Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County Awards Over $40,000 in Scholarships

MONTEREY, Calif. - July 22, 2015 - PRLog -- Seaside, CA .- June 30, 2015-  The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County’s (BGCMC) annual Community Breakfast on Thursday, June 25, 2015 celebrated the achievements of five Club members who were awarded over $40,000 in scholarships. Over 250 community members came together to enjoy a delicious, hot breakfast and celebrate the achievements of the scholarship recipients.

The scholarships were provided by local community partners.  The Great Futures Scholarship Fund resulted from several donor pledges made at the 2015 Comics for Kids event.  For the third year in a row, Paul West, Founder of the Give Back Brands Foundation, provided a scholarship as did Club Blue, a group of Young Professionals who are making a difference by raising resources, providing leadership, volunteerism and advocacy for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County.

For more information about the scholarships awarded, contact Linda Gulley at (831) 394-5171 or by email at ltgulley@bgcmc.org

About the Scholarship Recipients

Symphonie C. —2015 Great Futures Scholarship Recipient

Symphonie is a recent graduate from Monte Vista Christian High school. She has been a Club member since 2004. Symphonie is a gifted singer and she is currently performing throughout Europe with her church choir.  In the fall Symphonie will be attending CSU Long Beach’s Conservatory of Music majoring in Vocal Performance.

Sol A. – 2015 Great Futures Scholarship Recipient

Sol. A. is an impressive young woman who has grown into a real leader and role model in her seven years at the Club. She has taken part in Teen Council, Career Launch, SMART Girls, and the Tech Challenge. She has also worked at the Club as an intern during the summer. Sol is the first in her family to graduate from High School!  She is registered to attend Monterey Peninsula College this fall and then transfer to either UCLA or CSU Monterey Bay majoring in Human Services.

Jazmine G. – 2015 Great Futures Scholarship Recipient and Club Blue Summer Enrichment Scholarship Recipient

Jazmine G. has been a Club member for 11 years.  She is a great leader and an incredible artist. In 2014, she was named the Youth Artist of the Year for the Marti Mulford Youth Arts Exhibit. She has served as an intern for the Science Department, helping elementary school members with labs and other science activities. She also participated in Teen Council, SMART Girls, and Career Launch. Jazmine just graduated from Seaside High School and will be the first in her family to attend college.

She will be attending Monterey Peninsula College this fall then transferring to the Art Institute in San Francisco to become a professional artist.

Jessica V. – 2015 Great Futures Scholarship Recipient

Jessica V. is the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County 2105 Youth of the Year.  As a Club Member over the past three years, Jessica has participated in Career Launch and is volunteered with Girls Health in Girls Hands where she facilitated workshops on topics important to girls. Her experience at the Club has shaped her career plans to become an elementary school teacher.  Jessica will be attending California State University Dominguez Hills this fall to major in Early Childhood Education.

Xavier W. – 2015 Give Back Brands Scholarship Recipient

Xavier is the 2015 Youth of the Year for the Salinas Clubhouse. He just graduated from Palma High School and has been a Club member for eight years. He has taken advantage of the many leadership programs that the Club offers such as Keystone and Torch Clubs, Career Launch and Camp Old Navy. In addition to being a two-sport varsity athlete, he is very active in the community, volunteering at the Salinas Rodeo and Johnson-Toney Football Camp.  In the fall, Xavier will be attending Hartnell College before transferring to LSU to major in sports medicine with a minor in secondary education.

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About Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County (BGCMC) has played an integral role in the community for over 47 years.  BGCMC provides a safe haven for over 800 children and teens a day, offering programs that focus on Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, Good Character & Leadership. BGCMC operates Clubhouses in Seaside and Salinas, extension sites at El Sausal and La Paz Middle Schools in Salinas, and Fairview Middle School in Gonzales.  Club members are offered mentoring and guidance to maintain on-grade school progression, graduate from high school, and prepare for college and careers.  Nearly 90% of the total budget comes from generous individuals, corporations and foundations. The Clubs are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. during summer and school breaks, and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. when school is in session.  Additional information is available at www.bgcmc.org or via phone at 831-394-5171.