• 2009 Dorothy Walker High Hopes Scholarship recipient
• University of California, Santa Cruz

I think that the most important thing I’ve learned about myself is that I have the ability to work towards positive social change. During my first year of high school, I thought that my age hindered my ability to have any sort of impact. However, after I joined the Habitat for Humanity club, I realized how wrong I had been. I came to find that simple acts can make a huge difference in someone’s life.

Brissa’s updates

“Brissa Mendoza is very family-oriented and extremely proud of her cultural roots. She has taken this as an opportunity to be a role model and overcome stereotypes. She is set out to debunk the common misconception of a Latina dropping out and getting pregnant, and she is ready to lead her three little brothers into a world of higher education by being successful in school.”

Teacher, Berkeley High School