Grant Projects

Club: Burbank Sunrise

Vocational Grant Name: Vocational Grant for Paula

Paula is attending a technical school offered through the Burbank Adult School to become a licensed Phlebotomist. A Phlebotomist is the person responsible for drawing blood from patients for lab tests, transfusions, or donations. They typically work in hospitals, medical offices, clinics, diagnostic laboratories, and blood donation centers. They are very much in demand and the license will enable her to find employment in the field. The school will take about a year to complete.

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Club: Granada Hills

Vocational Grant Name: Drug/Alcohol Counseling Vocational Training

This project will provide needed funds for a needy recipient (Robert Rodriguez) to gain vocational training to become a state certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor.  The problem or need this grant will address is access to affordable education for a needy recipient.  The InterCoast College Counseling program to gain state certification can cost over $15,000 for attendees.  For someone like the recipient who has worked hard overcoming alcohol and drug addiction and gangs via his own efforts and the support of SFVRM programs, this is a large cost that cannot be entirely funded through low-income grants and reduced tuition.  However, such an education could propel the recipient into a professional career providing him with direct benefit as well as enable him to help others with similar addictions.  Thus, this grant will help the recipient become a productive worker and citizen within the SFV community who is expected to also contribute positively to the lives of others in the community who are needing addiction counseling help. Robert has lived this life and has seen the power of program and counseling support and will be a powerful role model and counselor for others who have lived a similar path.

 

Specifically, this vocational grant will provide training for  Robert Rodriguez who is a client of the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission (SFVRM) to complete their Drug and Alcohol Counseling State Certification at InterCoast College.  Robert is already accepted into the vocational program started in December 2021 and these funds will enable completion of the Counseling Certificate Program by December 2022.  This will help position Robert for a career and personal/financial independence in an area he is unfortunately familiar with.

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Club: Lynwood

Vocational Grant Name: Vocational Grant Supporting Lynnwood CTE Students

The Lynwood Rotary Club is committed to supporting the Lynwood Unified School District (LUSD) Career Technical Education (CTE) students to prepare for college and career. In 2022-23, there are over 1200 students enrolled in CTE programs. In addition, LUSD has 50-75 students per semester participating in CTE coursework through their partnership with Bellflower and Paramount Unified School Districts. Lynwood Unified CTE students graduate prepared to enter four-year universities at a rate higher than the entire LUSD. Districtwide, approximately 59% of senior students who have completed at least 2 years of a CTE pathway are on schedule to complete A-G requirements versus 49% of the senior class in both schools. Additionally, students in CTE programs continue to take advantage of dual enrollment opportunities by completing certificate programs with Cerritos College and taking after school college coursework. In the LUSD Engineering program, on average, students complete approximately 15-20 units of dual enrollment courses to advance their career pathways and attain a strong background in engineering technology curriculum.

 

 LUSD students graduate at higher rates than the state and county average, but the economic obstacles LUSD students face makes ambitions for a college education challenging. Our target population are CTE seniors planning to graduate in June 2023. 99% of the student body is composed of underrepresented groups: 94% Latino and 5% African American. 94% of students are socio-economically disadvantaged and qualify for the federal free/reduced meal program. Median family income in the district is $37.5K (38% below LA county’s average) with 46% of families at or below the poverty level (28% below the rest of the County).

 

To support LUSD CTE students' college and career aspirations, the Lynwood Rotary Club provides scholarships to remove barriers to success and ensure a successful transition to a postsecondary degree or credential. Last year, the Lynwood Rotary Club awarded $6,500 in college scholarships. The Lynwood Rotary Club respectfully requests $3,200 to continue to provide financial support to LUSD students to increase college access and representation of underserved groups in higher education, specifically in vocational studies. We would begin the project in January 2023, reaching out to the CTE Coordinator and the Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation to develop the scholarship application and selection process with the plan to award the vocational scholarships in May/June 2023.

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Club: Koreatown

Vocational Grant Name: Transitional Youth Vocational Training Support

Transitional youth girl who turns to 21 need a support to go to beauty school for one year to become a beautician. She needs support financially, emotionally and also mentally. She will go to beauty school as soon as funding is available during this year.

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Club: LA 5

Vocational Grant Name: LA5 Vocational Scholarship Program

What started out last year as a new vocational/trade scholarship committee with 12 members at LA5 Rotary has now turned into a movement through this committee that wants to help as many people as we can get to work and improve their careers for years to come! 

We handed out 65 vocational scholarships to those in our community looking to get to work and advance their careers and are asking for more help from the District this year to help even more people in our community. 

We are asking for $4,000 for 4-$1,000 scholarships this year, but could use as much money as is allowed as the need is large in Los Angeles to help folks get employed in the most equitable way possible. 

The $4,000, or more, will go to post high school graduates going into vocational trade careers at Southwest College, SoCal ROC, LA Trade Tech and other institutions. 

Here is a link to some good Rotary PR from KTLA on that note with an LA5 partner Acceler8 who helped us find deserving recipients through their automotive mobile education classes: https://ktla.com/morning-news/acceler8-automotive-education-program/

Thank you in advance for helping us with a new generation of vocational/trade scholarship recipients, which in turn help our community. 

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Club: Mental Health & Wellness

Vocational Grant Name: Be Kind Scholarship

Through our Rotary Club of Mental Health & Wellness (RCMHW): Be Kind Scholarship, our club will distribute annual scholarships of up to $5000 to master's level graduate student/s majoring in medical or mental health-related fields. This scholarship will address the financial impairments experienced by postgraduate level students due to the limitations of financial assistance available at that level. An appointed scholarship committee will thoroughly vet applicants and determine the level of financial need and the applicant's commitment to the mental health and/or medical profession. Applicants must demonstrate via a scholarship application and essay how they plan to contribute and inspire kindness through their respective professional fields while promoting the mission and guiding principles of Rotary International. The applicant's application will include the requirements to be met, including but not limited to: a minimum GPA of 3.0 and enrollment in an accredited university in the United States and/or United States Territories. The estimated timeline is as follows: 

 

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Club: Redondo Beach

Vocational Grant Name: HS Vocational Scholarships for El Camino College Students

This grant is part of a support package for five local high school students who want to pursue vocational careers, but have limited resources to do so.  This support consists of five tuition scholarships for El Camino Junior College vocational programs paired with local industry mentors and introductions to businesses in the area that have needs for these student’s vocational skills.
Our club has initiated a partnership relationship, working directly with the Executive Director of the El Camino College Foundation. In this relationship the Rotary Club of Redondo Beach is tasked to identify the vocational and technical skills most in demand in the community and to enroll local industry mentors and provide community business introductions. 
Out of our outreach, the club will select up to five vocational areas of study, from over 20 vocational programs offered by El Camino.  This selection of scholarship areas of study shall be based on community needs and the enrollment of industry mentoring partners.
El Camino College will validate application information and present qualified candidates. When scholarships are awarded, funds will be transferred to El Camino who will apply them to tuition and fees. If a scholarship recipient drops out of the program the club will be notified and may select another recipient.
Please see the attached letter from Andrea Sala, Executive Director of the El Camino College Foundation confirming this partnership relationship.
Also, please note in this partnership the El Camino College Foundation has reduced their administrative fees by 50% in the initial application and will provide us more flexibility in schedule.
The club has also reached out to the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce to help identify greatest needs and help enroll mentors. Robert Baker, Redondo Beach Chamber Past Chairman, and Board Member, is our contact point in this joint effort. 

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Club: Santa Clarita Valley

Vocational Grant Name: EMT Student Scholarship Grant

This grant will support the educational needs of 4 students in the EMT program at College of the Canyons.  The 4 students are chosen by need by the faculty of the school.  The community has only one major hospital, Henry Mayo, and the need for support through EMT program is vital to the success of this hospital.  There are many assisted living facilities in the surrounding area and the ambulances are running constantly to meet this need for seniors.  Increasing EMT support would keep many of these seniors out of the hospital.

The college has expressed need for not only financial support but help with placing students in sustainable employment and training for paramedical and nursing positions.

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Club: Santa Monica

Vocational Grant Name: Santa Monica College Career Education Grant

In partnership with the Santa Monica College Foundation (SMCF), the Rotary Club of Santa Monica (RCSM) is applying for a District Vocational Grant for $5,000 to fund two (2) scholarships for vocational studies in Santa Monica College’s Career Education programs. 

Career Education (CE) at SMC prepares students for entry-level professional and trade employment opportunities, typically within one to four semesters. CE programs prepare students for entry into the workforce in their specific fields. CE program areas include business, communication and media studies, computer science and information systems, cosmetology, design technology, early childhood education, fashion design and merchandising, health sciences, photography, sustainable technologies, and technical theatre. SMC also offers a highly sought-after bachelor's degree in Interaction Design (IxD), which trains students in the design of the user experience for everything from websites to entire systems and beyond. 

Rotary vocational scholarships benefit not only students in need of financial assistance but also their families, many of whom are struggling because of the economic stress caused by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Vocational training benefits the local economy and businesses who need to hire skilled, qualified, and motivated employees as they reopen and expand their businesses. Due to the economic impact of the COVID pandemic, which negatively impacted Santa Monica’s large hospitality and tourism sector, laid off employees may also be seeking retraining in new careers. In recognition of the importance of vocational education to the local economy, the City of Santa Monica recently launched a two-year trades intern program to assist residents into technical careers. Although the focus of the City’s program is adults, ages 18 to 30 with limited educational credentials, it recognizes the value the community places on assisting young people in gaining the experience and skills to enter stable and financially sustaining career paths with the City, other government agencies, and the private sector. To sustain Santa Monica’s reputation as “Silicon Beach,” SMC has created training opportunities for students to enter practical careers in computer/information systems and interactive technologies. 

The Rotary Club of Santa Monica’s Career Education scholarships started out with two $2,000 awards funded by a 2021-22 District Vocational Services Grant. The Club was able to expand the program to a total of 12 scholarships through member Dr. Renuka Desai’s generous $10,000 donation, which was matched by the Executive Board and 10 Club members who contributed to these vocational scholarships at SMC. 

These grant recipients represented a wide range of majors: nursing, business marketing, business administration, film production, architecture, interior architectural design, administration of justice, accounting, interactive design, and administration of justice. The awardees’ statements indicate that the scholarships lent crucial support to their educational endeavors and demographically they represented a diverse group. For example, one CE scholarship recipient, who is pursuing a nursing degree, emigrated from Nigeria in 2012 and served in the US Army and California Army National Guard, where she fought wildfires. The COVID pandemic was tough on her physical and mental health. She lost family members to the disease and her mother lost her job. She is optimistic about the future, however. In her statement, she says, “Being awarded this scholarship has brought me one step closer to achieving my career goal — to become an excellent compassionate and caring nurse that provides leading-edge patient centered care.”

The time frame for implementation is November 2022, when SMC students apply for scholarships online through June 2023, when the successful grantees are recognized at the RCSM scholarship awards luncheon. 

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Club: Thai Town

Vocational Grant Name: RCTT Scholarship

The Rotary Club of Thai Town are requesting the district grant for vocational scholarships and to intend to provide financial assistance to students who will enroll in an accredited career program or vocational program at trade school, technical institute, or vocation college in the Los Angeles County.

The district grant will benefit the community by assisting the recipients that are underserved, with their chosen education careers, foster the ideals of enterprise, and aid to their success.

Project Timeline: 3 - 4 months  

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Club: Torrance Del Amo

Vocational Grant Name: Vocational Scholarship

These scholarships will assist 4 local students with their vocational studies at community colleges and trade schools. Subjects include construction, welding, and culinary arts.

Achieving this education transforms their lives. Many of these students will be the first in their family to graduate at the post-secondary level. It is expected that they will complete their studies by 6-30-23.

The community as a whole benefits from students achieving higher education as they then are able to become self-reliant, contributing members of society. They become eligible for higher-paying trade jobs, which allows them to support their families. And, in turn, their children will be more likely to achieve higher education.

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