22nd Annual Scholar Celebration

On Sunday, May 22, 2022, about 300 people gathered at UC San Diego @ Park & Market to celebrate Reality Changers’ graduating high school seniors. These 142 students from across San Diego County will be the first in their families to attend college and some are the first in their families to graduate from high school.

This fall, students are planning to attend colleges locally and around the country, including Yale, Stanford, University of California Berkeley, San Diego State University, UC San Diego, San Diego City College, and others. Most of the 2022 high school graduates have received significant financial aid and scholarship packages, drastically reducing or even eliminating their out-of-pocket costs.

“My heart is bursting with pride,” said Reality Changers President and CEO Tamara Craver, “these students worked so hard to become high school graduates and we just can’t wait to see what they do next!”

The 22nd Annual Scholar Celebration, which was sponsored by the Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan and UC San Diego Extended Studies, included musical performances by The Brothers Burns, speeches from students and program alumni, and remarks from Pamela Gray Payton, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer, Vice President of Community Impact for The San Diego Foundation.

“Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan is honored to help support Reality Changers as they celebrate high school seniors from across San Diego County students, who will begin college in the fall,” said James Cruz, M.D., chief medical officer at Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan. “We believe that providing underrepresented high school students with positive role models and celebrating their success as they embark on their next educational milestone is often key to creating the future change makers in the communities that we serve.”

Since 2001, more than 3,000 students have graduated from Reality Changers. Craver says, “We’re here for our students every step of the way. We’ll provide individualized coaching, workshops, mentorship, and more to help the Class of 2022 become college graduates and launch their careers.”

The Alumni Network, which provides services to current college students, is funded by community members. You can make a donation to support these programs and help ensure that the Class of 2022 achieves their goals of becoming college graduates.