Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Announces New Cohort of Eureka! Program College-Bound Graduates; Celebrates Over $11,000 in Scholarships

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CARPINTERIA, CA (June 12, 2023) – Girls Inc. of Carpinteria announced today’s its seventh cohort of Eureka! program participants has graduated high school and is officially gearing up to attend college this fall.

The group of 12 extraordinary young women will be heading off to universities and colleges across the state – from UC Davis to Cal Poly Pomona and SBCC.

“Year after year, I continue to be blown away by the dedication and resilience of our Eureka cohorts – and it’s a privilege to see them achieve this significant milestone after all the hard work they have put in to get here,” said Jamie Collins, executive director of Girls Inc. Carpinteria. “Our team is proud to have been in their corner over these last five years and we know they’ll continue to break barriers and achieve continued success in this next chapter of their lives.”

Eureka! is an expanded learning five-year program that emphasizes college readiness and builds girls’ confidence and skills through hands-on opportunities, with a focus on introducing girls to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The program is designed to help girls overcome barriers to their achievement by providing a continual support system along with opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes they need to thrive.

Girls Inc. launched the Eureka! program in 2012 to provide leadership and education enhancement opportunities for girls beginning in the summer before their eighth-grade year and providing mentorship and college and career preparation throughout the high school years.

The program currently serves 61 local girls and recently welcomed its 17th cohort.

Following are the graduates of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s 2023 Eureka cohort class:

Diana Aguilar, SBCC
Sofia Olvera, SBCC
Julianna Ornelas, SBCC
Savannah Santizo, Ventura College
Monica Delgado, University of California, Davis
Viviana Medina, California Polytechnic Institute, Pomona
Elizabeth Delgado, SBCC
Marisol Estrada, California State University, Long Beach
Katelyn Avila, Westmont College
Renata Martinez, SBCC
Ashley Gonzalez, SBCC

In addition to celebrating the graduation milestone, four of the Eureka graduates were recently recognized with local scholarships:

Julianna Ornelas, Strong, Smart and Bold Senior Award ($5,000)
Monica Delgado, Lucile Miller Wright Scholarship ($5,000)
Viviana Medina, Bliss Family Scholarship ($1,000)
Lesly Tinajero, Fuel Her Fire Scholarship ($750)

Reflecting on her time with Girls Inc. and the Eureka program, Monica Delgado shared, “Girls Inc. gave a space to experience the wonders of science, but most importantly, I gained the confidence to continue pursuing scientific fields in high school and beyond, never once second-guessing myself because I am a young woman.”

For more information about Girls Inc. of Carpinteria or the Eureka Program, please call (805) 684-6364 or visit www.girlsinc-carp.org.