Newsletter 6.7.24 | Announcing Our 2024 Recipients
Dear friends and supporters of the Dr. Horace Jackson Legacy Scholarship,
With great pride we presented senior Kevin Cuaron with the HJL Scholarship worth $6,000 at the John W. North Senior Awards Night ceremony in Riverside on May 16. Kevin stood out among the impressive pool of applicants with his compelling life story, demonstrating his ability to rise above personal challenges, while remaining a compassionate young man and strong student. He believes that education is essential to his future endeavors, which include helping to support his adoptive family.
“Not only does college help provide a good place to develop critical thinking but also helps expose people to diverse perspectives in viewpoints, cultures, and experiences which helps build you as a person and a person's independence and leadership development.”
- Kevin Cuaron
Thank you to all our supporters who have helped
to make these scholarships possible!
As part of the application process, students are required to submit a recommendation. This is how one teacher described Kevin:
“Kevin stands out as an exceptional individual, demonstrating unwavering responsibility and conscientiousness in all his endeavors. His commitment to academic excellence is evident in the meticulous manner in which he approaches his assignments, consistently ensuring that they are completed to the highest standards. His mature and disciplined demeanor in the classroom sets him apart from his peers, reflecting a level of dedication that is truly commendable."
Pictured: 2024 Dr. Horace Jackson Legacy Scholarship winner is North High Senior Kevin Cuaron (right). Runners-up Ashley Ruiz (center) and Krystal Huerta (left) also honored at North High Senior Awards Night.
Ashley Ruiz was awarded a second place scholarship of $1,500 and Krystal Huerta received a third-place award of $750. All three students plan to attend Riverside Community College in the fall. Kevin begins his academic career undecided. Ashley will pursue a degree in social work with the goal of eventually working in the mental health field as a therapist. Krystal is focused on nursing, planning to enroll in RCC’s distinguished nursing program.
Founding member of the scholarship, Molly Williamson, class of 1974, spoke at the ceremony, describing her unique multi-cultural experience at North, attributing a culture of respect to her principal, Horace Jackson. “It wasn’t perfect, but for the most part we all got along and respected each other – and from what I’ve witnessed tonight, it appears Dr. Jackson’s legacy lives on...”
Molly also described her circuitous route to obtaining a degree in Broadcast Journalism, with a focus on travel but taking classes wherever she lived. “I didn’t want to go to college – I wanted to travel ... but I knew a college degree was important.” Two other members of the founding committee, Michele Himmelberg, (’74) and Nancy Biddle Sutterley (’75) helped present the awards. Watch Molly’s speech in full below.
All three of the 2024 award recipients are exemplary representatives of the scholarship, which honors the late Dr. Horace Jackson and his dedication to higher education and inclusivity. All winners of the scholarship will be eligible to apply for additional HJLS funding as they continue their education.
Pictured, left to right: Molly Williamson, Krystal Huerta, Ashley Ruiz, Kevin Cuaron, Nancy Biddle Sutterley, and Michele Himmelberg
The winners’ awards are granted each year from the HJLS fund, which has grown to just under $130,000 since its inception at the end of 2021. The next goal is to reach $250,000 so that the fund’s interest can support at least two scholarships each year. The top awards are worth $6,000 over two years, as long as the awardees stay in school full time with passing grades.
Thank you again for all your contributions.
Your continued support will enable us to help more students.
The HJLS board is grateful to this year’s Selection Committee, which included two North High staff: teachers Linton Dean (North alum) and Alyssa Zavala (North alum). Other committee members were Jerry DeBarry (‘76), Cully Williamson (‘75) and Catherine Jackson, the widow of Horace Jackson.
Thank you!
The Scholarship Founding Team
Nancy Biddle Sutterley '75; Riverside City College; BA UCLA 1979; MBA Cal State East Bay 1991
Oscar Edwards '72; Riverside City College; BA UCLA 1978; MBA Anderson School - UCLA 1981; DBA, Grand Canyon University, 2022
Michele Himmelberg '74; Riverside City College; BA USC 1979
Cullen Williamson '75; Cabrillo College; BS San Jose State University 1980; MBA USF 2001
Molly Williamson '74; UC Riverside; Cabrillo College; Riverside City College; Santa Monica College; BS San Jose State University 1984