Goldberg Scholars

Fabian will attend Macalester College and study Medicine. Fabian attends Sequoia High School where he has pursued a rigorous IB Diploma. During high school, Fabian engaged in numerous opportunities that allowed him to contribute significantly to his community and school, taking a lead role in the Dream Club at his school, raising awareness about the challenges undocumented students face and fundraising thousands of dollars for scholarships. He also participated in the annual Dream Club Conference where he co-ran multiple workshops disseminating valuable information to undocumented student populations and their allies. Fabian also attended the Stanford Pediatrics Internship Program, where he worked alongside a senior scientist researching the effects of phototherapy on bilirubin level tests and deepened his passion for biology. He is applying to selective public and private colleges across the country and has ambitions to pursue a healthcare career.

Evelyn will attend UCLA and study Molecular & Biological Sciences. Evelyn is a top scholar at Los Altos High where she has garnered honors for Biology and academic achievement. With a strong desire to pursue a career in medicine, she has become a Board Member and Communications liaison for the Teen Community Emergency Response Team and an officer with the Paint 4 Change club, helping to raise awareness of the neurodivergent community. She also participated in a Yale Young Global Scholars biology program where she researched new methods to treat diabetes and took classes in metabolic syndromes, coral reefs, & regeneration of the brain. A dedicated tutor with Buena Vista and PALS and a committed volunteer to conservation causes like Grassroots Ecology and Deer Hollow Farm. She will pursue her dream of going into medicine.

Adriana will attend Lehigh University and study Mathematics. Adriana attends Castilleja School where she excels academically while also being very involved as an advocate for young Latinas. She is a prominent member of the LatinX club on campus where she creates connections with other LatinX students of all grade levels, while also being involved with the Gatornomics Robotics club. With passions in math and teaching, she has taken advantage of numerous engagement opportunities. She serves as a mentor in the Halford Young Women’s Leadership program where she teaches science and SEL to under-resourced 4th and 5th graders, she was a Summer Bridge TA in math, and she participated in both Girls Who Code and an AvidBank internship. She is applying to highly selective colleges and universities across the country where she plans to major in Math.

Saul will attend Whitman College where he will study Business. Saul attends Los Altos High School where he has a top scholar and engaged leader. He is an elected member of Student Council, in the Latino Student Union, and a founding member of a journalism club. Along with a passion for roller skating and a job as a barista, he devotes a great deal of time to family caregiving, tutoring, translation, and additional help for his parents. Last summer he secured a law internship with Ropes & Gray and also enjoyed serving as a Cabin Leader for Walden West Science Camp. An entrepreneur at heart, Saul has launched his own business - Saul’s Sweets - while also creating new items for his family’s taco business. Saul has applied to selective liberal arts colleges across the country, to pursue his dream of a business career, including possibly running his own accounting firm.

Valeria will attend University of Southern California and study Sociology, Government, and Public Policy. Valeria is a scholar at Woodside Priory School where she has flourished as a champion for DEI inclusion on campus with a very clear socially conscious vision and ambition. She is highly motivated and engaged as a leader both inside and outside the classroom, heading up Latinos Unidos, chairing the Daraja Club, serving as a Retreat Leader, playing varsity volleyball for 4 years, and earning the school’s highest award - Benedictine Scholars. Valeria also actively serves her community as a commissioner, youth liaison, and current Chair of the San Mateo Youth Commission, as well as participating in the Boys and Girls State government program. With experience at the Yale Global Scholars “Solving Global Challenges” program and at the SDXCO summer program in Sociology & Political Science, Valeria aspires to become a changemaker and community leader through studies of Sociology, Government, and Public Policy at a top liberal arts college in the country.

Destiny will attend Lafayette College and study Business and Entrepreneurship. Destiny has been at Crystal Springs School since 6th grade and has dreams of excelling in business as a community leader in the nonprofit world. She is engaged extensively at her school helping to build stronger communities and create cultures of belonging, serving as President of the Hispanic Alianza Club, member of the People of Color Club, an Admissions Ambassador, and captain of the varsity soccer team. Destiny has dedicated herself to the Sheriff's Activity League throughout high school, becoming a state leader for the organization, volunteering countless hours to community causes, and recently being awarded Youth of the Year. A club soccer player, former summer intern at Ropes and Gray and sports coach for summer camps,

Analisa will attend Bowdoin College where she will study STEM subjects. Analisa is a top scholar at Castilleja School where she has excelled academically and as a leader in the community. She serves on Castilleja’s DEI Leadership Committee, as an Admissions Ambassador, a Senior Peer Advisor, and mentor to incoming 9th graders. With a strong interest in STEM, Analisa is also the current co-president of the STEMx club, participates in National Science Bowl competitions, and attended the Yale Young Global Scholars summer program in Innovation in Science and Technology. Analisa is also devoted to human and animal rights causes, with regular volunteering at Pets in Need and a summer Global Leadership service trip to Costa Rica to work with rescued animals. She has been accepted to highly selective colleges and universities across the country with a goal of exploring a wide variety of different majors in college.

Diana will attend Lehigh University and study Computer Engineering. Diana is a top STEM scholar at Castilleja School where she has successfully pursued the most rigorous course load available in STEM and across all subjects. With a strong interest in majoring in Computer Engineering, Diana has been a member of the Castilleja Robotics team, an extern at META where she worked on an Open Arts project and developed skills in Unity and Python, and an Electrical Engineering summer intern with Skydio where she worked on autonomous drones. She engages with her community as a promoter and connector to the Latino community through Redwood City Together as well as through her passion for dance with the Mexico Vivo troupe. Diana has applied and been accepted at numerous highly selective universities across the country and will be pursuing a Computer Engineering degree.

Michelle will attend University of Redlands and will be studying Criminal Justice, Political Science, and Ethnic Studies. Michelle attends Mercy High School where she has devoted herself to leadership and numerous clubs and activities. She is a VP of the New Now Student Advocacy Club, a school Ambassador, served as a Student Council Rep, mentors younger students through Link Crew, and is a committed volunteer. A dedicated and perennial Peninsula Bridge volunteer, Michelle is a Bridge Ambassador, a summer English and Activities TA, and now serves on the Alumni Board. Michelle has also devoted time to Vida Verde Leadership outdoor training and a Stanford Law and Trial summer Envision program where she cemented a love for government. She will be pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, Political Science, and Ethnic Studies.

Natalie will be attending Bryn Mawr College and studying Art, Architecture and Linguistics. Natali attends Crystal Springs Uplands School where she has excelled academically and as a leader in the DEI space. She is the current co-president of Gender Sexuality Alliance, a past co-president of Latinos Unidos, and was selected to attend the National Student Diversity Leadership Conference in EDI. She is also designated to represent Crystal’s diversity efforts on the Bay Area High School student Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging Association. A gifted artist and linguist, Natali is doing a senior project using cyanotype photography, traveled to Madrid last summer for an ISEEE immersion program in language, culture, and architecture, and continues to pursue both Spanish and French. Natali was accepted early to Bryn Mawr where she will study art, architecture and linguistics as she pursues her dream of going into museum studies.

Melanie will attend Union College and study Mechanical Engineering. Melanie attends Menlo School where she is a successful student-athlete dedicated to STEM. She participates in the Women in STEM monthly forums to gain exposure to various STEM careers, helps mentor younger Latinas through Kickstart, Homework Club and Latinos Unidos, gained valuable coding experience through Hack the Hood, and devotes considerable time to engineering projects in the Whittaker Lab. A skilled varsity basketball player throughout high school, she was also a player on the inaugural girls’ flag football team and has joined the Menlo track team this spring, while also enjoying biking and weight lifting as favorite hobbies. Melanie has been accepted into mechanical engineering programs across the country and dreams of a career helping to create new biomedical devices for athletes.

Marycruz will attend Bryn Mawr College where she will study Biological Sciences. Marycruz attends Eastside College Prep where she has developed strong passions for scientific research and forensics. Through Bridge, she secured a lab internship in the summer-long Stanford SIMR program where she researched and presented on Methods for Translational Research in Cardiovascular Medicine. She also presented to first responders on Natural Language Processing for Disaster Relief through a Cal Berkeley AI program. Marycruz is actively engaged in the Eastside Leadership and Interact volunteer clubs as well as Varsity Soccer at school, and proudly volunteers for RISE mentoring youth and participated in an AMIGOS service trip to Costa Rica to support female-owned businesses. She will be pursuing a degree in Biological Sciences at one of the top research universities she has applied to in CA and beyond.

Jordan will attend Gonzaga University, studying Mechanical Engineering. Jordan is a top student at Hillsdale High School and has a promising career ahead of him in mechanical engineering. He has pursued the most rigorous classes at Hillsdale across all subjects, especially in the STEM areas where he’s developed a keen interest in physics and math. He is involved as a leader for the Hillsdale Chess Club, while also participating in the Capital Group Investment Series and Vida Verde Leadership programs.Through Peninsula Bridge, he has dedicated himself to leadership and mentorship opportunities, including serving as a Math TA last summer and being selected as an Ambassador. He has been accepted into numerous selective engineering programs both public & private across the country, to pursue Mechanical Engineering.

Joaquin will attend Lehigh University and study Engineering. Joaquin attends Serra High School where he has excelled as a STEM student. Through advanced STEM classes in Physics and Computer Science and math, Joaquin has cemented a solid STEM foundation while gaining hands-on experience in the Santa Clara Engineering summer program where he discovered an affinity for electrical engineering. He is a devoted mentor to younger Latinos through the Big Brother program and the Encounter Leader Corps Team at Serra. He is also an avid soccer player for both club and school, was a co-captain of volleyball, and assumes many family responsibilities, along with working a part time job doing administrative work for his father’s gardening business. He has applied to Electrical Engineering programs here in California and across the country.

Michelle will be attending UCLA where she has been accepted into the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS) program and the Academic Advancement program (AAP) studying Neuroscience. Michelle is a top scholar at Los Altos High with a passion and dedication to her neuroscience and STEM research. She completed the Stanford neurodiversity summer program where she presented on an Autism resource website and was also selected as a student for Stanford Clinical Neuroscience Immersion where she engaged in neurology, neuroplasticity, & neurolaw lectures. She also completed independent research in ASD through a summer Polygence mentorship with a Stanford Neuroscience PhD student. To raise awareness of neurodivergence, Michelle founded and leads the Paint for Change Neurodivergence club at Los Altos High. She also facilitated the completion of STEM lesson plans for K-5th students as a Cooline Kids STEM intern, volunteers as a teaching assistant in art and ASL for the Community School for Music & Arts, and works at Capelo’s Barbecue. Michelle will be pursuing a degree in Neuroscience at a highly selective research university in California.