For Immediate Release
May 15, 2006

“Nothing has been harder than the obstacles I have overcome, however nothing has been more rewarding,” says Brittany Chambers. Brittany, a teenage mother, who will be graduating third in her class at McClymonds EXCEL High School, will attend U. C. Berkeley in the Fall. She will have the support of a $16,000 East Bay College Fund Scholarship. The organization presents its fourth annual “Great Expectations Awards” to Brittany and 15 other inspiring local students on May 24.

East Bay College Fund has doubled the number of students receiving scholarships since its founding in 2002. “Our ability to expand is due to significant community support for East Bay College Fund’s program. We began by awarding seven scholarships to under-served Oakland youth in financial need, with the help of a handful of friends and colleagues. We now have hundreds of donors and volunteers who have joined to make a difference in the lives of these promising students,” says Andy Fremder, President.

Financial support ranges from small donations to those who contribute multiple $16,000 scholarships, sometimes in lieu of establishing their own programs. “Volunteers help us select the Scholars. They serve as mentors to students during their college years. Our success is attributable to this high level of community support. People find this grass-roots involvement very rewarding.” Fremder says.

The “Great Expectations Awards” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. May 24 at the Student Union Building, Rothwell Center on the campus of Mills College. The community is invited to attend. Awards include $256,000 in scholarships to 16 public high school seniors from Oakland Unified and Emeryville School Districts. Each student receives $16,000 over the next four years. East Bay College Fund also provides an adult mentor for each scholar, to provide sustained support and guidance during the student’s college years.

“We have selected 16 amazing young people who have prepared themselves for college while overcoming overwhelming challenges. These students have tremendous potential to succeed in college and to serve as outstanding leaders and role models in their communities,” says Patricia Durham, Co-Founder and Vice President.

The 2006 Scholars were selected from among 150 applicants by panels of diverse East Bay community members. Since its inception in 2002, East Bay College Fund has granted 46 scholarships worth over $730,000. “Our Scholars are performing well in college and we are on track to achieve our graduation rate goals. We are intensely focused on helping them expand their opportunities. A college degree is a critical step,” Durham says. East Bay College Fund is a community-based non-profit organization that provides $16,000 four-year college scholarships and mentoring support to East Bay public high school students from low-income families and communities with historically low college attendance rates. East Bay College Fund aspires to involve the whole community to assist these young people in realizing their full potential.

The 2006 “Great Expectations Awards” recipients, their high schools, and the colleges or universities they will attend in the fall are:

Brittany Chambers

East Bay College Fund Scholar Profile
Brittany Chambers lives in East Oakland and wakes up at 5 to feed her year old daughter and get her little brother ready for school. She arrives at school by 7 to attend college preparation tutoring classes. Her hard work and determination has paid off as she will graduate from McClymonds-EXCEL High School ranked #3 in her class, and will attend UC Berkeley in the Fall. Brittany intends to pursue a career in the field of medicine. She has demonstrated an impressive ability to manage both academic and extracurricular activities along with the demands of being a young mother. As a key member of the school’s mock trial team, she would oftentimes attend practice, baby in tow. Brittany is a social activist in the community through her work with Force of Change, a youth grants council. She also is one of the three student leaders on the EXCEL High School design team. Brittany has combined her natural intellectual ability with an undying determination to establish herself as a role model and leader in her community.