By Corky Mau
September 2025

Prize Pupils

Local scholarships go to 3 Pocket students

Three local students enter college this fall with an extra $3,000 thanks to scholarships from the Pocket-Greenhaven Community Association, Parker Development and City Council Member Rick Jennings. The sponsors contributed $1,000 for each scholarship.

“This year’s candidate pool was exceptionally strong,” selection committee member Kevin Nguyen says. “While all students presented impressive qualifications, three individuals distinguished themselves through their remarkable achievements.”

The annual awards are based on academic performance, community involvement and letters of recommendation.

Darienne Mitchell heads to Sacramento State to study biological sciences for a career in pediatric nursing. She graduated from John F. Kennedy High School where she co-founded the Serendipity Girls Club and led media literacy workshops.

Kennedy officials praised Mitchell’s dedication to community service through school donation drives and her church’s food bank.

She spent summers as a youth ambassador at Parkway Elementary. “I loved working with the kids,” Mitchell says. “Now I know that after college I want an occupation that involves working with young children.”

Kennedy graduate Ram Jhawar will spend his scholarship money at UC Berkeley studying metabolic biology and data sciences. He was active in basketball, weightlifting and debate.

“My family has been a huge support to me,” Jhawar says. “They’ve always encouraged me to find balance between my studies, civic engagement and just having fun.”

Julie Hashimoto moves to UC Davis from Pocket’s School of Engineering and Sciences where she was yearbook editor and active in the robotics engineering club. She was involved in Project 3598, which provides science, tech, engineering and math education to 3,598 girls.

“The project involved doing lots of workshops and hands-on activities,” Hashimoto says. “We exceeded our goal. By the end of this school year, we reached almost 4,700 youth. I really enjoyed class projects where we built solar-powered boats and electric-powered go-carts. This experience was transformational. Now I will study mechanical engineering at UC Davis.”

Hashimoto hopes to build and fit prosthetics and combine three passions—medicine, engineering and helping people.

“This year’s awardees truly exemplified the spirit of the PGCA scholarship through their outstanding accomplishments and selfless contributions,” scholarship program coordinator Mark Portuondo says.

For information on Pocket-Greenhaven Community Association, visit pocketgreenhaven.org.

OHANA WALK

Feel the aloha spirit at ACC’s Ohana Walk on Saturday, Sept. 6. More than 1,000 people registered for last year’s walk to support ACC’s health and wellness programs.

Walkers choose from three courses that start and end at the ACC campus on Park City Drive. Enjoy a picnic lunch afterward and receive a commemorative T-shirt. For information, visit accsv.org.

FOOD FESTIVAL

A community cultural festival takes place at St. Anthony’s Parish on Saturday, Sept. 6, noon to 8 p.m. The event includes ethnic food, family games and music. A $1,000 raffle prize goes to one lucky winner. Admission is free.

FOOD TRUCK MANIA

Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for outdoor dining Friday, Sept 19, at Garcia Bend Park, 5–8 p.m. SactoMoFo food truck vendors, including Island Fin Poke and Drewski’s, will serve meals and drinks. Bring your appetites and support these small local businesses.

Corky Mau can be reached at corky.sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.