Comcast Awards Two $5,000 Scholarships

California Hall of Fame-Inspired Challenge Asks High School Seniors How They Would Change the World

Winners will be recognized at today's California Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony by Maria Shriver

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In the second-annual scholarship contest provided by The California Museum, and inspired by the inductees of the California Hall of Fame, two statewide winners have been announced. High school seniors Radhika Mitra of Fremont and Paul Tran of San Diego have each won $5,000 scholarships from Comcast, in partnership with First Lady Maria Shriver, the California Department of Education and the California State Fair and Exposition.

The two winners will be recognized by the First Lady at the California Hall of Fame press conference today at the Museum before this evening's induction ceremony.

Unlike other scholarships, the Dreamers Challenge has a broad entry field in that it asks a new generation of visionaries what they would do to change the world. Participants responded in whatever medium suited their style and talent, which included paintings, poems, videos, musical creations, essays, Power Point presentations, and much more.

"Comcast is honored to support the vision of the California Hall of Fame and First Lady Maria Shriver in recognizing the critical importance of inspiring the next generation of leaders and investing in our future. We are proud to be a partner in the Dreamers Challenge scholarship opportunity. At Comcast, we know that the future of our great state is dependent on providing each and every child the opportunity to succeed and that is why we're pleased to partner with the California Hall of Fame," said Johnnie Giles, Comcast Regional Vice President, Government Affairs.

"The California Museum's goal is to educate and inspire future generations," said The California Museum's Executive Director Claudia French. "Every generation has its Dreamers. Just look at the Museum's California Hall of Fame. These individuals are synonymous with the innovation and creativity that is the spirit and leadership of this country. Who will be the Steve Jobs, Amelia Earhart, Frank Gehry, John Muir or Billie Jean King of the next generation?"

Radhika Mitra, a senior at Irvington High School in Fremont won the Northern California division for her piece "Renaissance Dreaming." Providing video footage, a website (http://www.rennow.org/index.html), and an essay about the work her corporation, Renaissance Now, does in supporting artisans market their goods in the United States, Radhika's "dream is to expand the reach of Renaissance Now vocational training globally."

Paul Tran, a senior at The Preuss School UCSD in San Diego, the winner of the Southern California division is working to develop "The Common Thread," an organization designed to overcome prejudice based on socio-economic status, sexuality, and race through youth leadership opportunities. Paul's background and ability to overcome living in City Heights as a young gay man while supporting his single mom has been a motivating factor.

Other entry ideas included plans to provide hot showers for the homeless, while another student planned to teach ecological lessons through film-making. One student submitted a movie about Vietnam veterans, another student created a magazine to uplift the dreams and images of students, and another created a presentation on providing simple medical procedures in third-world countries.

The ten honorable mentions from Northern California include:

• Wilbert Cheng of Vacaville
• Andrew David King of Hayward
• Jennifer Peterson of Castro Valley
• Linnea Jordan of El Dorado Hills
• Kira Rienecker of San Jose
• Sheila Misheni of Castro Valley
• Aroob Abdelhamid of Fresno
• Christian Castaing of San Francisco
• Kristen Gray of Sacramento
• Christopher Hill of Davis

The ten honorable mentions from Southern California include:

• Morgyn Cronan of Santee
• Laura Anderson of Ramona
• Nicole Hanson of Trabuco Canyon
• Efrain Mejia of Alhambra
• Emma Ngula of Moreno Valley
• Allena Sears of Twentynine Palms
• Katie Magnone of Running Springs
• Carolyn Ngo of Long Beach
• Elisabeth Baird of Garden Grove
• Amanda Yuan of San Diego

The winners and honorable mentions will receive a letter of congratulations from the Governor and Comcast. All entries will be accessible at www.DreamersChallenge.org.

About The California Museum

The California Museum -- home of the California Hall of Fame and California Legacy Trails -- is a cultural destination dedicated to telling the rich history of California and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. We advance our mission to inspire through educating school children through dynamic exhibits and educational programs, as well as serving as a public forum and international meeting place. The California Museum is located at 1020 O Street, (Corner of 10th Street), downtown Sacramento. For more information 916.653.7524, info@californiamuseum.org, www.californiamuseum.org.

SOURCE The California Museum

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.californiamuseum.org