SACRAMENTO, June 24, 2022 – The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) Foundation has awarded $31,000 in college scholarships to seven students with a parent or legal guardian employed by a California winegrape grower.
“We award the CAWG Foundation scholarships each year to honor the families of vineyard employees, who are valued members of the winegrape industry. Without these workers, we would not thrive, and these scholarships show our immense appreciation,” said Davindar Mahil, chair of the CAWG Foundation board of directors.
The CAWG Foundation board selects scholarship recipients who have demonstrated excellence across the board, from academic achievement and extracurricular activities to public service and community involvement. Selection criteria include scholastic ability, financial need, community service, leadership experience, and a personal essay.
Since the program’s inception in 1998, the CAWG Foundation has awarded $554,500 in scholarships to help students pursue higher education. Many generous donations from members of CAWG and the California wine community fund the scholarship program.
This year, three four-year $8,000 scholarships were awarded to students attending a University of California or California State University campus, three two-year $2,000 scholarships were awarded to students attending a California community college, and $1,000 was awarded to one student through the Robert Miller Memorial Scholarship.
Created by the family of Bob Miller, the Robert Miller Memorial Scholarship supports Central Coast students who plan to pursue a career in the region’s winegrape industry and are studying viticulture or enology at either Allan Hancock College or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Bob Miller was a California wine industry leader who played a large part in establishing the Central Coast as a leading winegrape growing region.
Four-Year University Scholarship Recipients / $8,000 each
- Naydin Beltran Garcia, Somerset, Union Mine High School
- Alexis Gonzalez, Kelseyville, Kelseyville High School
- Mallory Sutherland, Bakersfield, Frontier High School
Two-Year Community College Scholarship Recipients / $2,000 each
- Emily Jimenez, Kelseyville, Kelseyville High School
- Melisa Magana, Lodi, Lodi High School
- Esmeralda Mendoza, Shandon, Shandon High School
Robert Miller Memorial Scholarship / $1,000
- Makena Martin, Atascadero, Templeton High School
ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS:
FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP / $8,000 EACH
- Naydin Beltran Garcia, Somerset, Union Mine High School – Naydin is an exceptional community leader with numerous honors and awards. She grew up watching her parents work in the vineyards out of necessity, leaving her to care for her younger sibling. Her proven resilience from a young age enabled her to balance financial, academic, familial, and extracurricular responsibilities later in life, which she manages remarkably. Naydin has achieved a 4.0 GPA while balancing advanced coursework and AP classes as well as various extracurricular activities, including AVID, Hands4Hope, NHS, varsity tennis, Model UN, Mi Gente, Link Crew, and tutoring. She plans to study philosophy at UCLA, UCSC, or USD to prepare her for law school.
- Alexis Gonzalez, Kelseyville, Kelseyville High School – Alexis Gonzalez is a passionate and dedicated student who plans on attending law school after receiving his BA in psychology from UCLA or UCSD. He hopes to pursue a career in immigration and civil rights law to uphold the rights of citizens in his community and battle discrimination. Alexis’s extracurricular activities include the Lake County Symphony Association Youth Orchestra, K-CORPS, Environmental Club, Rotary Interact Club, Student Body President, MSLI at CSU, debate, junior varsity football, tennis, and tutoring. While embodying a life of volunteer service and dedication to his community, Alexis has also displayed outstanding academic achievement by maintaining a 4.2 GPA with various advanced courses.
- Mallory Sutherland, Bakersfield, Frontier High School – Mallory is a goal-oriented student who pursues excellence at every opportunity. Mallory’s experiences as a member and chapter president of the Future Farmers of America have inspired her to study Agricultural Business at CSU Fresno in the fall and open her own dental practice after college. During her time with the FFA, she received various awards and accolades. She has already dedicated much of her time to learning more about the agriculture industry through an internship with Sunview Vineyards and the organization of the Elementary School Agriculture Advocacy After School Program, of which her teacher states Mallory was a “cornerstone.” Mallory has also participated in the National Honors Society, Spanish Honors Society, California Scholarship Foundation, Interact Club, MECHA, and Key Club, in addition to over 60 hours dedicated to volunteer work, all while maintaining a 4.3 GPA with vigorous coursework.
TWO-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP/ $2,000 EACH
- Emily Jimenez, Kelseyville, Kelseyville High School – As a first-generation college student, Emily Jimenez is passionate about education. She aspires to become a primary school educator, and her kind, empathetic, and giving attitude will enable her success in this field. In addition to playing varsity soccer, babysitting, volunteering at her local church and library, and attending meetings for the environmental and interact clubs, Emily maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking courses at her local college. Emily has demonstrated her leadership, determination, resilience, and drive by succeeding despite many challenges in life, including financial difficulties, the pandemic, and mental health struggles. She plans on attending Mendocino College in the fall.
- Melisa Magana, Lodi, Lodi High School – As the child of immigrants from Jalisco, Mexico, Melisa Magana is a first-generation college student and ESL speaker who learned how to navigate the world at a young age. Before she was ten years old, Melisa learned how to translate for her parents, who could not speak English. These experiences ultimately led to her goal of pursuing a career in criminal justice at San Joaquin Delta College. Her instructors describe her as “kind and tenacious” with the “desire and ability to find common ground while standing strong in what she believes in.” Melisa dedicates much of her time to volunteering while maintaining a 3.7 GPA, excelling in various AP courses, and running cross country.
- Esmeralda Mendoza, Shandon, Shandon High School – Esmeralda Mendoza is the daughter of immigrant parents who are proud to see her excel at school. Although she admires her hardworking parents, she is hopeful that higher education will give her access to a well-paying job that will provide her and her family with greater financial support. As a compassionate leader, Esmerelda has proven her intelligence and dedication through academic success amidst a busy schedule. Esmeralda is involved in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including varsity volleyball, varsity basketball, softball, Future Farmers of America, of which she is vice president, and the Associated Student Body, where she has served as class commissioner, treasurer, and president. She has maintained a 3.7 GPA in addition to working in the vineyards on weekends and summers and plans to attend Cuesta College.
ROBERT MILLER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP / $1000
- Makena Martin, Atascadero, Templeton High School – Makena Martin is a driven, motivated, and hardworking student who maintained a 4.0 GPA in addition to playing varsity volleyball all four years of high school. She is a proven community leader who became captain of her team, mentored first-year students, planned various student activities, and participated in a variety of volunteer services. Makena has planned to attend Cal Poly ever since she learned it was her mother’s alma mater. Her long-term goal is to become a director in winemaking, specializing in rosé wine after college. Speaking of the challenging transition to virtual learning, her teacher wrote, “Many students found it difficult to maintain motivation, but that was not Makena. I believe Makena’s work ethic will serve her well in college.”
About the California Association of Winegrape Growers Foundation
The CAWG Foundation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that awards scholarships to high school seniors whose parent or legal guardian is employed by a California winegrape grower. For more information, visit www.cawgfoundation.org.
