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Youth Scholarship Program


Mary V. King/Wilma Chan Youth Scholarship Fund

As part of the ACWHOF's focus on developing young women leaders, the Mary V. King/Wilma Chan Youth Scholarship Fund was established in recognition of two outstanding women leaders who impacted Alameda County in numerous ways through their volunteerism and legislative tenure as County Supervisors.

Mary V. King was the first African American woman and Wilma Chan was the first Asian American elected to an Alameda County Supervisor position. Both dedicated their service with a focus on policies and programs to advance women and girls. Mary V. King was a founding member of the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame and sought to archive the leadership and accomplishments of outstanding women impacting Alameda County families. Wilma Chan championed social economic justice, especially as it impacted children's healthcare. Their dedication to learn, passion to address challenges, and strength to build partnerships resulted in practices and resources that benefit the families of Alameda County today and for the future. These are the values and qualities we seek in scholarship recipients.

Through the ACWHOF Youth Scholarship Program, the Fund supports young women seeking post-secondary education who exemplify the spirits of Supervisors King and Chan.

Criteria:

  1. Must be a current female, youth resident of Alameda County.
  2. Must be a graduating senior, from an Alameda County-based school, poised to enter post-secondary education.
  3. Must be in good standing academically.
  4. Must have a record of ancillary achievements outside of high school academics (athletic programs, volunteerism, work, training programs, educational programs, arts and cultural programs, etc.).
  5. Must have demonstrated at least one full year of work or community service in areas that advance or improve the quality of life for women and/or girls and their families in Alameda County.
  6. Must have demonstrated leadership skills, especially in instances where one has been a groundbreaker, role model or mentor to other girls.
  7. Must be able to articulate qualities that make the student unique and apart from others in problem-solving, community-building, resourcefulness or creativity that led to successful impacts.
  8. Must be able to articulate an instance of overcoming a challenge or barrier to improve their community's, city's or Alameda County's well- being.
  9. Must be able to articulate measurable improvements based on their leadership and participation for Alameda County families.

In 2024, the ACWHOF launched its Youth Scholarship Program to award four $5,000 scholarships to each of these students:

Daisy Fountaine (Oakland Technical High School, Oakland)
Sesina Haile (Encinal Junior/Senior High School, Alameda)
Elizabeth Melendez Santos (Mount Eden High School, Hayward)
Moragaut Souet-Samounn (San Leandro High School, San Leandro)

The Mary V. King/Wilma Chan Youth Scholarship Fund is funded through donations from our sponsors, partners and individual donors. Kaiser Permanente endowed the Fund in 2022 with a generous contribution. We invite you to join our family of funders to grow our Fund and enable us to continue this tradition of investment in our youth.

THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE 2025 ACWHOF YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF 2024, AND SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE GIVEN OUT IN SPRING 2025.