16 San Francisco high school graduates receive Bridge to Excellence Scholarship

SAN FRANCISCO – A choose group of San Francisco highschool grads are on their method to faculty thanks partly to the Bridge to Excellence Scholarship.

This system makes certain that children who may have fallen by means of the cracks can comply with the trail towards excessive schooling.

With family and friends wanting on 16 highschool graduates from San Francisco took their first steps towards larger schooling on Thursday, receiving the Bridge to Excellence Scholarship in a ceremony in metropolis corridor.

College students like Mission Excessive College graduate Ayinde Hamilton who’s headed to UC Berkeley. He says it wasn’t straightforward to get right here.

“Actually, I did not see myself being right here, on account of like, my group and rising up within the Fillmore,” mentioned Hamilton. “With all of the gun violence and stuff that was occurring I simply did not see myself being right here.”

Oakland teen, who was instructed she would by no means stroll on her personal, walks the stage for commencement

Hamilton’s mom says schooling was a precedence for the household.

“He’s undoubtedly setting the tone for his siblings, however not solely that, for different African American younger boys and friends to know that so long as you set your thoughts to it, you are able to do it,” mentioned Crystal Brown-Hamilton.

Winona Chhith-Phasavath is headed to San Francisco State College and says even with all of her arduous work, the price of faculty was nonetheless a problem, so each piece of monetary assist is important.

“Actually, with out the scholarship, I felt actually nervous about going to school, as a result of I am a first-generation faculty pupil,” mentioned Chhith-Phasavath. “My mom is the one one who raised me, so I must work rather a lot to pay for school.”

Her mother says all of her personal struggles are price it to see her daughter’s successes.

“I wish to cry,” mentioned Khaly Chhith. “I am simply so happy with her. That is all I can say.”

Jordan Nickelson-Smith, is headed to Southern College in Louisiana, however she says at first she struggled in highschool with a .87 grade level common.

“At that time it was, you both have continuation faculty, or get your life collectively, and in order you possibly can see, I selected to get my life collectively,” mentioned Nickelson-Smith.

Her mother says she may have wound up a statistic and took a second to recollect those that by no means made it to commencement.

“Considered one of her excellent childhood pals was murdered a few years in the past and he was a superb younger man,” mentioned Rev. Aisha Jordan.

Mayor London Breed launched the Bridge to Excellence scholarship program three years in the past, providing every recipient $5,000 to assist college students who had already confronted obstacles to their schooling.

“That is actually about ensuring that cash will not be a barrier to your success,” mentioned Breed.

The scholars even had a particular visitor, licensed platinum recording artist and San Francisco native 24kGoldn was available to assist distribute the scholarships and congratulate the college-bound college students.