September 2022 — Virtual Conversation Club, College Resources, Community Events, & more
Dear Upward Scholars students,
Happy Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month! I hope you are enjoying the cooler weather and rain. As you know, Upward Scholars is a proud Latina-led and Latinx-serving organization, and as the Fall semester ramps up, we are thrilled to share that we are supporting over 300 students like you in 2022!
Please read through this newsletter as it includes the Upward Scholars Conversation Club, community resources, job openings, upcoming scholarships, and more.
Upward Scholars Announcements
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, September 23, 2022
6:30 – 7:45 pm
RSVP as soon as possible to join us.
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
Cañada College English Conversation Group
The Cañada College English Conversation Group is back! Join them weekly or whenever you can using this Zoom link on Thursdays from 4–5 pm to practice your English conversation skills.
College Night
Want to speak with college representatives from UCs, CSUs, and private and out-of-state colleges to learn about your academic options?
Attend College Night virtually or in person on Thursday, September 22, from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. RSVP here.
University representatives for CSU East Bay, Sac State, Santa Clara University, Univ. of San Francisco, University of Silicon Valley, Univ. of the Pacific, and others will be there in person. Representatives from UC Irvine, UC Davis, and Menlo College will be in attendance virtually.
Copita Soccer Festival
You're invited to Redwood City's first-ever Copita Soccer Festival! In preparation for the famous world cup, Redwood City will celebrate its excitement for the sport by bringing some friendly soccer activities/clinics, food trucks, inflatables, and more to the community. This event was organized by PAL, AYSO, and Telemundo.
When: Sunday, October 2, from 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Bechet Field, Red Morton, Redwood City
Free Lyft Rides to Cañada College
Cañada College has launched a pilot program that offers current Cañada students one free roundtrip ride per day to and from campus. The program is made possible through a partnership between Cañada and Lyft.
Click here to sign up.
Una Vida Grief Groups for Women and Teens
Join women or teens who might have lost a loved one. Hosted once a week, these two groups are intended to foster a sense of community to share stories with others going through grief.
The groups are English/Spanish bilingual and meet on Mondays at 1 pm (women) and 6:30 pm (teens).
For information about the Women's Grief Group, click HERE.
For information about the Teens Grief Group, click HERE.
Financial Aid & Scholarship Workshop
Cañada College, PAL, and College Advising Prep are also hosting a free financial aid and scholarship workshop for all students interested in learning more about how to make college and university more affordable.
To attend virtually or in person on Saturday, October 1, from 10 am to noon, RSVP here.
Wysa—Free Mental Health App
San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services collaborated with Help@Hand to offer a free subscription to the Wysa app for anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in San Mateo County. With this subscription, you will have access to a message system, tools that build healthy conversations, mindfulness exercises, activity reports, a self-care kit journal, and stories and tools to help you sleep and meditate.
Click here to receive step-by-step instructions and to access a one-stop shop of community resources.
Tax-Aid
Tax-Aid offers free tax help for households that earn less than $58,000. Their expert Bay Area tax volunteers give you the confidence of properly prepared taxes and can offer tax support and advice year-round in your preferred language. They can even help you claim your Child Tax Credit if you haven't already done so. Click here to learn more. Their website is available in multiple languages.
External Employment Opportunities
Rosalie Rendu Center Administrative Assistant
The Rosalie Rendu Center is hiring an Administrative Assistant to maintain student, volunteer, and donor databases; provide communication and clerical support to the Executive Director and other staff members; and assist in organizing program-related activities. To learn more about the position and apply, click here.
¡Conectémonos! Program Manager at New Voices for Youth (North Fair Oaks)
The ¡Conectémonos! Program allows youth from North Fair Oaks to help parents use technology to connect with schools and other service providers. The Program Manager will work with North Fair Oaks youth to develop strategies that engage and empower parents to gain confidence using technology in their community. To learn more and apply, click here.
New Voices for Youth (NV4Y) Program Manager (East Palo Alto)
In NV4Y, students from underserved communities make videos about their communities. Meeting in afterschool centers, students choose subjects, practice interviews, and create and edit digital narratives. The Program Manager works with members of the Steering Committee to inspire young people to use video for advocacy about their communities. To learn more and apply, click here.
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.
Application Deadline: November 15, 2022
Some qualifications: identify as a woman; primary breadwinner for family
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