Editor’s note: This guest post is by Tiffany Price, former education program fellow and program coordinator of the Koshland Young Leader Awards. She is also the information strategist for the Kapor Center for Social Impact.

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of celebrating with ten amazing Koshland Young Leader Award recipients, their families, friends, and other supporters.

The award was established 20 years ago by Dr. Daniel Koshland, Jr. to give additional funds to San Francisco public high school juniors with extraordinary life challenges, yet high academic performance, to help them access college. The recipients are  all great scholars with amazing stories of triumph and resilience.

After five years coordinating this awards program, I recognized two additional common characteristics among all the awardees — from their stories, witnessing them in action, and getting to know them individually.

Hearts of Gratitude
Many of these young people have never won anything in their entire lives. More often than not, they had to do without even the basic necessities. Some have been homeless; some left their families in other countries to come, alone, to the U.S. for a better education. Some have dealt with chronic illness, family crises, or having to work full-time jobs while going to high school.

Despite — or perhaps because of — their struggles, they are the most grateful and humble people I have ever encountered.

Their lives have not soured them. The extra hard work has not embittered them. Many even view these challenges as character-building experiences that they are grateful for.

They have given some of the biggest hugs and most sincere and heartfelt thanks to me, the Koshland family, and others at the Foundation upon receiving this award. Many of them continue to give thanks years after receiving the award. They inspire all of us to do a better job of thanking those who have lifted and blessed me when I have needed it most.

Hearts of Service
Even with all these students have endured, all of them have a commitment to the value of serving others. Their drive to go to college is in service of helping their parents and siblings have a better life: sending money home to family members, building their parents the house they always wanted, or becoming an immigration lawyer so other families don’t have to go through difficult experiences. They help their classmates with their studies, care for their siblings, work to help their family pay for food and rent, and engage in community organizing to better their neighborhoods and schools.

This amazing group of young people has every reason to focus on themselves. But they choose, instead, to use their time, talent, and treasure to help others.

They don’t consider individual success to be success at all — unless they can share it with those who have loved and supported them along the way.

There is much to learn from these young leaders. In the face of adversity, we must remain humble, count our blessings, and be grateful for the contributions and sacrifices of those in our lives who helped us along our journeys.

These young people are the reason I continue to be a part of this work.  And it is why their stories of triumph and dedication touch so many across the Bay Area, the nation, and the world.

Learn more about the Koshland Young Leader Awards and the 2013 awardees.

(SAN FRANCISCO) – Monday, October 01, 2012 – Four Bay Area leaders will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Bay Area community at The San Francisco Foundation’s 2012 Community Leadership Awards. This year’s awardees – Rita Semel, Brenda Way, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and Aim High – are being honored for their impact in bringing together communities of different faiths, creating an artistic community hub, uniting people to confront racial and economic injustice, and inspiring and lifting up youth. The event will include a tribute to the life of Bay Area philanthropist F. Warren Hellman, performed by ODC and East Bay Center for the Performing Arts.

Rita Semel and Brenda Way will receive $10,000 each, and Chinese for Affirmative Action and Aim high each will receive $20,000.

2012 Koshland Young Leader Awards will also be presented to ten college-bound San Francisco public high school students. Each student will receive $7,000, in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements, their leadership, and their success in the face of economic and social hardships.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 2, 2012
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
6:00 – Doors open
6:15 – Entertainment
6:30 – Awards ceremony
7:30 – Reception

WHERE: Herbst Theatre
San Francisco War Memorial Veterans Building
401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco

RSVP: Journalists: Please call 415.531.5588
Online at tsffcla.eventbrite.com

For photo opportunities before, during, and after the event, call 415.733.8588.

Awardees:

Rita Semel, interfaith pioneer and Jewish activist, for her life-long successes in creating healthy, just, and inclusive communities in the Bay Area and worldwide, and for building bridges of understanding to help alleviate poverty and end discrimination.

Brenda Way, founder and artistic director of ODC, for creating a community hub through dance, and for inspiring dancers and audiences, cultivating artists, and engaging the community.

Chinese for Affirmative Action, for being a champion against discrimination and for advancing systemic change for a racially just society.

Aim High, for closing the achievement gap through summer programs that inspire a love of learning and a strong sense of community.

Koshland Young Leader Awards
•    Luri Chen Zheng, Mission High School
•    Kyron Covington, City Arts and Technology High School
•    Deandra Crawford, Leadership High School
•    Mollie Cueva-Dabkoski, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts
•    Marlyn Martinez, San Francisco International High School
•    Edith Melendez, San Francisco International High School
•    Rodrigo Mendez, San Francisco International High School
•    Erica Nguyen, Mission High School
•    Nga Pham, Raoul Wallenberg High School
•    Stacy Thomas, City Arts and Technology High School

About The San Francisco Foundation Community Leadership Awards
We celebrate extraordinary individuals and organizations in the Bay Area who are rolling up their sleeves, taking initiative, and solving problems in their neighborhoods and communities. The San Francisco Foundation Community Leadership Awards recognize leaders who have made a significant impact in their particular Bay Area communities. Their works spans societal and civic issues, health or environmental concerns, and the arts and humanities.

The Community Leadership Awards showcase individual or organizational excellence in leadership as demonstrated by outstanding initiative, impact of work, and inspiration of others. With each award, The San Francisco Foundation publicly affirms present achievements, seeks to encourage further work on the part of the recipients and hopes to motivate others to follow their lead in service to Bay Area communities.

About the Koshland Young Leader Awards
Created by the vision and generosity of Professor Koshland and his family, The Koshland Young Leader Awards recognize the next generation of leadership in our community. High school seniors from San Francisco public schools are selected for their academic and leadership success while managing challenges of family and economic responsibilities. The students are nominated by their teachers and counselors during their junior year for this $7,000 award.