Tag Archives: News

26Apr/19

2018 Ruben Castro Memorial Scholarship Recipient 1 of 2: Alma Gonzalez

Role models set table for this scholarship winner

Alma Gonzalez, a winner of one of the two Ruben Castro Memorial Scholarships for 2018, sees her parents and an aunt as the models for her personal and professional aspirations.

“My parents have worked hard and sacrificed a lot for me and my sister. I work hard because I want to make them proud of me,” Alma said of her parents, Jose and Josefina, who immigrated to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico. Jesus works for Boething Treeland Farms, and Josefina adds to the family income by looking after small children.

Growing up, Alma saw her Aunt Flor Padilla as a woman who was always there for someone in need. A foster parent who has four adopted children, Flor would explain in detail the interactions between herself and the child services agency

“There’s lots of love around her,” Alma said of her aunt’s household.

Alma, now 18, knew that she wanted to help people in a similar way, but she wasn’t sure how she could blend her passion into a successful profession.

Before she settled on studying social work, Alma thought nursing was her calling and focused on a certified nursing program. An internship at a retirement home gave Alma a first-hand look at what some nurses do.

“Other people enjoyed it – and I respect that – but I learned that it just wasn’t for me,” Alma said.  “I still had the desire to help people but there had to be another way.”

Her Moorpark High School advisor Madeline Knight told her not to worry and put her in touch with Kimi Beckstead, a social worker who led Alma on the path she follows today.

“She told me what her day was like, the types of cases she sees and how she interacts with people. It’s not for everyone, but I decided it was for me.”

Alma, who graduated with a 3.9 grade point average and now attends Moorpark College, plans to get her Associate of Arts degree before transferring to California State University, Long Beach.

The $500 scholarship, administered by Ruben Castro Charities, is a small but encouraging development for Alma, who is used to living on a budget.

“How I will pay for college is always on mind so I’m always looking at ways to save money,” said Alma. “I had heard that Moorpark College was a good school; I’m glad that it’s so close.”

In the summers prior to her freshman and sophomore year, Alma worked at Boething as well. Alma heard about community service opportunities through Holy Cross Catholic Church in Moorpark while preparing for her confirmation.

She volunteered for Ruben Castro Charities whose namesake was a longtime member and leader at Holy Cross. On Saturday mornings, Alma could be found helping with the Grab ‘n’ Go food distribution at the Career Education Center on Condor Drive.

“It started out just as fulfilling a requirement for confirmation and high school graduation but I found out that I really enjoy helping the families,” she said. “I got to know them not just as customers or clients, but as people. The families who come to RCC greatly appreciate the help that is given to them.”

Alma said it was easy to bond with the families who visit the Grab ‘n’ Go because her family is of the same income level and heritage. She also feels that the clients at RCC have helped her grow personally.

“I’ve learned to better communicate with people that I meet for the first time,” she said. “Serving has helped me realize that giving back to the community brings great satisfaction. In the end, everyone wins.”

 

01Aug/15

2015 Ruben Castro Memorial Scholarship Recipient: Josseline Pineda

Josseline Pineda is the 2015 recipient of the Ruben Castro Memorial Scholarship. Josseline’s academic achievement, her volunteer work, and her personal statement embodied the spirit of the scholarship award.

“I want to help people fight illness. Furthering my education will help not only me but my community. I will help spread awareness (of disease and cure) and provide help to those in need,” Josseline said.

Josseline-Pineda

Josseline plans to major in Spanish with an emphasis on Pre-Med at UC Riverside where she will do her undergraduate work. Her ultimate goal is to become a doctor and return to Moorpark.

“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, not for the money or the prestige that comes with the job. I want to be a doctor because I want to help people,” Josseline said. “I want to start a free clinic in Moorpark that provides help for the young, elderly and the less fortunate.”

Born in San Jose Pinula, Guatemala, Josseline’s family immigrated to the United States when she was in eighth grade. Coming to a new school would be a challenge for any child, imagine it is in a new country where you don’t speak the language. Long odds for any child – but Josseline was not just any child.

She had a dream and set in motion a plan to make that dream come true. Along the way she found it necessary make it clear to the occasional glib school know-it-all that statistics and stereotypes about immigrant Latinas would not define her.

“I wasn’t going to let someone who didn’t know me say where I was going or what I was going to do. How could they know?” Josseline said.

Josseline’s desire to overcome her humble beginnings and share her success with her community reminded Moorpark High School counselor Homero Magana so much of himself when he was a teen-ager.

“I met Josseline during her 9th grade year and immediately noticed she was very intelligent,” Magana said at a recent White House presentation for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative. “She was enrolled in English Language Development and general classes but exhibited tremendous academic potential.”

Josseline fulfilled her academic potential at Moorpark High School and looked beyond to see where she could help her community. She is a volunteer aid for Catholic Charities in Moorpark and a translator at the Westminster Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks.

She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society (and tutor), Multicultural Club and a singer in the choir at Holy Cross Church

Her parents, Carlos and Karin both work hard all day long – he is a gardener and she is a part time house cleaner. When her mother did not work, Josseline would accompany her to Catholic Charities and the Free Clinic to volunteer.

“I learned from my mother what it means to have a dream, work hard and follow through,” Josseline said. “I learned from her how important it is, that if we can – we should reach out and help one another.”