Win Money For College By Improving Your Community

Originally published on Transformca.org on March 11, 2016 By Bianca Taylor

A college education should be priceless, not pricey.
That’s why we’re very excited to be partnering with the great people at GJEL Accident Attorneys to help Bay Area students involved in their community win money for college.
The new GJEL and TransForm Community Involvement Scholarship will award $2,500 each to two high school seniors who have shown strong interest in bettering their community through volunteer service, participation in local programs, or activism. We’ll also take into account factors like academic achievement and financial need (in fact, we encourage students from low-income communities to apply!). This money can be spent on college tuition, books, room and board, travel to and from school, or other college expenses.
GJEL and TransForm will choose the two winners based on who best represents the balance of academic achievement while working to make a positive impact within the community. It’s one way of expressing our thanks for the young people in our region who are helping make our communities better places for all people.
James Martin Perez Work, the High School Coordinator for Alameda County’s Safe Routes to Schools Program, was one of the TransFormers who helped develop the scholarship. James, who was himself very active in community service while attending UC Berkeley, says: “This is a wonderful opportunity for students who have been able to balance dedication to their communities while actively pursuing higher education.” When it comes to the Safe Routes to Schools Program, he adds, “Much of our success is a direct result of students who selflessly work beyond the classroom to make their schools and communities safe and healthy.”
If you or someone you know is interested in applying, learn more about the scholarship here.
The deadline to apply for the Community Involvement Scholarship is Friday, April 22.
Visit GJEL’s website to download the application and apply today!
Communications Associate
bianca@transformca.org
510-740-3150 x320
Bianca Taylor is TransForm’s Communications Associate, working within the Communications and Development Team to produce, edit, and manage the organization’s external communications.
Bianca comes to TransForm with deep interest in social and environmental justice, and a background in writing and non-profit communications. She earned her BA in Peace and Conflict Studies and French from UC Berkeley, where she also played club water polo and danced in the West African Music Ensemble. Bianca has worked previously with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) in San Francisco and Bay Localize in Oakland. She has served as a volunteer with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, People’s Grocery in Oakland, and the Earth Island Institute in Berkeley.
Bianca lives by the saying “think globally, act locally”. While she loves living in Oakland, she’ll never grow tired of visits to her hometown of Sacramento for the hot summers, French Film Festival, and her cats Homer and Marge.