2022 Ron Stoney Educational pathways program Recipients

CHSF continues to grow the Ron Stoney Educational Pathways Program (RSEPP). In 2022, eight students received grants totaling almost $20,000. RSEPP provides funding for extracurricular experiences to CUSD students who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost.

These opportunities run the educational gamut and are instrumental in assisting students along the path of discovering passions that will guide their career choices and shape their lives.

Emma Heiser, 12th Grade, Service Hawaii: Island Habitat Restoration

Emma was attracted to this high school service program because, as she stated, it ticked all the boxes related to her interest in pursuing a career in an environmental field. The two-week experience focused on projects centered on environmental conservation as well as cultural revitalization. She worked alongside local organizations and met with Native Hawaiians as she learned about caring for the land from their unique perspective. Emma’s hands-on experiences on the farm led her to understand that her true passion is in the agricultural sciences: working with plants, feeling the soil, creating a sustainable future. And, as Emma sees it, she gained so much more than career awareness. She came home with a clear understanding of the value of giving back to her community, of being a responsible citizen, of protecting the land that we depend upon. Emma is most thankful for the opportunity RSEPP provided and, it’s fair to say, everyone in her orbit is benefiting as well. 

Brady Kasper, 12th Grade, Fundamentals of Engineering - Summer Springboard
at U.C. Berkeley

Brady has always had a mind for fixing things, for solving puzzles, for enjoying science and math. However, as his parents have always known, Brady is also a natural helper, he wants to give of himself. In fact, aptitude tests have identified and consistently pointed him towards the medical field, with engineering a close second match. Although torn by his strong interests in both fields, Brady sees his future in engineering. This course, designed to give students a taste of multiple types of engineering, appeared to be the perfect way to affirm his calling prior to applying to colleges and universities. Specifically, the course focused on civil, mechanical, and biomedical engineering. After an in-depth introduction to each, students then chose the field of greatest interest to complete a project. Although Brady performed at the top of the class in all three areas, it was the biomedical project where he designed a prosthetic hand that connected his mind for building things with his heart for people. As he put it, he fell in love with it. Brady credits the grant from RSEPP for giving him access to this amazing experience that helped him find the perfect balance. 

Jerry Marnell, 12th Grade, Economics for Leaders (EFL)

Jerry has a strong interest in Economics, but high schools, even one with as rich a scope of course offerings as Carmel High, do not provide many opportunities to explore this important field. EFL is a summer course for promising high school students that is offered at various college campuses across the country. Jerry attended the weeklong course at U.C. Santa Barbara where he was taught effective leadership skills and how to apply economics analysis when tackling thorny public policy choices. He chose this course because he has a multitude of interests and believes he can apply the skills he learned to any field he pursues. As of now, he intends to combine his interests in economics and business with his passion for film making. More immediately, Jerry’s experience of staying in a college dorm with people from across the country, as well as international students, opened his eyes to how others live. It helped him develop socially and build his confidence. He is grateful for the experience and, as a result, is more excited than ever about the prospect of entering college next fall. 

Noah Mayer, 12th Grade, U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar

You could say that public service is in Noah’s blood. His dad attended West Point and served his country before becoming a teacher at Carmel Middle School to serve his community. Noah sees himself following a similar service-oriented path. Consequently, he chose this six-day program that gives high school students a taste of what it’s like to be a midshipman at the Academy. It’s a relatively brief stay in Annapolis, but intense. The goal is to develop leadership through rigorous academics and athletic competition. Noah stayed in iconic Bancroft Hall, did marching drills with his squad, took classes in physics and seamanship, staffed a Yard Patrol boat on Chesapeake Bay, and did more sit-ups, pushups and running than he thought possible. Through it all, Noah learned that he likes the mutual dependence of working with people from other places and walks of life and enjoys being challenged to be his best both intellectually and physically. Noah now knows that he wants to attend the Academy and appreciates RSEPP for the grant that kick-started his application…it seems likely that the outcome of the annual Army-Navy football game could carry bragging rights in the Mayer household. 

Cassidy Bullas, 12th Grade, Scholastic Achievement Test Preparation Course

Cassidy has been seriously interested in midwifery as a career for quite some time and even shadowed a nurse midwife. She thought it likely that her post-secondary education would be directed towards that goal. But COVID disrupted the lives of nearly everyone, and when remote schooling became the norm for the better part of a year, Cassidy used the time to consider her career goals more deeply. She began reading medical textbooks and focused her attention on obstetrics. With that came the realization that she would like to study to be a Doctor of Medicine, and eventually be an OBGYN practitioner. Although her grades and SAT scores are good, Cassidy understood that to pursue her passion, improving her SAT score would likely lead to more and better choices of undergraduate programs to begin the journey. Enter CHSF. CHSF provided funding for Cassidy to participate in an online SAT prep course. She focused her attention on the areas that would be most helpful in improving her overall score as well as the sections most important for entry into pre-med programs. The formula worked and, thanks to the assistance from CHSF and Cassidy’s hard work, she is now honing her sights on universities that were once considered stretch schools. 

Sonoma Pool, 12th Grade, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

As with so many, COVID altered the trajectory of Sonoma’s life. It exacted a toll on Sonoma, but it also allowed her to delve deeper into a passion than would have been possible under the typical routine of a high school sophomore and junior. With her freed time, Sonoma went on a deep dive into the creative world, specifically the many facets of ceramics. The experience sparked her interest in attending an art school after graduation, and that realization prompted Sonoma to apply to CHSF for a grant to attend a month-long summer program at the prestigious CalArts in Los Angeles. That month provided a preview of what college life would entail, during which she focused on pottery, but also was immersed in the arts in general. Somewhat ironically, it both sharpened her focus and, as she put it, opened her up to many different forms of expression, including digital design, figure drawing and painting. The experience built Sonoma’s confidence, affirmed that she belongs in the creative world, and allowed her to see herself as a genuine artist. It was truly gratifying, and, for that, she is truly grateful. 

Emma Brown, 12th Grade, Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (MNJI)

It’s not surprising that Emma has known since she entered middle school that she wants to be a journalist. After all, her grandparents owned newspapers and the value of competent, ethical journalism was woven into the fabric of her childhood. With that native passion, as soon as Emma started considering post-secondary institutions, she set her sights on one of the premier schools for her chosen field: Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Indeed, it’s the only school in the country with a college solely dedicated to the journalistic arts. With such a laser focus, Emma tapped the resources of RSEPP for an opportunity to attend MNJI, a five-week week summer institute, aka the cherub program, for rising seniors seeking the opportunity to learn from accomplished journalists and to connect with peers from around the globe who are just as passionate about pursuing a career in journalism. The program delivered as promised.  Emma sharpened her skills in investigative journalism and, most importantly, confirmed that life as a journalist is her calling. She came away invigorated by the knowledge that she has so much to learn and so much potential to grow. In fact, she can envision herself in 10-15 years guiding a fresh crop of cherubs. In the meantime, at least for the next five months, we can look forward to gaining insight from Emma’s journalistic talents through her articles in the Sandpiper, the CHS monthly newspaper. 

Sierra Wouden-Crosno, 11th Grade, Discover Engineering-USC Summer Pre-College Program

As a junior considering her not-too-distant transition to a college or university, like many, perhaps most, students, Sierra had not settled on a major. She knew she was interested in engineering, but simply didn’t know enough about it. She investigated various summer programs that would fill the knowledge gap and settled on the one sponsored by the university of Southern California. However, being a four-week, live-on campus program, it came with a hefty price tag…CHSF to the rescue! As a result, Sierra was introduced to eight distinct fields of engineering, each culminating in a hands-on team project. As Sierra sees it, although she didn’t enter the program with the same level of experience as some of the students, she found ways to make significant contributions and, in the process, developed leadership skills. She credits CHSF with providing an otherwise out-of-reach opportunity that resulted in friendships with students from far flung locations and solidifying her confidence to apply to highly competitive institutions, including USC.