Youth Opportunity Scholarships: Passion Beyond the Classroom

by Cayman Bentley, PVF’s Program and Communications Associate

PVF has partnered with the Lampert Byrd Foundation on the Youth Opportunity Scholarship program since 2011, providing funding to Bay Area middle school students to pursue inspiring extracurricular enrichment activities and a passion of their choosing beyond the classroom. We make these scholarships available by partnering with youth-serving organizations like Aim High, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that works to close the opportunity and achievement gap by providing a free summer learning program to low-income middle school students.

Below are a few excerpts from students who would were able to participate in the Aim High Program this past summer and received extra funding from PVF’s Youth Opportunity Scholarship Program to explore their hobbies and passions such as ballet training, cooking, and painting.

What has this experience been like for you?

“Aim High has been a very active experience for me. I’ve got along with people at Aim High, and really connected with them. Classes have also improved my writing, drawing, and made me become more productive. I’m really glad I even had something to do this summer because last summer I would just lay in my bed using my phone constantly. But this summer it has been filled with hanging out with friends, doing fun actives like cooking, learning new things, and more.” – Camila of Oakland

“Cooking has always been something I wanted to try. The scholarship has helped me get the chance and learn how to make pasta. It also helped me discover an interest for cooking which is a essential you need when you grow up. The pasta I made was a meal for my family and they said they enjoyed it.” – Chloe of San Francisco

“I have been dancing for a little over one year. I started dancing at Aim High actually! Since then, I’ve continued with it and just started pointe training.” – Breanna of San Francisco

Breanna of San Francisco participating in pointe training.

An art piece by Trisha of San Francisco

“I enjoyed the markers because having the high quality ink has allowed me to further expand on the art skills I already had. I used to dislike art because I thought I wasn’t good at it, but with the markers, I’ve improved a lot. In the wide range of colors, I can express the feeling of the art I want to. I learned that art is less of how others see it, and instead how you see the art. I’m glad I have had this opportunity to use these markers.” – Trisha of San Francisco

“I learned how to control my skating. I was almost able to pass freestyle 4 but was missing one skill and I used this money to train on that skill. I learned that I had to lean but also not dip myself while entering the spin. This really helped me deepen my passion for figure skating.” – Isabella of San Francisco, who is also featured in the video below!