Dear SOY Patron 12/01/2011

My name is Yazmin Partida and I graduated from Costa Mesa High School and
completed the Save Our Youth (SOY) Scholarship Program in June 2009. I am currently
in my third year at California State University, Fullerton, pursuing my Bachelor of Arts
in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and a minor in
Psychology.

I became involved in the SOY Scholarship Program in the 2004/2005 school year when I
was in the 8th grade. What I learned from participating in the SOY Scholarship Program
has carried on to enhance my college experience. My motivating factor for completing an
education has always been my parents. They did not have the same opportunities I have
now. My parents were my support system through school and once I became involved in
SOY, it became my second support system. The expectations both my parents and SOY
had for me were high, which turned out to be a great thing. SOY in particular encouraged
me to take Honors and Advanced Placement classes, which at that time not many
students from my background and in my school, were taking such classes. It was through
SOY’s community service events that I became involved in my own community.
Although, I was not involved in school clubs during high school, it was through SOY that
encouraged me to participate more in school clubs and activities in college. My freshman
year of college I became involved in a club called Project People Against Trafficking
Human Exploitation (P.A.T.H.E.) of which this current year I serve as secretary, my first
leadership role. It was through the encouragement of the staff to pursue and take
advantage of the opportunities offered in school that I decided to study abroad; I went to
Germany this past summer. SOY basically gave me yet another reason to be motivated
about not only school and my education, but in life as well.

I will for always be grateful for SOY and the staff. They mentored me and encouraged
me to pursue higher education. They guided me through my college applications, tutored
me on the subjects I had difficulty with, and were there with me every step of the way. I
look up to the staff as role models and when I need some encouragement, I know I can
think of my family and SOY to get myself motivated again. The SOY Scholarship
Program is more than just the typical academic and scholarship program, it is like a
family that is enriching and empowering the youths of similar backgrounds to not only
reach our full potential, but pursue our personal, educational, and career aspirations.

At this time I would like to thank you for donating some of your time to this event and
getting to know what Save Our Youth is all about. Without the continued support of our
donors and individuals like yourself, this program would not be enriching the students it
does today.

Yazmin Partida
SOY Scholar, Class of 2009