It's been a whirlwind month of delivering good news for the SAISD Foundation, first surprising teachers with Innovative Grants, and now surprising students across the district with scholarships to help pay for their first years of college. 

On Monday, the Foundation started making the rounds at Burbank High School, attending Signing Day and presenting 14 scholarships totaling $21,500. One of those was the Luther Burbank First Generation Scholarship, founded by several members of the class of 2001 after their 20th reunion.

“Looking back with some of my best friends, our paths all started here at Burbank High School and we got the tools here to be successful,” Liza Garcia ‘01 said. "We’re all professionals and we looked back and said ‘what can we do to make sure that another child at our school can have the same experience?’ We are all first-generation college students, and we really wanted to help first-gen students cross that bridge over into college.”

When recipient Christopher Mendez was called down from the stands, he was so excited.

“I’m very happy and grateful to get this scholarship,” Mendez said. “It’s going to help me a lot in my journey. I’m grateful for these alumni who are giving back.”

Mendez will attend Texas A&M University in College Station to study Mechanical Engineering. 

It was a similar scene across the district this week as, in total, the Foundation awarded 138 scholarships totaling $238,500 at 15 campuses to the graduating class of 2023. This represented a 28% increase in the number of scholarships, and 40% increase in dollars awarded, which directly reflects the giving of generous employees, alumni and community members who are investing in the future.

“For our recipient, we want him to have the doors opened for him,” Garcia said. “We’re excited to see where he goes. Our hope is that one day he is going to tap into this idea of legacy and giving back.”