Teachers: Apply now for a $250 Gratitude Grant!

The Chamberlin Education Foundation’s annual Gratitude Grants program offers full-time West Contra Costa public school teachers $250 grants to help them add classroom supplies that create a vibrant and inclusive learning environment for students.

School in Session April 1 and May 27

This is a reminder that school is in session on both April 1, 2022 and May 27, 2022.

On the district calendar, these dates are listed as “reserve days” and that there will be no school. These “reserve days” are commonly known as “smoke days,” flexible time granted by the state that was built into our schedule. The safety, health and well being of our students and staff is our top priority. When the omicron surge hit our school communities hard in January, and so many of our students and staff were out sick, we opted to use those flexible “reserve days” at that time, on January 7 and January 10.

Thank you for helping spread the word that school WILL be in session on April 1, 2022 and May 27, 2022.

Pinole Valley Junior Wins 1st Place in Poetry Out Loud Competition

Submitted by Kibby Kleiman, PVHS Principal

Blessing Mahati, a Junior at Pinole Valley High School won 1st place in the 2022 Contra Costa County Poetry Out Loud competition. Blessing participated in the Poetry Out Loud competition her freshman year as a class assignment, and this year, she has blossomed.

Poetry has allowed Blessing to express her emotions and she believes it will be a part of her, as she aspires to become a Dental Hygienist. 

"Blessing as a passionate, sincere and with calm energy that drives her performance and skills," PVHS Librarian Corinna Carlile said.

Congratulations, Blessing! 

The Ed Fund's Scholarship Application is now Open! 

The Ed Fund's Scholarship Application is now OPEN! Seniors attending a public WCCUSD high school are invited to apply for a scholarship here by March 14th, 2022.

• African American Scholarship: Open to all self-identifying Black/African-American seniors
• Contra Costa Chorale Vocal Music Studies Scholarship: Open to all seniors who have participated in a high school choir program or other musical performances
• Schroeder Family Foundation Scholarship: Open to all ECHS self-identifying students of color
• Freggarrio Family Scholarship: Open to all Richmond High School seniors only

Benefit from the Affordable Connectivity Program

The Affordable Connectivity Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed in November, has enrolled 10 million households to help provide broadband to low-income families. Visit this article for more information. 

The City of Pinole Solicits Input for their Local Road Safety Plan

The City of Pinole is developing a citywide Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) geared towards improving traffic safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and drivers. The LRSP will enable the city to enhance traffic safety for all modes of transportation and for all ages and abilities. To learn more about the project, please visit the project website at www.pinolelrsp.com. Use the interactive virtual map platform to share your traffic related safety concerns on city streets. You can also access the virtual interactive map by selecting the “Report Concern” tab on the project website. The interactive map input platform will close on March 15, 2022.

Deadlines Extended: The FAFSA, California Dream Act and Richmond Promise Scholarship

The Cal Grant deadline for FAFSA and California Dream Act Applications is March 31st, and the Richmond Promise Scholarship Application  closes on April 14th. High School Seniors and GED students who live in Richmond and attend public, private, or charter schools under the age of 24 in West Contra Costa County are highly encouraged to apply by April 14!

View the Richmond Promise announcement and apply today.

West Contra Costa Retired Educators Scholarship Application Deadline, March 18

The West Contra Costa Retired Educators Scholarship application is now open to high school seniors in WCCUSD. Every graduating senior in the top 50% of their class is eligible to apply for a $2,000.00 scholarship. The 2022 scholarship application is available now at www.wccrescholarship.org. Click the Scholarship Application link on the left side of the home page to start the application process.

North Richmond Youth Survey & Listening Session

In collaboration with the RYSE center, Healthy Richmond is currently looking for youth who currently live or have lived in North Richmond to participate the following:

• 30-45 Minute Youth Listening Session (Upon completion students will receive a $15 Target E-Gift Card!). LINK TO INTEREST FORM - https://tinyurl.com/NRYLSInterestform

• North Richmond Youth Survey. LINK TO SURVEY - https://tinyurl.com/2021NRYLS

Both of these activities will gather community voice to inform future development plans like resources, services, and programs that impact the lives of youth in North Richmond.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns related to the survey, please reach out to Healthy Richmond’s Project Manager for Resident Leadership: dmiguel@richmondcf.org.

Contra Costa Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Scholarship Application Now Available

The Contra Costa Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has released its 2022 scholarship application for high school seniors who live or attend school in Contra Costa County. 

The application is currently available on the sorority’s website and must be submitted no later than April 16, 2022 by email or USPS mail. High school seniors who apply must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, have performed community service, be a United States citizen, complete the CCAC scholarship application. They must also provide an official transcript from their high school with two letters of recommendation. Selected seniors can receive up to $2,000 for college tuition or expenses when proof of college enrollment is provided. 

Applicants can use Google Docs to complete and save the application then can email the entire application and additional documents to CCACEdDevelopment@gmail.com no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 16, 2022.