We here at NBC Bay Area would like to congratulate the 2014 graduating class of the Silicon Valley Children's Fund YES Scholars program. The YES (Youth Education Scholars) Program of the Silicon Valley Children's Fund has successfully increased the number of foster youth in Santa Clara County who attend and complete college.
Foster youth attend and graduate college at rate far below their peers. Less than 25% of foster youth pursue post-secondary education. Of those, only 1% graduate with a college degree or vocational certificate. The Silicon Valley Children's Fund engages their students with a two-pronged approach of scholarship assistance and case management services to help them beat the odds.
Here is a list of their 2014 YES Program Graduates:
First Name |
Last Name |
School |
Major/Degree |
Rozena | Abriha | San Jose State University | Sociology |
Samantha | Beardslee | CSU Monterey Bay | Integrated Studies Special Major: Multicultual Sexual Health Promotion |
Marcian | Diamond | San Francisco State University | Computer Engineering |
Maria Guadalupe | Diaz | San Francisco State University | Liberal Studies |
Gerica | Preston | San Jose State University | Radio-Television-Film |
Darius | Reese | San Jose State University | Kinesiology |
Breana | Romero | San Jose State University | Liberal Studies (Teachers Prep) |
Violet | Sabbatini (Gonzales) | San Jose State University | Accounting |
Dawn | Saunders | San Francisco State University | Women & Gender Studies |
Sebrinna | Schmidt | Humboldt State University | Social Work |
Sonya | Trac | San Jose State University | Justice Studies |
Jessica | Yu | UC Berkeley | Business Adminstration |
For more information about the Silicon Valley Children's Fund and their YES Program, click here