Rachel Acosta Deleon – Fresno City College Isaias Aguilera – UCLA Kaelyn Alfaro – UCLA Adrian Arambula – UC Santa Cruz Kendra Arce – Fresno State Ghiselle Bustos – San Diego State University Kristian Cervantes – Fresno City College Joslyn Conchas – UCLA Sonia Cruz – Fresno State Diana Gasga – New York University Natalie Gomez Jimenez – Fresno City College Imer Gonzalez – UC Irvine
Alysa Hernandez – UC Berkeley Grace Jacildone – UC Davis Pazao Lao – Fresno State Kristen Laus – UCLA Baobai Lee – UCLA Alana Mendes – Fresno Pacific University Alexa Moreno Montoya – UC Berkeley Maivnyaj Lita Moua – Stanford University Haridev Nambood Kandy Sathish Kumar – Fresno State Samantha Nguyen – UCLA Carla Ocegueda Barajas – UCLA Ysabella Ramirez – Fresno State
Delia Rodriguez – UCLA Savannah Rodriguez – Fresno State Nelida Salgado – TBD Gustavo Soriano – Fresno Pacific University Marco Suarez – UC Berkeley Pichtra Tom – Fresno State Precious Vang – Fresno State Amy Vang – Fresno State Kaonong Vang – Fresno City College Ashley Vargas – Fresno State Lawrynce Xiong – Fresno State Faith Xiong – Fresno State Cynthia Zuniga Salgado – Fresno City College
Jim Newton was a teacher and principal in Fresno Unified for 41 years , passing away in 2021 at age 79 . His commitment to education lives on through a scholarship established in his honor that was awarded for the first time this year .
His wife , Judy Newton , collaborated with the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools to establish the $ 5,000 Jim Newton Memorial Scholarship . Jim and Judy were married for 58 years . Mr . Newton ’ s enthusiastic and creative approach to life made him stand out professionally and personally , and he was much loved by the thousands of students he mentored through the years .
“ The foundation is thankful for the opportunity to assist Judy Newton in establishing the Jim Newton Scholarship on behalf of Fresno Unified students . We are honored to carry on his legacy by
supporting students who went to schools where he inspired previous generations ,” said Wendy McCulley , the district ’ s chief engagement and external partnerships officer and president / executive director of the Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools .
The first recipient of the Jim Newton Memorial Scholarship is Fresno High School ’ s Donaldo Barraza , a valedictorian who is headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study mechanical engineering with the goal of working for NASA on the Mars rover missions .
Donaldo and his older brother were raised by their mother , who came to the United States from Mexico to give her children a better life .
“ One of my goals is to pull my family out of poverty . My mom has worked and sacrificed her entire life and I plan on showing her how grateful I am by earning a college degree and creating a better life for us ,” Donaldo said .
Donaldo Barraza
At Fresno High , he earned his California Seal of Biliteracy , was a Steve ’ s Scholar , a lifetime member of the California Scholarship Federation and on the football team his senior year . Along with his outstanding work in the classroom , Donaldo was active in community service . He helped transform garbage cans into pieces of student-designed art to reduce vandalism at Fresno High . He and other Steve ’ s Scholars ( a program he has been part of since seventh grade ) also helped renovate the old band room at Tehipite Middle School into a student activity and recreational room .
The scholarship is given to a student who attended one of the schools where Mr . Newton was a principal – Gaston Middle School ( formerly Carver Elementary School ), Malloch , Burroughs or Anthony elementary schools . Donaldo attended Anthony .
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