How TGR Foundation Empowered Andrés Cuamani’s Journey
Andrés Cuamani still remembers his first day at the TGR Learning Lab fondly. A 5thgrader at Dr. Peter Marshall Elementary School, Andrés spent a week at the Anaheim-based learning lab studying forensic science with his classmates. From surveying clues at a mock crime scene to studying fingerprinting techniques, Andrés experienced a different kind of learning. But what he really left with was the realization that there were countless opportunities awaiting him.
From 7th– 12thgrade, Andrés was a regular in the building, taking after-school classes from aerospace engineering to golf, and forging lasting, impactful relationships with the teachers. At the age of 16, Andrés became a volunteer at the learning lab and soon after, he became an official employee, landing his first job as a golf range attendant. When he realized his passion for teaching coupled with a desire to lend support to students like himself, Andrés took on an added role in Academic Support, a job he still has today.
Scholar Voices: Creating social change through the lens of theatre
My love for theatre started when I was three or four years old and my godmother took me to see a musical, in my hometown of Boston, MA. I do not remember the name of the show or really what it was about, but I was fascinated by the colors and music. Something about seeing the performers act, sing and dance gave them this magical glow on the stage. My young and impressionable mind had concluded that to be so talented you had to have super abilities, and I knew I would be a part of that magic one day.
Scholar Voices: Discovering a New Path to Career Success
Ever since I was a little boy, I loved science. Although I come from a rural, mountainous Chinese village called Qian Yang Cun in Fuzhou, I dreamt of becoming a scientist. I always knew I wanted to use science to help people. As a child, I would collect plants and soil from around the mountain and mix them together to create my own “panaceas,” ready to cure dying plants and insects along my path.
Scholar Voices: A portrait of passion, how art inspired my interest in engineering
As a child, I always found myself consumed in art. Every brush stroke required complete concentration, each colored patch demanded a precise amount of pressure. However, contrary to what art means to others, art was never about expressing myself. For me, it was a way to keep myself busy while my parents worked and my sisters were at dance practice. It made me feel like I was somewhere else in the countless hours that I spent locked inside my home and made time fly.
Scholar Voices: Life as a student, intern and resident in Singapore
“Go chopethat table—it’s open lah!” These are words I heard every day this past summer as I entered the Singaporean hawker centers in search of chicken and rice, like every other local during mealtime. Singaporeans flock to these large hawker cafeterias to fill up on delicious foods that cost about $4 a dish. These food […]
Medical Congress solidifies career aspirations for Earl Woods Scholars
Joining top students across the United States with interest in pursuing careers as physicians, medical scientists, engineers or technologists, Earl Woods Scholars Kayla Fisher and Jesenia Vargas recently had a unique opportunity to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Through the program, the Congress honors, inspires, motivates and directs students on their journey to success and helps them stay true to their dreams.
Kayla and Jesenia reflected on their experience and its impact on their professional outlook.
Earl Woods Scholar Program hosts Class of 2023 for pre-college retreat
As the newest member of TGR Foundation’s Earl Woods Scholar team, I hit the ground running this summer, taking part in one of our hallmark events, Pre-College Retreat. In July, our team welcomed 21 scholars from Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Orange County to the annual retreat in Southern California. Spanning three days, the Pre-College Retreat is an integral college-access program designed to prepare our scholars, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college, for their first year on campus.
Aptive Environmental partners with TGR Foundation to support Earl Woods Scholars
With a deep-seated commitment toward environmental responsibility, Utah-based Aptive Environmental is expanding its philanthropic reach into the education sector as it turns its generosity toward TGR Foundation and the Earl Woods Scholar Program.
Scholar Voices: Perspectives of fear from Los Angeles to Boston
I was accepted into Boston College on one condition; I would have to complete their summer transition program. I agreed and made my way to Boston during the summer of 2018. During the first week of the program, I experienced an incident that I have still not been able to shake, over a year later.
Earl Woods Scholars attend Global MindED conference, share key takeaways
In early June, Earl Woods Scholars Michelle Bravo and Cristian Carrasco had an exciting opportunity to attend the Global MindED conference in Denver, Colorado. Committed to creating a diverse talent pipeline through cross-collaboration, the conference united hundreds of educators, entrepreneurs, policymakers and first-generation college students, like Michelle and Cristian. Over three days, the scholars attended numerous panels, keynote presentations and workshops, including a discussion on educational equity featuring TGR Foundation’s Vice President of Programs and Education, Dr. Katherine Bihr. Michelle, a rising senior at The City University of New York’s Lehman College, and Cristian, a rising junior at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) share their takeaways from the conference.
