The awards, given out by both the Asian Employees Association and the Port of Oakland Employees Association, went to 31 students from various Oakland public and private schools.

The top winners included Ashley Chambers of McClymonds High School, who as a teenage mother managed to get top grades and an acceptance letter from the University of California, Berkeley, where she will major in journalism.

Chambers won a total of $5,000, with $3,000 coming from the Asian Employees Association and $2,000 from the port's Employees Association.

Helen Pho of Oakland Technical High School also won $5,000. Pho, a native Oaklander, will attend Yale University next year and study political science or economics.

Both associations have been awarding scholarships since the early 1990s. They raise money through bake sales, golf tournaments and fund-raising dinners. Port employees also donate funds.

Since 1991, the Asian Employees Association has given out more than $91,000 in awards.

The Employees Association has given out more than $252,000 since 1994.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
(510) 208-6477 Fax
lmclaughlin@angnewspapers.com Email