Community Corner
Local Wins $100,000 Grant to Continue Education Efforts in Honduras
Katia Gomez of San Leandro was the grand-prize winner of VH1's 2012 Do Something Award, which recognizes the "most charitable people, places and events over the past year."
A San Leandro local received an extra boost from VH1 over the weekend to help make the world a better place.
Katia Gomez, 24, was crowned the grand-prize winner of the 2012 Do Something Awards, held to recognize the "most charitable people, places and events over the past year."
She, among dozens of actors, athletes and musicians were awarded with shiney silver winged sneakers at Santa Monica on Sunday Aug. 19.
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However, Gomez also took home $100,000 grant for her work with Educate2Envision, a program she created which offers Honduran children living in poverty the chance to receive the highest level of education through college graduate volunteers.
After making it as a finalist, Gomez, a graduate of University of California San Diego, received the most votes by fans of her Educate2Envision effots.
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VH1 published the following on her cause:
Katia grew up in a single parent home where her mother always found time and money for Katia’s education. While on a volunteer trip to Honduras, the third poorest country in Latin America, Katia saw the effects of a young population in extreme poverty, where almost half of the population is 16 years and younger and over half of all Honduras survive on only $2 a day. Katia took her own passion for education and created Educate2Envision to provide education for youth of Honduras, and show the opportunities that education can bring. Educate2Envision is working in three remote communities in Honduras where she has brought secondary education to over 450 students.
Gomez was selected among her five fellow volunteer finalists Manyang Reath Kher (Humanity Helping Sudan), Meg Bourne (Art Feeds), Danny Mendoza (Together We Rise) and Seth Maxwell (The Thirst Project).
According to the Rotary Club of San Leandro, Gomez's school project in Honduras was given the club grant to fund the completion of its construction. District 5170 had awarded Gomez with a District Scholar Grant to continue her education efforts in Honduras.
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