Courtesy photo.
VENTURA —The Housing Authority City of San Buenaventura (HACSB) Scholarship Program awarded a total of $9,000 in scholarships at its annual awards ceremony held Sept. 26 at the Museum of Ventura County. The scholarships are awarded to low-income students currently living in HACSB affordable communities and are funded by the HACSB’s associated resident services nonprofit, Cocina Sin Fronteras, through its annual Haunted Housing Run/Walk event. Since its inception in 2015, a total of 25 scholarships have been awarded.
The scholarship awards are $2,000 each for students attending a four-year college/university and $1,000 each for students attending community college or technical/vocational school. This year’s $2,000 scholarship recipients include Daisy Sumaya, California State University, Channel Islands; Haley Howard, Ottawa University, Arizona; Karen Torres, California State University, Channel Islands; and Andrew Coronel, University of Southern California. This year’s $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Justin Arbaiza, Ventura College. The recipients’ areas of study include engineering, biology and psychology.
Ventura College Vice President for Student Affairs Damien Peña, Ed.D. gave an address and presented the awards. HACSB staff and board members, including board chair John Polanskey and HACSB CEO Denise Wise, were also in attendance. Musical entertainment was provided by Ventura Music Festival and Thousand Oaks Philharmonic young artists Stephen Saw, Esther Kim, Dara Moayer and Vibiana Cardenas.
“We are thrilled to be able to recognize these students for their hard work and to contribute toward their higher education goals. Education creates opportunities, access and choices; it is key to breaking the cycle of poverty,” said HACSB CEO Denise Wise. “The Housing Authority Scholarship Program is one example of the many programs HACSB offers housing residents and program participants to help them learn and grow to maximize their potential and improve their quality of life.”
This year’s Haunted Housing Run/Walk will take place Saturday, Oct. 26, at San Buenaventura State Beach, 901 San Pedro St., Ventura, with 100 percent of proceeds going to fund the 2020 Housing Authority Scholarship Program. The Haunted Housing Run/Walk offers both a 5K and 10K with chip timing on a fast, flat oceanfront course along the Ventura Promenade. Races begin promptly at 8 a.m., followed by the free Kids Dash at 9 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top three overall male and female finishers in both the 5K and 10K. All 5K/10K race participants receive an event t-shirt, bib and specially designed participation medal; breakfast burritos and donut holes will be served after the race. The family-friendly event will have free face painting, a jolly jump and a photo booth for all to enjoy. Costumes are encouraged with prizes awarded for best adult and best children’s costume.
Registration for the 2019 Haunted Housing Run/Walk is open through Oct. 23 and is available online at https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Ventura/HauntedHousingRun.
Cocina Sin Fronteras is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura HACSB.
ABOUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SAN BUENAVENTURA: The Housing Authority of the City Of San Buenaventura (HACSB) is the largest residential landlord in the City of Ventura, currently managing 295 public housing units, 705 nonprofit affordable rental units, and more than 1,500 Section 8 vouchers. The agency is actively working to increase the supply of affordable housing and to improve the quality of life for hundreds more of the low-income residents of the City of Ventura. http://www.hacityventura.org/