We are thrilled to share that two Summer Searchers, Katie L. and Sophea M., have been selected as Oprah Winfrey Leadership Scholars, earning a four-year, full scholarship to the college of their choice. This prestigious and highly competitive opportunity recognizes their leadership, academic excellence, and potential, and we are so proud to celebrate this milestone with them as they enter this next phase of their lives. Summer Search is honored to be one of the nominating partners for the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, along with notable organizations from around the country who provide support to underserved communities and prepare students to be leaders in the world.

The Oprah Winfrey Leaders Scholarship (OWLS) program supports academically gifted students who demonstrate leadership in their communities. Funded by the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation with collaboration from the Herrendorf Family Foundation, OWLS provides not only a full college scholarship but a peer network and unique access to speakers and thought leaders in various fields. This mentor network is designed to offer insight, inspiration, and support to encourage the OWLS scholars throughout their academic journeys and beyond.

Summer Search is excited to be in community with fellow nominating partners: A Better Chance Foundation, Ron Clark Academy, MAAFA Redemption Project, SoLA Impact, Boys and Girls Club, Pathways to College, Brotherhood SisterSol, King Drew High School of Science & Medicine, Teach for America, Harlem Children Zone, Promise Academy, Where Art Can Occur (WACO) Theater Centre, Ednovate, and the LeBron James Foundation – I Promise School.

Get to know Katie and Sophea

Meet Katie – Future Nurse and East Coast Explorer!

Katie (she/her) is a Summer Search Bay Area participant who will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall where she’ll be studying nursing. She’s looking forward to meeting new people, exploring Philly and all that the East Coast has to offer, and trying new food! Until then, Katie will be spending the summer at an internship with Kaiser.

When asked about her favorite Summer Search memory, Katie shared that it was her two-week summer academic trip to Brown University during her junior year. She was able to take a course on genetics, build new friendships, and explore the East Coast for the first time, which reinforced her interest in applying to out-of-state colleges.

On reflecting on her Summer Search experience, Katie shared “Before joining Summer Search, I didn’t have one-on-one support related to college. Since joining, I’ve received guidance that helped me discover my passions, become a more competitive applicant, and prioritize self-care during burnout. This support has given me the confidence to take college courses and pursue leadership roles in my community.”

We can’t wait to follow along as Katie jumps into this new chapter of her journey!

Meet Sophea – Aspiring Scientist and Bay Area Adventurer

Sophea (she/her) is a Summer Search Seattle participant and will be attending Stanford University in the fall where she’ll be majoring in cellular biology with a minor in health policy—but before starting this new journey, she’s looking forward to graduating high school and spending the summer with family and friends while also interning at Southwest Youth and Family Services as a Program Tutor.

Sophea says that her favorite Summer Search people have been her mentors, Angel and Logan, who “have been so supportive and provided [her] with invaluable mentorship through everything.” During her sophomore hiking trip and junior cultural immersion experience, Sophea was also able to bond with other young women Summer Searchers and says that “having a supportive community with these Summer Search girls has made me feel brave enough to try new things, no matter how scary they are.”

When asked how Summer Search has influenced her, she shared “Summer Search has truly changed my life. Without Summer Search, I truly can’t

imagine ever having taken the leap to try to go backpacking or to participate in a cultural immersion and Summer Search’s financial support made it possible for me to challenge myself and grow without stressing about money.”

She also shared the life-changing impact of being nominated and selected for the OWL program on both her and her family:

“Being an OWL Scholar was only made possible because I was nominated by my mentor and Summer Search Seattle, they believed in me as a candidate for this amazing scholarship program and I’m so grateful for that. Now, I’m able to fully focus on my education and career goals without worrying about the financial cost of attending university. That feeling has definitely been life-changing for not just me, but also my family.”

All of us at Summer Search are so proud of Katie and Sophea and we are honored to be part of their journeys. As they take these next big steps towards their educational and career goals, we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way!

About Summer Search

Summer Search’s mission is to ignite students’ potential through mentoring and transformative experiences. For more than 30 years, Summer Search has sought to tackle inequities for young people of color from low-income backgrounds, striving for them to have a strong sense of purpose and financial health. Our holistic program offers professional mentorship, summer experiential learning, and career readiness, leading to higher high school graduation and post-secondary education matriculation rates than national averages. We believe our world is better off when everyone can discover their purpose – because when all young people can cultivate the power and courage already inside them, they are unstoppable.

For more information about Summer Search or to get in contact, please reach out to Megan Sussman, Chief Advancement Officer at msussman@summersearch.org