Scholarships Awarded to Girl Leaders

The Community Foundation for Monterey County has awarded $30,000 in academic scholarships as a part of the new Girls’ Health in Girls’ Hands (GHGH) scholarship program. This scholarship was created by the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County to help increase access to higher education for girls involved in the GHGH initiative.

“I was so happy and grateful to have been a recipient of this scholarship. This scholarship in particular means a lot to me because through GHGH and My Life Club, I grew as an independent woman, but also gave a helping hand to my fellow peers in providing information which is overlooked in today’s society. Thank you for this opportunity and also for making my economic burden less stressful.” – Bella-Graciela Chavez, GHGH Scholarship Recipient, UC Berkeley Spanish Language & Culture Major

Women’s Fund Supports GHGH

The funds for the scholarships were raised at the Women’s Fund Luncheon on May 6. Over 400 people attended the event, which raised more than $50,000 for the scholarship fund.

“We are so grateful for the strong response from our Women’s Fund supporters for the GHGH scholarship program. Women’s Fund donors have been the sustaining force for the initiatives that empower women and girls.” – Laurel Lee-Alexander, CFMC Vice President of Grants and Programs

Working to Make a Change

GHGH has been working with girls ages 11–18 to provide the skills needed to make change in their communities. These leadership programs have amplified the voice of teenage girls as they advocate for youth health in Monterey County. The scholarship program builds off this early success to assist girls to reach the next goal in leadership and empowerment – a high quality education.

The applications showcased the wide variety of interests and goals of the GHGH alumnae. Career aspirations of the scholarship recipients include: math teacher, oncologist, interior designer, public health administrator, attorney specializing in domestic violence, and other professions. Many of the girls are the first in their family to further their education beyond high school, and they all emphasized the important goal of giving back to their community.

17 Scholarships Awarded

Awards up to $2,500 were granted to 17 GHGH alumnae who are now enrolled in higher education institutions. Scholarship applications were reviewed by a scholarship committee comprised of Women’s Fund Leadership Council members and CFMC staff.

“This was a fabulous opportunity to take the Women’s Fund support of GHGH girls to the next level. It was an honor to review all the amazing applications and see the great work that these girls have already done in their communities.” – Traci Townsend-Gieg, GHGH Scholarship Committee Member 

More Information

Girls’ Health in Girls’ Hands is a countywide collaborative to help give girls ages 11-18 in Monterey County gain better access to health information, leadership skills and advocacy training. See also www.ghghmonterey.org 

CFMC Scholarships – The CFMC administers more than 30 scholarship funds with a value of over $5.8 million.