With a one in 100 chance of receiving the $10,000 Lamp of Learning Scholarship, senior Yubelle Punzal earned it through hard work and determination.

The Lamp of Learning Scholarship offers high-achieving low-income students mentoring and scholarship opportunities. Junior year Punzal applied for the scholarship with the nomination from her AVID teacher Sherry Lockie, and became one of the five finalists chosen this year.

“The process of applying was intimidating, and AVID has been a big help during the scholarship process, and words can’t express just how grateful I am to have had such an amazing support system. They have believed in me at times when I didn’t believe in myself,” Punzal said.

Punzal was grateful enough to receive the guaranteed $2,000 all  five finalists would receive, and  was ready to face the year-long monitoring from the scholarship committee. This year-long endeavor meant Punzal would constantly attend scholarship-sponsored events, keep a steady GPA, and demonstrate stand-out involvement in the community.

Senior Kenzie Lopez was fortunate enough to be one of the five finalists. Being in AVID for six years Lopez has gotten to know Punzal for the last four, and has continued to gain inspiration from her.

“Yubelle is so deserving of the scholarship. She has put so much hard work and dedication into her academics. I am so excited to see her achieve her goals, and I could not be more proud of her,” Lopez said.

Through every step of the way, AVID teacher “She is a stellar academic, involved in the community, and well-spoken. She is amazing and a great leader that gets people involved,” Kawasaki-Williams said. Kawasaki-Williams helped prepare Punzal to face the interviews, the second application process, and scholarship-sponsored events. 

“She is a stellar academic, involved in the community, and well-spoken. She is amazing and a great leader that gets people involved,” Kawasaki-Williams said.

By email, Punzal received the confirmation that she won the scholarship and is planning to use that money at  San Francisco State University  to major in biology.

 Alongside the Lamp of Learning, she won the AVID High Tech (STEM) scholarship of $2,000 and is continuing to apply to school-specific scholarships.