Out & About
By Jessica Laskey
February 2026
Risk Taker
St. Francis junior’s creative video wins big
St. Francis High School junior Angelyn Gonzales is one of two national winners in Junior Achievement’s Start Small, Grow Big contest sponsored by The UPS Store.
The contest challenges people ages 12 to 18 to create a 30-second to 2-minute video explaining what they learned from participating in Junior Achievement, a global nonprofit youth organization offering programs in work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
Gonzales’ winning entry focused on her “empowering experience” learning about finance. She received a free trip to Pasadena’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game last month.
Her other achievements include winning second place in a pitch contest in partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners, participating in the 2025 national Junior Achievement Future Bound Conference and competing in the National Stock Market Challenge.
“Junior Achievement has really opened up my potential and inspired my passion for business and engineering,” Gonzales says.
“I think other young people like me have to understand that finance means taking a leap of faith and risk-taking,” she says. “Instead of focusing on the potential negative outcomes, focus on the possible opportunities and benefits.”
SHORTY AWARD
Sacramento County’s Safer Sacramento program won a 2025 Shorty Impact Award for its nine-part documentary “The Ripple Effect,” created in response to fentanyl overdoses and poisonings.
The Shorty Awards honor the most influential and purpose-driven digital campaigns in the world. Sacramento’s award places the county’s project among the top public health campaigns nationwide.
“The Ripple Effect” helped reduce fentanyl-related deaths in Sacramento County by 27%. Every installment carries a call to action and links to resources for treatment and recovery.
To watch the series or for information, visit safersacramento.com.
STORYTELLING
In a Nutshell, a series of personal stories told live on stage at The Sofia, has completed its first season and has booked storytellers for 2026.
Every month, four or more experienced storytellers tell a true story, ranging from hilarious to heartbreaking, based on intriguing, off-the-beaten-path theme prompts.
The theme of this month’s show Friday, Feb. 27, is “In Defense of…,” featuring storytellers Kiry Shabazz, JP Frary, Brian Copeland and Meghna Bhat.
For information, visit inanutshellstorytelling.com or bstreettheatre.org.
BIKE DONATIONS
Each year, Rex Hescock, a real estate agent with Midtown’s Grounded Real Estate, donates hundreds of children’s bikes to local charities, including WEAVE, Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance and Western Workers Service Association.
Hescock donates the bikes in honor of his wife, Shelley, who died six years ago. They were not only life partners, but business partners. Rex donates one bike for each real estate transaction he and Shelley worked on together.
For information or to donate, visit gofundme.com and search Hescock Bike Drive.
SCHOLARSHIPS
More than 40 scholarships are available through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation to help students reach their educational goals.
Each scholarship, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, has criteria such as financial need, area of study, career goals and life experiences.
Since its founding in 1983, the foundation has distributed more than $275 million in scholarships and community grants. For information, visit sacregcf.org/students.
CAP STAGE ASL
This year, Capital Stage expands its commitment to accessibility by providing American Sign Language, or ASL, interpretation for every production.
The theater company met with members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community and ASL users to learn new ways to make performances richer, more expressive and more welcoming.
A $2,500 contribution funds ASL interpretation for an entire show. For information, visit capstage.org.
COUNTY GRANTS
Funds of $1 million through the Transit Occupancy Tax Grant Program are available to eligible nonprofit organizations operating in Sacramento County.
The grants fund community-based programs and services in economic and workforce development, arts and culture, community development, and health and human services.
Applications close Friday, Feb. 6, at 5 p.m. Final award decisions are made by the Board of Supervisors at a public hearing in June.
For information, visit bdm.saccounty.gov and search TOT Grants.
SEEKING SINGERS
The Capital Chorale seeks singers of all voice types for a performance with a live orchestra Friday, April 17, of Gabriel Fauré’s “Requiem” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms.”
Rehearsals begin Thursday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Pioneer Congregational Church, 2700 L St.
To join the singer roster, email Music Director Elliot Jones at musicdirector@pioneerucc.org.
NEW SACRT BUSES
Sacramento Regional Transit District has been awarded $39.67 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Grant Program to replace 49 aging compressed natural gas buses with modern low-emission vehicles.
“This funding is another major step forward in our ongoing efforts to deliver cleaner, more efficient and more reliable transit for the Sacramento region,” says SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li.
The new buses are expected to significantly improve service reliability, reduce breakdowns and ensure compliance with the Federal Transit Administration’s spare ratio guidelines.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
