For the Register

The If Given a Chance Foundation provides support, guidance and scholarships to Napa County young people who have overcome tremendous obstacles in their lives. Each year If Given a Chance chooses between 25 and 30 young people to receive its scholarship for college or training. Here are some of the activities, events and people

Chance Encounter: In 2007 If Given a Chance Foundation created a new event to honor adults who have had a significant positive impact on local youth. The first Chance Encounter honoree was Harris Nussbaum, a longtime advocate for youth who created peer support programs and worked with organizations to empower and assist young people.

This year If Given A Chance board members reached beyond the organization, asking a selection committee to nominate Chance Encounter honorees. The committee included Nussbaum, Napa County Superintendent of Schools Barbara Nemko, Shirin Vakharia of Napa County Health and Human Services, Alissa Gentille of VOICES/On the Move and Carol Glaser, an educator and education advocate at Napa Valley College.

The committee worked through the many names before settling on not one but two honorees for 2008. On Oct. 19, Tom Amato and Leslie Medine will be honored for their dedication and work with and for youth.

Amato is the executive director of the Angwin Teen Center and is widely known for bringing people together to build a vibrant future for our young people.

Medine is the executive director of On the Move which, like other projects she has founded, seeks to empower young people in crafting solutions to the issues they face.

At the celebration, Napa Valley wines will flow and Melissa Teaff will provide sustenance. The funds raised both from ticket sales and the small live auction will be used to fund Chance Encounter scholarships.

If given some wheels: Stephanie Holderman was struggling to meet all her obligations: Completing her master’s program at Mills College, an internship at a Stanford University preschool program, and planning her wedding. Then her car broke down.

But this determined young woman had overcome other obstacles in her life, which earned her an If Given a Chance scholarship in 2001, and she wasn’t going to let this throw her off track.

She mentioned her transportation woes to If Given a Chance Student Liaison Isadora Asch, who passed the message on to Executive Director Jim King. King contacted If Given a Chance board member Kent Gardella, owner of Napa Valley Jewelers, who worked his magic on his good friend and fellow Rotarian, Kevin Massie, owner of Napa Ford.

Gardella and Massie worked to find a reliable car for this young lady. Last month, Massie handed over the keys to a 1995 Lincoln Town Car to a overwhelmed and exuberant Holderman. She confined much of her response to “wow,” over and over, as she bounced around the car with sheer delight and disbelief.

Massie was quick to point out the time and work his staff put in to make the car truly reliable. He also noted Advanced Auto Body’s Mike McDaniel touched up the car and made sure the paint job shone with luster.

The CAN program: Some students started school just a bit early this year. On July 28, recipients of the If Given a Chance scholarship began a two-week program called CAN; Communicate your needs, Advocate for services, and learn to Navigate college campuses, services and independent living.

This program was developed in partnership with Napa Valley College and is now a requirement for If Given a Chance recipients. The organization wanted to take the next step in ensuring that the obstacles presented to new college students and young people beginning independent lives did not result in stumbles and falls.

Study skills, financial aid, time management, and other information is provided to the students. In addition, the Bank of Napa’s Mike Carson presented a workshop on budgeting, credit issues and financial responsibility.

Cindy Pawlcyn, of Mustard’s Grill, Go Fish and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen fame, provided nutrition information and cooking skills for simple, affordable meals. She thrilled the students by feeding them all at the end of class.

Chance updates: Each year If Given a Chance chooses between 25 and 30 young people to receive a scholarship for college or training. Here are some of their stories.

• Ain-Tei Echauri, 1999 scholarship recipient, received her master’s in social work from Sacramento State University in 2008, and immediately accepted a full-time position with Family Service of Napa Valley.

• Jose Uribe, 2005 scholarship recipient, has completed his studies at Napa Valley College with a cumulative GPA of 3.54. He will start in the fall at Sacramento State University where he will seek a bachelor’s in administration of justice. Uribe was recognized by Napa Emergency Women’s Services in June as the Young Male Role Model for 2008.

• Claire Narlock Holcomb, 1998 scholarship recipient, received her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003 from Sacramento Sate University. She has coordinated programs for seniors for the city of American Canyon and is preparing to return to school to pursue her dream to become a nurse practitioner.

• Catrina Rose Hockney, 2001 scholarship recipient, is completing studies at Diablo Valley College as she prepares to enter University of San Francisco to pursue a nursing degree.

• Jill Bardakas, 2002 scholarship recipient, received her bachelor of science degrees in both biochemistry and cell biology as well as her bachelor of arts degree in psychology in 2007 from the University of California San Diego.

• Katy Buckner, 2004 scholarship recipient, completed her bachelor’s degree in communication and fine arts at Loyola Marymount University. She will continue there to obtain her teaching credential.

• Ashley Cox, 2004 scholarship recipient, obtained her bachelor of arts degree in Art History from University of California Berkeley in May 2008.