Newsletter 9.16.25 | Celebrating our First RCC Graduates!
We share with great pride that Kaci Ginwright and Alyssa Martinez earned their Associate of Arts degrees from Riverside City College in June. Both graduated from John W. North High in 2023 and were awarded Dr. Horace Jackson Legacy Scholarships. Your support helped these students become our first community college graduates! One of the best ways to show you the power of your donations is to bring you good news like this, along with updates on how the scholarship recipients are making progress.
For Kaci Ginwright, the Dr. Horace Jackson scholarship helped pay for a unique educational experience in Italy. The study abroad program, offered by RCC, challenges students to learn about a new culture while also taking classes with RCC professors. She studied hard all four semesters and made the Dean's Honor Roll each time. Kaci plans to transfer to a university in spring of 2026, majoring in English with a minor in Creative Writing. Her goal is to work in literary publishing. While on a school break this fall, she’s pursuing an internship in the literary field.
Alyssa Martinez overcame many self-doubts as she earned her AA degree, and now she’s taking exams to get into nursing school. A turning point on her educational journey was the time she spent in a hospital with her grandmother, who was dying. She witnessed first-hand how important nurses can be in health care. With the encouragement of her RCC professors, Alyssa is more determined than ever to become a Registered Nurse.
While there’s a growing demand for RNs across the country, many nursing schools have limited spots open each year. Alyssa is taking a chemistry class this semester to improve her chance of being accepted. Meanwhile, she supports herself with a full-time job as a nanny and also has a nail-design business with a growing number of clients from North High, @Lyss_Nailz.
Alyssa participated in RCC’s Promise Program, which provides financial aid to community college students who advance toward a degree with a full-time course load.
Winding roads through College
Educational journeys are as unique as we are. Some have a steady course from Day One, and some have enlightening detours. As our scholarship winners begin a new school year, they’re discovering what their paths might look like.
Kevin Cuaron, our 2024 award winner, is working hard to boost his chances of transferring to a university after RCC. He’s excelling in Honors classes, with all A’s last semester, and he’s aiming for an Honors certificate. Next up: He’s thinking about flight school to become a professional pilot.
“I went on a trip last Christmas to Japan, and that got me thinking about flying,” said Cuaron, whose mother is Japanese. “Another great thing about that trip is that I could see how the people and society in Japan aligned with what I studied in my Japanese civilization class.”
Stefanny Hernandez is starting her first full year at RCC and she’s already happily involved in activities – something educators say is critical to staying in school. Stefanny and a few friends took part in RCC’s summer program for new students, and she joined several organizations: La Casa (Latino culture), Associated Students (student government) and ASL (American Sign Language). The latter connects with her Deaf Studies major.
“I’m a little nervous, but I think I’m well-equipped to have a successful experience at RCC,” Stefanny told us. “I’m excited to meet new people, and it’s also great to have my friends to share the same experiences, worries and accomplishments that we all go through.”
For Fernando Cruz, the educational journey of an HJLS founding member was very encouraging. Recently, Fernando told Molly Williamson (Class of ‘74) that he had to leave Cal State Fullerton temporarily and that he changed his major from business to architecture. He was disappointed to report this delay. But his spirits rose when Molly explained that it took her years to figure out her career path, and she attended multiple schools before she graduated.
Fernando (Class of ‘22) is back in school this fall, balancing a job with his classes. He shared this: “Working in construction, I love seeing the process of finishing a building, from inside and out. That drew me to architecture (as a major).”
Since we began this initiative in 2022, the Dr. Horace Jackson Legacy Scholarship has awarded 11 John W. North High seniors who were bound for community college. We appreciate every donor who has helped make this possible, and we salute North High's Class of ‘75 for committing to raise funds at its 50th anniversary celebration in October.
Each of you has been instrumental in growing our fund. Will you share this newsletter with your community, telling them why you support the scholarship and asking them to add support?
Will you make a donation today, to help future nurses, pilots, architects, interpreters and publishers?