Congratulations to our Senior Support Scholarship winners, Arlette Campos and Kailey Martinez!

Arlette from  Aspire Pacific Academy and Kailey from Aspire Richmond CaliforniaCollege Preparatory Academy will no doubt have success as they prepare for their post-secondary pathways. Both lifetime Aspire learners, these two senior scholars are prepared and eager for their next chapters. Learn more about them and their goals below.

Arlette Campos

Arlette has been with Aspire since elementary school, and during this time has learned the importance of asking questions when needed and leaning on people around her for help. She looks forward to using this skill set both to help others and to navigate college. During her time at Pacific, she took advantage of their early college program by enrolling in three college courses, including Administration of Justice, Sociology, and Psychology. Through the coursework itself and the act of balancing advanced classes, Arlette is proud to have gained experience in fostering her mental health and wellness, as well as improving her grade point average and gaining experience with college-level work.

Arlette loves learning, and as a first-generation college student, looks forward to continuing her pursuit of knowledge. Dealing with various challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic has especially fostered her desire to pursue a career that will allow her to give back to her family and broader community. She hopes to get both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree to provide financial stability and inspire her younger sisters that anything is possible with hard work. She plans to attend Los Angeles Trade-Technical College where she will explore a variety of STEM and social science courses to determine the right career path for her.

Kailey Martinez

Kailey has grown and thrived with Aspire since kindergarten. She has been a part of numerous clubs, including TechHive, through which she grew an interest in science and became fluent in data analytics, and YouthRadio, in which she examined art through digital media. She was also involved in Cal Prep’s Pride Club and student government. While in student government, Kailey suggested and implemented a middle school student government program – which had previously only included high schoolers – to help younger students feel heard and connected to their school community. A particularly life-changing opportunity outside of school occurred when Kailey was fifteen and she took care of an individual with disabilities. Over the course of a year, she had the responsibility of feeding him, teaching him how to speak, and simultaneously teaching and learning American Sign Language. Being his caretaker offered an invaluable lesson in empathy and furthered her interest in pursuing a career path in helping others.

As a first-generation college student, Kailey is especially motivated to attend and graduate from a four-year university. She will attend California State University Channel Islands, where she plans to study either counseling or nursing in pursuit of a career in the human service field. She credits her teachers and school counselors for making her feel safe and motivating her to continue and accomplish her goals and looks forward to being able to do the same for children in the future.

The Senior Support scholarship is funded by generous contributions from Aspire Regional and Home Office staff. If you’re also interested in supporting scholars like Arlette and Kailey, see how you can make an impact on our  Support page.