Growing up as a first-generation Ethiopian American, education was more than a priority in my household. It was a core value that shaped every decision my family made. My parents often told me that education was the one thing no one could take away from you, and I carried those words close throughout my life. I did not know it then, but their belief in the power of learning would eventually guide me toward a career in early childhood education. My commitment to early childhood development grew naturally from a young age and through high school and college, especially my work at the UC Davis Early Childhood Lab School. As a classroom assistant for a preschool class, I learned very quickly that children are some of the most observant, honest, and creative thinkers in the world. One moment that changed me happened on a morning when one of our quieter students stood frozen in front of an art project, too afraid to make a mistake. I sat next to her and told her that there was no wrong way to create something that came from her imagination. She dipped her brush, took a breath, and slowly began painting. By the end of class, she proudly held up her masterpiece and told me that her hands knew what to do. That small moment, watching her trust herself, showed me how meaningful it is to support children emotionally as well as academically. I also support early childhood development through my internship in a kindergarten classroom. There, I see firsthand how big the transition is from preschool to elementary school. One of my favorite parts of the day is guiding students through their morning reading routine. A student who struggled with letter sounds ran up to me recently with a huge smile and told me he read a book all by himself. He hugged the book to his chest like it was a trophy. Being part of breakthroughs like that, moments when children recognize their own abilities, motivates me to pursue this field with deep passion and purpose. Across both classrooms, I have witnessed the power of patience, guidance, positive reinforcement, and culturally responsive teaching. As an Ethiopian American, I understand how important representation is in school spaces. I did not always see educators who looked like me or understood my culture, so now I make sure my students feel that their identities are valued. Whether it is pronouncing a child’s name correctly, choosing books that reflect diverse experiences, or validating their emotions, I want every child to feel seen, understood, and safe. These experiences have inspired my long-term goal, which is to become a school counselor at an elementary school. As a school counselor I would support not only academic development, but also the emotional and social growth that shapes children’s futures. Early childhood is a time when curiosity, confidence, and empathy are built, and I want to help strengthen that foundation for every child I work with.

Friendship is a profound bond that has the power to transform lives. In the journey of pursuing higher education, this bond becomes even more significant, offering a support system that helps navigate the challenges and celebrate the triumphs. CF Boleky embodied the essence of true friendship and this scholarship is a tribute to his memory, aimed at supporting students who cherish their best friends. It is in this spirit that I share the story of my best friend, Stephanie, and how our friendship has shaped my life. I met Stephanie during my first year of college, a time filled with excitement, uncertainty, and the pressure of new beginnings. From our very first conversation, I knew we were going to be friends because of how instantly we clicked. Stephanie’s infectious enthusiasm and genuine kindness immediately stood out to me. Over time, our bond grew stronger as we navigated the highs and lows of college life together. Stephanie is not just my best friend; she is my rock. Her unwavering support has been a constant source of strength for me. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the demands of my coursework, extracurricular activities, and a part-time job. On one particularly stressful night, I struggled to complete an important project. Stephanie stayed up with me, offering words of encouragement and even helping me brainstorm ideas. Her presence and reassurance made all the difference, and I was able to submit my work on time. This is just one example of Stephnaie's selflessness and dedication. Stephanie’s impact on my life extends beyond academic support. Two weeks before my second year of college, I unexpectedly lost my uncle to a heart attack. This took a significant mental and emotional toll on me and I found it difficult to focus on anything else. Stephanie was there for me every step of the way, offering me a shoulder to cry on, accompanying me to the hospital, and even taking care of my responsibilities on campus when I couldn't manage. Her compassion and empathy during that difficult time were so important to me. Our friendship is built on mutual respect and a deep understanding of each other's dreams and aspirations. Stephanie is one of the most ambitious and driven individuals I know. She is always striving to improve herself and achieve her goals. Her determination is infectious, and it has inspired me to push beyond my limits and aim higher. We often share our plans and support each other in our respective endeavors. When I decided to apply for a leadership position in a school organization, Stephanie was my biggest cheerleader. She helped me prepare for my interview, gave me constructive feedback, and celebrated with me when I got the job. The bond I share with Stephanie has not only enriched my college experience but has also prepared me for life beyond. She has shown me the value of true friendship—one that is based on loyalty, devotion, and sacrifice. Our relationship is a testament to the power of having a best friend who stands by you through thick and thin. I am deeply grateful for Stephanie and the positive impact she has had on my life. This scholarship, in honor of CF Boleky, represents the values that true friendship brings—strength, support, and mutual growth.

Growing up, my dad used to print out new vocabulary words every morning and have me read them before school so I could learn how to read and write English since it was not my first language. Whenever I struggled with a math problem my dad would stay up past midnight explaining the question to me until I understood it. My dad's efforts to ensure I always succeeded in my academics inspired me to give back to the youth of my community in a similar way, by providing students with affordable and accessible opportunities. I’m pursuing a B.S. in Human Development and a minor in Public Health Sciences. My interest in Human Development was sparked by my experiences working with children over the years as a Tutor at Kumon and now as a Family College Advisor for the UC Davis Early Academic Outreach Program. One of the most impactful experiences was volunteering at a local organization called Community Reading Buddies where I taught K-5th grade students to read. There, I saw firsthand how early intervention and support can positively impact a child's reading skills. Many children came from first generation , low income backgrounds which significantly impacted their experiences. Seeing the difference that a supportive and understanding environment could make in their lives and their education solidified my goals to pursue a career that would allow me to provide that kind of support to students. After completing my Bachelor's degree, I will pursue an M.A. in Counseling to become a School-Based Therapist. My goal is to be a person who can support children facing various social, emotional, and educational challenges. Schools are not just places of academic learning; they are also environments where children develop social skills, self-esteem, and resilience. I plan to create programs and strategies that address the needs of students, ensuring they have the tools and support necessary to succeed both personally and academically. One of my inspirations is the increasing awareness and acceptance of the importance of mental health in educational settings. When I was in middle school, a friend of mine struggled with depression, but there were no mental health resources available at our school. This lack of support had a profound impact on her academic performance and overall well-being. Seeing her struggle inspired me to want to change that for future generations. By working as a school-based therapist, I aim to provide early intervention and continuous support to students who need it, creating an inclusive environment where every child feels seen, heard, and valued. Additionally, I intend to collaborate with teachers, parents, and other professionals to create a holistic support system for children. Through workshops, training sessions, and open communication, I aim to equip teachers and parents with the skills and knowledge to recognize and address mental health issues early on. Earning the Gussie Lynn Scholarship will significantly help me achieve my career goals. This scholarship will allow me to focus on my studies and less on the financial pressures of funding my education by helping me pay off my student loans. Moreover, being a recipient of this scholarship would be an immense honor and motivation to continue achieving my goal of becoming a School-Based Therapist to serve the next generations of leaders.

For as long as I can remember, my parents have stressed the importance of education and helping those around me. With my mother immigrating from Ethiopia to Greece, from Greece to Canada, then from Canada to California for a better life, and my father also immigrating from Ethiopia to France then from France to Massachusetts for college, their experiences remind me of how strong-willed, independent, and determined they are. When I started preschool in 2008, the education system in Oakland, California was not the best. My parents decided to put me in private school, even though they had to pay full price. When it was time for my younger sister to start school they couldn't afford to pay for the both of us and with no other choice, my parents decided to move to Alameda, California for the better quality of education. At the time, I was too young to understand why we moved and all I could think about was how excited I was to live across the street from the beach. There, I attended an elementary school from grades K-2. When I got to 3rd grade, the school system in Oakland was still not the best, but the charter school my parents found had strong academics. We then moved back to our house in Oakland and I attended the charter school from grades 3- half of 10. Although the academics at this school were very good in elementary and middle school, high school was a different story. I had classes that didn't have teachers, classes where teachers assigned little to no homework and were overall very under-resourced. In the middle of 10th grade, my parents announced that I would be transferring to a public high school in Oakland, one that had strong academics and many resources for students to succeed. At the time, I didn't see the purpose of my parents' efforts, but looking back on my life now, I appreciate the measures they took to ensure my academic success. Today, I work hard to achieve a high GPA to pursue higher education, knowing that students in other nations and my community would do anything to have the same opportunities as I do. This past year, I started working at Kumon Math and Reading Center where I tutor students, helping them build confidence in math and reading and teaching them the importance of education. This summer, I started volunteering as part of the Community Reading Buddies program, where I mentor younger students, helping them improve their literacy skills, language skills, and ignite them with a passion for reading as there is a significant literacy gap in Oakland. I creatively find ways to make the lessons fun and engaging by playing interactive reading games, connecting topics we read about, and the vocabulary words we learn to the real world. Seeing the excitement and smiles on my students' faces from Kumon and Community Reading Buddies, I know that I am making a positive impact on the students of my community. To me, being a leader means having the ability to motivate, inspire, establish a vision, communicate, respect, and lead others by example. I have learned that it is my responsibility to instill positivity, confidence, and optimism in my students, and to make a positive impact I need to believe I can before others do. In the future, I hope to continue being a leader and not only supporting the students in my community but any student with big dreams as I remember my parents and the first move to Alameda to ensure that I would succeed academically.

Growing up in Ethiopia, my father knew from a young age that education would be his only way out of a corrupt country, a country where the government stole his family's land and murdered thousands, including his close friends. He became one of the chosen two students to leave Ethiopia and pursue a higher education. My father worked tirelessly and continued to send money back home to support his parents and younger siblings while he was in college and was later able to bring his mother and all of his siblings to the United States. From him, I learned perseverance, the desire to accomplish greatness regardless of injustice. From him, I learned the value of family, education, and the importance of making sacrifices for those we care about. Inspired by my father, I work hard to achieve a high GPA to pursue a higher education and become a Pediatrician, knowing that children in other nations would do anything to have the same opportunities as I do. In the past year, I've been fortunate enough to be able to intern as part of the Alameda County HCSA Career Exploration Program where I researched the issue of health disparities that low-income communities and the homeless population in Oakland, California are facing that are caused by systemic inequalities. After finding that people who live in urban communities, have a lack of healthy food options in their neighborhood and have no choice but to eat from fast-food restaurants because those are the only places closest to them, we developed a plan of action by teaming up with a community farm, Acta Non Verba, and a delivery company, Piikup, to deliver boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables along with cookbooks, to families in Oakland. To further expand our services, we also teamed up with a local restaurant, Sierra Deli, and were able to deliver meals to people living in homeless encampments around Oakland. With a budget of $800 through my group's share of the $4,526 Oakland ReCAST Youth-to-Youth Mini-Grant we acquired, we funded 70 deliveries of boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cookbooks to the community members who expressed an interest in our program. Through my internship and volunteer work with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, I help numerous members of my community who have previously been denied healthcare due to political and economic barriers, gain access to healthcare and have their medical concerns addressed and treated. I work with a team of medical advocates, low-income workers, and healthcare professionals to take a planned approach to resolve medical needs through free donated healthcare. Through my advocacy, I have participated in the fight for making healthcare more accessible for everyone, regardless of race, gender, and income. I've been chosen as the new Team Leader due to my dedication and hard work for the fall and spring 2021 internship and will organize a program to teach student interns how to resolve medical needs and advocate for their community. This summer, I started tutoring students at Kumon Math and Reading Center, helping them understand the importance of education. I am also a Lead Mentor as part of Aspire Education’s Community Reading Buddies program, where I work one-on-one with students to help them improve their reading and literacy skills and help students develop an interest in reading. I recently just started an internship this week at Stanford University School of Medicine where I have the opportunity to research with Stanford faculty and learn about science and medicine. I make the most of the opportunities I have access to, to further my success and uplift my community.

Growing up in Ethiopia, my father knew from a young age that education would be his only way out of a corrupt country, a country where the government stole his family's land and murdered thousands, including his close friends. He graduated high school at the top of his class and continued his education at Addis Ababa University. He became one of the chosen two students to leave Ethiopia and pursue a higher education in France in 1981. After a year in France, my father discovered that because he was a foreigner, the degree he would obtain would not be equal to his peers' degrees. He tried everything he could to change it, but it was not possible. He then decided to leave France and continue his education in the US at Wentworth Institute of Technology. My father worked tirelessly and continued to send money back home to support his parents and younger siblings while he was in college. After obtaining his master's degree from UC Berkeley, he was able to finally bring his mother to America. 11 years later he sacrificed his dream of getting his Ph.D. to use the money for something far more important, to bring each of his siblings to the United States. From him, I learned perseverance, the desire to accomplish greatness regardless of injustice. From him, I learned the value of family, education, and the importance of making sacrifices for those we care about. My mother grew up in Ethiopia as well and knew she had to leave Ethiopia to have access to better opportunities. It was difficult to secure a visa to go straight to the United States, so she moved to Greece at 18 years old. She worked as a babysitter and sent clothes and money back home to her parents and younger siblings. It was still difficult to obtain a visa to the states, so my mother moved to Canada. There she took college classes and continued working hard to save money. A year later she was able to obtain a visa to the US and was able to bring her parents and siblings to America. From her, I learned that success is achieved by determination. Inspired by both of my parents, I work hard to achieve a high GPA, go to college and medical school, knowing that children in other nations would do anything to have the same opportunities as I do. I spend hours tutoring students in mathematics and English, helping them understand the importance of education. I make the most of the opportunities I have access to, to further my success and uplift my community. I acquired an internship at Stanford University School of Medicine where I have the opportunity to research with Stanford faculty and learn about science and medicine. I dedicate my time to tutoring students at Kumon, helping them understand the importance of education. Covid-19 has had a negative impact on my family's income, and this scholarship will help me pay for my education.

Growing up in Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the United States, I never thought I’d experience racism first-hand; however, that expectation wasn’t met. At age 15, I was racially profiled and accused of stealing while I was shopping at a beauty supply store after school with my friends. This experience, along with my interest in pursuing a career in the medical field, inspired me to better my community. This past year I've been fortunate enough to be able to intern as part of the Alameda County Healthcare Services Agency Career Exploration Program, and intern and volunteer with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals. Throughout both of these internships, I have been actively giving back and contributing to making life-changing impacts on the lives of the people in my community. In my research project on the Transparency of Systemic Inequality with the Alameda County HCSA Career Exploration Program, we researched the issue of health disparities that low-income communities and the homeless population in Oakland, California are facing that are caused by systemic inequalities. Due to these inequalities, people who live in urban communities, which are mainly people of color, lack healthy and organic food options in their neighborhood, which leaves them at a high risk of eating food from the closest fast-food restaurants and liquor stores. The amount of unhealthy food they consume leads to them developing serious health problems. To help those affected by this issue, we developed a plan of action by teaming up with a community farm, Acta Non Verba, and a delivery company, Piikup, to deliver boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cookbooks to families in Oakland. By conducting surveys that received over 160 responses and putting up fliers throughout the city, we have been able to get an idea of who would like to receive a box of organic food and cookbooks. To further expand our services, we also teamed up with a local restaurant, Sierra Deli, and were able to deliver meals to people living in homeless encampments around Oakland. With a budget of $800 through my group's share of the $4,526 Oakland ReCAST Youth-to-Youth Mini-Grant we acquired, we funded 70 deliveries of boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cookbooks to the community members who expressed an interest in our three-week program. Through my internship and volunteer work with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, I help numerous members of my community who have previously been denied healthcare due to political and economic barriers, gain access to healthcare and have their medical concerns addressed and treated. I work side-by-side with a team of medical advocates, low-income workers, and healthcare professionals to take a planned, step-by-step approach to resolve medical needs through free donated healthcare. Our purpose at CCMP is to overcome these barriers that deny access to comprehensive medical care for all working people. Through this work, I have participated in the fight for making healthcare more accessible for everyone, regardless of race, gender, and income. Through my dedication and hard work, I have been selected to be the new Team Leader for the fall and spring 2021 internship and will organize a program to teach student interns how to resolve medical needs and advocate for their community. I realized that those of us who are financially secure can become more aware of issues within our community and take action to help those who don't share the same luxuries as we do. Through my research project, I saw how food insecurity negatively impacted people in my community. With teamwork and dedication, we can assist those in need and reduce the issue of food insecurity. And those of us who have health insurance and access to comprehensive healthcare can advocate for those who don't have the same luxuries as we do. I strive to continue bettering my community through life-changing services and I hope to become a healthcare professional in the future to continue giving back and to help even more people across the world.

This past year I've been fortunate enough to be able to participate in the Alameda County HCSA Career Exploration Program and interning and volunteering with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals. Throughout both of these internships, I have been actively giving back and contributing to making life-changing impacts on the people in my community. In my research project on the Transparency of Systemic Inequality with the Alameda County HCSA Career Exploration Program, we researched the issue of health disparities that low-income communities and the homeless population in Oakland, California are facing that are caused by systemic inequalities. Due to these inequalities, people who live in urban communities, which are mainly people of color, have a lack of healthy and organic food options like grocery stores and farmers markets in their neighborhood, which leaves them at a high risk of eating foods from fast-food restaurants and liquor stores because those are the only stores close to them. The amount of unhealthy food they are consuming leads to them developing serious health problems. To help those affected by this issue, we developed a plan of action by teaming up with a community farm, Acta Non Verba, and a delivery company, Piikup, to deliver boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables along with cookbooks, to families in Oakland. By conducting surveys that received over 160 responses and putting up fliers around the community, we have been able to get an idea of who would like to receive a box of organic food and a cookbook. To further expand our services, we also teamed up with a local restaurant, Sierra Deli, and were able to deliver meals to people living in homeless encampments around Oakland. With a budget of $800 through my group's share of the $4,526 Oakland ReCAST Youth-to-Youth Mini-Grant we acquired through a written proposal from each group on our plans of action for our community projects, we funded 70 deliveries of boxes of fresh fruits, vegetables, and cookbooks to the community members who expressed an interest in our three-week program and to the homeless population in Oakland. Through my internship and volunteer work with the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, I help numerous members of my community who have previously been denied healthcare, gain access to healthcare and have their medical concerns addressed and treated. I worked and continue to work side-by-side with a team of medical advocates, low-income workers, and healthcare professionals to take a planned, step-by-step approach to resolve benefit requests and helping people who don't have access to comprehensive healthcare due to political and economic barriers get access to the care they need through free donated healthcare. Our purpose at CCMP is to overcome these barriers that deny access to comprehensive medical care for all working people. Through this work, I have participated in the fight for making healthcare more accessible for everyone, regardless of race, gender, and income. Through my dedication and hard work, I have been selected to be the new Team Leader for the fall and spring 2021 internship and will organize a program to teach student interns how to resolve benefit requests and advocate for their community.