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Taylor Farms continued in its tradition of lending a helping hand to the community by awarding 32 scholarships this year, totaling $575,000 to team members and graduating children of its full-time employees, bringing the total to $5.3 million in scholarships since 2008.
A news release accompanying the announcement quoted Bruce Taylor, chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms, as saying, “Education opens doors and breaks barriers. It creates equal opportunity to thrive and be the best you can be. At Taylor Farms, we believe investing in our team members and their families is one of the most meaningful things we can do as a company.”
Taylor Farms offers three levels of scholarships: 20 Extraordinary Scholarships to support students pursuing degrees at four-year universities, nine Innovative Scholarships for academic and career development at junior colleges and trade schools and three Employee Scholarships for employees who are advancing their own education and development goals.
“Behind every applicant and essay is a student with big dreams and a family that works hard every day to make them possible,” Taylor Farms Scholarship Committee Chair Aimee Inobaya said. “We cannot wait to see the incredible things they will accomplish.”
Recently graduated Johan Zaragoza is the first in his family to attend college. He was the recipient of a $7,500 renewable scholarship from Taylor Farms, along with a host of others this year:
- Hollister Rotary Scholarship: $1,000
- Jenny and Henry Solorio Memorial Scholarship: $1,000
- Kinship Seneca Scholarship: $1,500
- Latino Coalition of San Benito Scholarship: $1,000
- Mary Encinias Memorial Scholarship: $2,000
- Robert Yant Family Collegiate Scholarship: $1,500
- San Benito County LULAC Council #2890 Scholarship: $2,000
That he qualified for so many is remarkable, Zaragoza said, because for his first two years in high school, his grades were “less than amazing,” not rising above a 3.5 GPA until his junior year.
“Starting in my junior year,” Zaragoza said, “I achieved a 4.5 and earned a 4.0 during the first semester of my senior year. Even though I didn’t have the best GPA initially, the fact that I was able to improve my academics, I think, really made me stand out.”
Beyond his academics, he was heavily involved in community service during his last two years of high school, both as an intern at Shelton Insurance and as a volunteer with the Youth Alliance, Pet Friends, the Hollister Animal Shelter, the Community FoodBank and the Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children.
Zaragoza served as vice president of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán, a cultural student club on campus; was commissioner of academics for the Associated Student Body. He also took part in the superintendent’s student advisory council and was on the cell phone policy task force.
“Through these experiences,” he said, “I learned how to be balanced and stay committed to my goals. I was a shy kid, but getting involved helped me become more outgoing. This will help me adapt to a new environment like college without feeling ‘imposter syndrome.’”
Zaragoza will be attending UCLA to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. He chose UCLA because, he said, it has one of the best psychology programs in the country and offers a great financial aid package.
After he completes his psychology degree, he plans to attend medical school and undertake a residency to become a psychiatrist.
“Without these scholarships,” Zaragoza said, “I probably wouldn’t have considered UCLA. I likely would have gone somewhere nearby where I could commute, like San Jose State or CSUMB. These awards allow me to attend university without taking out loans, which was a major goal.”
Zaragoza said he thinks his academic story can serve as an inspiration for other students, that it is never too late to “just go for it.”
“I started my turnaround in my junior year,” he said. “You have to stay open-minded and determined to fulfill your goals. I feel my future is very bright, and as long as I stay motivated, I know I will achieve great things.”
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