brooks, TEACh Fund Scholarship, $500; Jonathan Calderon, Saticoy Lemon Association Employee Scholarship, $650; Maria Cancino, William A. & Cynthia D. Fairburn Memorial Scholarship, $2,200; Finck Family Charitable Fund Scholarship, $650; Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Ryan Carter, William A. & Cynthia D. Fairburn Memorial Scholarship, $2,200; Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Annette Chavez, Orfalea Health Field Scholarship, $2,500; Iris & Roger (Spike) Wilkins Scholarship, $1,100; Parker Colborn, Sage Scholarship, $1,500; Julie A. Cordova, Orfalea Migrant Education Scholarship, $2,310; Kendra J. Finley, Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Miguel Gomez, ˇAdelante! Scholarship Fund, $1,000; Ventura County Agricultural Scholarship, $500; Emily F. Hobson, William A. & Cynthia D. Fairburn Memorial Scholarship, $2,200; Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $1,000; Milton McKevett Teague Scholarship, $2,500; Leo & Rita Vanoni Scholarship, $1,000; Rene Maciel, James C. Basile Scholarship, $20,000; Jan Heyne Memorial Scholarship, $5,000; Edwin Mancilla, William A. & Cynthia D. Fairburn Memorial Scholarship, $2,200; Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Jesus Medina, Orfalea Migrant Education Scholarship, $2,310; Sage Scholarship, $1,500; Kent Weigel Math Scholarship, $600; Teddi Nichols, Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Matthew Phillips, Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Misael Ramirez, Orfalea Migrant Education Scholarship, $2,310; Rocio Ramirez, Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Romelia Richman, Ventura County Coastal Association of Realtors Scholarship, $2,000; Jasmine Rodriguez, Orfalea Health Field Scholarship, $2,500; Orfalea Scholarship Fund, $2,500; Salvador Roman, Ray Libero Sepulveda/Ray Garcia/Latino Town Hall Scholarship, $500; Cristina Vera, Eleanor Tillquist Scholarship, $500.The Ventura County Community Foundation is a family of 500 charitable funds with total assets of $96 million, and distributed $5.6 million grants and pledges in 2008. The Foundation’s mission is to promote and enable philanthropy to improve our community for good forever, building long-term charitable capital to benefit Ventura County. The Foundation has been confirmed in compliance with national standards by the Council on Foundations, a reflection of the highest peer review among the nation’s 700 community foundations. For more information, visit www.vccf.org.
VCCF scholarship awards reach record high in 2009
June 03, 2009
Santa Paula News
A record number of scholarships will be awarded to local students at the Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarship Awards Reception at the Ventura County Office of Education on June 4.
A record number of scholarships will be awarded to local students at the Ventura County Community Foundation Scholarship Awards Reception at the Ventura County Office of Education on June 4. Nearly 380 awards, totaling more than $1.35 million, will be handed out at the event. A total of 490 scholarships will be given to 383 individuals.Despite the downturn in the economy this year, the Community Foundation will award at least $290,000 more than it did in 2008. “At this time of economic distress for so many families, these scholarships may well decide whether students continue their education and keep their dreams alive,” said Pierre Y. Tada, chair of the VCCF board.Ventura County Community Foundation began granting scholarships 16 years ago. The fund started with $5,000 in that first year and has since given more than $5 million in scholarships. VCCF has more than 93 individual scholarships funds, with $12.6 million in endowment funds supporting its annual program.“Few actions are a stronger statement of a person’s belief in the future than establishing a scholarship fund,” Tada said. “A scholarship fund at VCCF ensures that the money will not only be there for today’s students, but for young scholars for decades to come.”This year, donors and contributors extended VCCF’s awards by $135,500 in new scholarships including awards for young artists, students who are the first in their families to attend college, children of agricultural workers as well as students majoring in agriculture, women resuming their education after being in the workforce, future science teachers and students studying medicine.
