Boys & Girls Club Twins Get Ross Scholarships

A twin brother and sister from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside are each getting a $2,000 scholarship from Ross. Kevin and Kimberly Ponce were notified in July that they will receive Ross Stores Foundation scholarships for post-secondary education in fall. Kevin and Kim, 18, are junior staff members at the Club, and graduated in June from Orangewood High School in Redlands. They came to the Club to build up volunteer hours for school, and got involved in programs like College Bound and Keystone leadership club. Kevin was named a Youth of the Year Ambassador for 2015. The twins graduated early with 3.5-plus GPAs, and Kim spoke at commencement. Out of 100 applicants, 50 were awarded scholarships, according to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “(W)e believe that you possess the skills and attributes to excel in every field of human endeavor,” the twins’ award letter read. Kevin said he plans to use the scholarship money to buy books when he starts attending San Bernardino Valley College for electrical engineering in August. “That scholarship is big for me,” he said. “I’m excited for this one.” Kevin’s academic case manager, Eddie Hernandez, said it has been rewarding to be part of Kevin’s academic journey over last few years. Each high school-age Club member in the College Bound program is assigned a staff member to work with them on academic planning. “Kevin originally came to the Club unsure of what his future held for him and if education would play role in that future,” Hernandez said. “That has all changed now -- he believes in the importance of education, he believes in having a plan for the future, and he believes in himself. Being awarded the Ross scholarship is an indication of the dedication Kevin has placed in his self-growth.” Kim said she’ll buy books with the award, or save it for her long-term goal of attending medical school. She is attending Crafton Hills College in fall, and wants to transfer to Arizona State for pre-med studies. “My heart stopped, I was so excited,” she said of finding out she got the scholarship. She credited Club staff, especially her academic case manager Kelsie McGee, for encouraging and helping her to apply. “It doesn’t surprise me that she got it, she worked hard to get it,” McGee said. “I’m extremely proud of her and I know she’ll put that scholarship to good use to make sure she reaches her goals because that’s what she’s focused on. She’s definitely thinking ahead of the game and I’m glad she picked up everything we put out there in College Bound and taking advantage of it.” The scholarship application included questions and an essay about educational goals. Besides college scholarships, Ross supports Power Hour, the Club’s academic assistance program, and provides volunteers for Club events.