Community
Chevron Donates to Richmond Promise Scholarship Program
Courtesy of the Richmond Standard
All students who live in Richmond and graduate from a public high school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, including charter schools, will be eligible for the $35 million Richmond Promise program, which aims to offer each student enough tuition and support to make college both attainable and affordable, according to city officials.
On Wednesday this week, the highly-anticipated college scholarship program received its first installment of $8 million from Chevron Richmond, which is providing the full $35 million over 10 years as part of a $90 million community benefits agreement with the city connected to the upcoming $1 billion modernization of the Richmond Refinery.
The goal is to begin doling out scholarships for the Class of 2016, the city says.
An ad hoc committee convening community leaders and school officials has been appointed to hash out some of the program’s details, and there’s still work to do. But we’re told the scholarship amount likely won’t be the same for every student, but rather reflective of the student’s financial needs. Program officials also intend to help students obtain federal student aid as well as other outside grant and scholarship options so that Promise funds can be extended to the most possible students.
The city has also set a goal of raising $150 million in additional funds from foundations and private individuals to keep the program going beyond 10 years.
College is financially out of reach for many families, creating little incentive for students to perform in the classroom. But students who are willing to do the work should be able to concentrate on their studies and not scraping enough funds to get into college, said Mayor Tom Butt, who first proposed the idea of the Promise program after being inspired by a similar program in El Dorado, Ark.
He said the program has proven in El Dorado to raise academic standards and ultimately create a college-going culture.
“All [students] have to concentrate on is simply being academically prepared to go to college,” the mayor said.
Another champion of the program, Vice Mayor Jael Myrick, called the program “transformative” and “game-changing.”
“This is real; this is happening,” he said. “We expect young people after high school to still be in school.”
For Richmond High senior Itzel Gonzales, the program will help her to become the first member of her family to attend college. Gonzales, who has been interning this summer as a researcher for Chevron, aims to pursue a degree in bio-medical engineering at UCLA.
“Knowing these funds will be there will give me the extra motivation to go to college,” she said.
Chevron Richmond pledged to provide ongoing support college-readiness, calling the Promise program one of its most important community investments.
“Chevron depends on a highly-skilled and educated workforce to meet our business needs,” said Jeff Hartwig, manager of the Chevron Refinery Modernization Project, adding the company wants to hire its future engineers and scientists from Richmond schools.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
City Government
Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Special to The Post
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.
Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”
According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.
“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”
When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.
At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”
While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.
On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.
“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.
The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.
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