April 2022 — Upward Scholars Graduation Celebration, Grants for Entrepreneurs, Lyft Rides to Cañada, & more
Dear Upward Scholars students,
We hope you are doing well and finishing off the semester strong. If you are planning to graduate this Spring, make sure you stay up-to-date with graduation application and registration forms, including the Upward Scholars Graduation Celebration RSVP form below. If you don't plan to graduate, consider taking classes this summer to get closer to achieving your goals!
Please read through this month's newsletter as it includes the Upward Scholars Graduation Celebration RSVP form, information about college commencement ceremonies, and community resources including grants for immigrant entrepreneurs, free Lyft Rides to Cañada College for students, parenting classes, upcoming scholarships, and much more.
Upward Scholars Announcements
Upward Scholars Graduation Celebration
The Upward Scholars Graduation Celebration RSVP form is now open. Please complete it by May 13, 2022, so we can order your graduation regalia and let us know if you'll be participating in our graduation celebration on June 19.
If you have any questions, contact Diana Viscarra at diana@upwardscholars.org or (650) 254-6149.
Community College Commencement Ceremonies
If you want to participate in your college's graduation, complete the appropriate RSVP form when it is made available: Cañada College, College of San Mateo, Skyline College.
Financial Literacy Month
April is Financial Literacy Month—a nationally recognized campaign to bring awareness to the need for more financial education in schools and for adults. As immigrants, it can be difficult to think about money beyond what you need to survive, especially because basic needs are so expensive in the Bay Area. However, this mentality can often lead us to be unaware of the financial planning tools that can help us feel more stable.
That is why Upward Scholars is partnering with Patelco Credit Union to offer you a webinar to help you learn more about the basics of financial well-being. We are still working out the details and will let you know when we have them. For now, you can check out the other free webinars Patelco offers here.
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Check your emails! If you received an email inviting you to become a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society at your college, Upward Scholars will pay for your membership! Not only does this look great on a résumé or university application, membership also opens up countless scholarship and leadership opportunities.
If you received this email, forward it to Diana Viscarra at diana@upwardscholars.org so she can pay the membership directly. Do not pay for it yourself; reimbursements may not be possible.
Virtual Conversation Club
The Upward Scholars Conversation Club is an opportunity for you as students to build confidence in your English conversation skills via a safe, friendly, and welcoming environment.
Our next virtual Conversation Club:
Friday, April 29, 2022
6:30 – 7:45 pm
RSVP by April 25 and invite your friends to join as well.
Spiritual Counseling with Reverend Gerardo García Palacios
Upward Scholars offers all students and their families free spiritual and emotional counseling with Rev. Gerardo García Palacios. The pandemic has affected all of us and we want you to express your struggles and be heard in a safe, confidential, and virtual environment. People of all beliefs are welcome and Rev. Gerardo is English-Spanish bilingual.
Schedule a session with Rev. Gerardo by emailing him at pastorgarcia1679@outlook.com or calling/texting him at (650) 387-9174. Tell him your full name and if a family member schedules a session, they should also give the name of the Upward Scholars student they were referred by.
External Announcements/COVID-19 Resources
Immigrants Rising Spark Grants for Entrepreneurs
Through the SEED initiative, Immigrants Rising is offering funding to California residents who are starting or growing a business/nonprofit in California that addresses a social problem or community need. They are awarding $5,000 and $10,000 business grants to undocumented entrepreneurs in California!
Steps to Apply:
Create an account on spark.immigrantsrising.org
Finish the online training (including all worksheets)
Submit the SEED application by May 1, 2022
ODE Parent Project — Spanish only
Do you want to build a stronger relationship with your kids? The Parent Project is a 13-week class that gives parents, grandparents, and caregivers the tools to build strong and healthy families. All classes are free, in Spanish, and start on Tuesday, April 26 from 6 to 8:30 pm. To register, email Evelia Chairez at echairez@pcrcweb.org.
Free Lyft Rides to Cañada College
Cañada College is excited to announce the launch of its new pilot program offering FREE Lyft rides for Cañada students who reside in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and North Fair Oaks. The program is intended to help make it easier and more affordable for students to get to your in-person classes and support services at Cañada College.
To sign up, complete this registration form.
Rainbow Kids: A Free Webinar on LGBTQ+ Topics for Parents/Caregivers of Young Children
Children develop concepts of gender, families, and love before age five. It's important that adults have the information they need to support young children in feeling safe and confident in their bodies, families, classrooms, and world.
This training is for parents, caregivers, and anyone who wants a more expansive, welcoming world for young children.
The webinar will be taught three times to ensure anyone can participate:
April 5 (4 to 5:30 pm), April 12 (5:30 to 7 pm), and April 27 (4 to 5:30 pm).
Register here.
Sonrisas Dental Health
Not sure if you can afford dental care or qualify for financial assistance? Our partners at Sonrisas Dental Health are dedicated to providing quality dental care to those who otherwise could not afford dental care. They provide these services with dignity, respect, and compassion and offer preventative and restorative services. They also take Medi-Cal Dental and offer an Affordable Scale plan which would be up to a 45% discount depending on the person's income. Click here to learn more and get your smile back!
External Employment Opportunities
Sequoia District Adult School (SAS) Job Board
SAS has its very own job board to help students like you find jobs. There are a variety of positions in various industries. Visit their website to learn more.
If you hear of any employment opportunities, please contact Jessica at jessica@upwardscholars.org, and she will share them with all Upward Scholars students.
Upcoming Scholarships
The following is a list of external scholarships with upcoming deadlines. Click on the links to learn more about each scholarship.
NOTE: If you need help applying to any of these, contact me at jessica@upwardscholars.org to be paired with a volunteer who can work with you one-on-one.
Great Minds in STEM Scholarship
Application Deadline: April 30, 2022
Some qualifications: STEM major; 3.0 GPA or higher; Hispanic and/or demonstrate leadership or service within Hispanic community
Catalino Tapia Scholarship Foundation
Application Deadline: May 1, 2022
Some qualifications: 1st in family to attend college; 2.5 GPA or higher; open to undocumented students
Past recipients: Marta Lily Silva, Mario Silva
Application Deadline: May 21, 2022
Some qualifications: open to all
Immigrants Rising List of Scholarships and Fellowships
Immigrants Rising has curated this list of scholarships and fellowships that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship. The list has general application eligibility requirements, including education level, region/state, and immigration status (e.g. DACA, TPS, in-state tuition eligibility). Only opportunities with due dates within the next 180 days are shown in the list. Use the filters to find scholarships that could be right for you and click on the scholarship to learn more and apply!
Click here to find an array of scholarships specific to your major or area of study.
If you know of any other scholarship opportunities with deadlines in the next few weeks or months, please email me at jessica@upwardscholars.org, and I will share them with all Upward Scholars students.
Thank you for reading through this newsletter. I hope you found it helpful. If you have any further questions or want help with anything you read here, please reach out.
Onward and upward,
Jessica & Elías