Mission Graduates in the News
Discover stories of student achievement, program impact, and community partnerships featured in the media. Read how our collective work strengthens educational opportunities for San Francisco’s youth and families.
Mission Graduates joins UCSF’s PEDAL initiative, training community health workers to recognize addiction, educate about it, and connect resources for addiction support in San Francisco’s Latinx community.
Mission Housing podcast features CEO Edward Kaufman discussing educational challenges and opportunities in San Francisco. Learn about Mission Graduates’ work addressing systemic barriers and creating stronger futures for local…
A feature of CPO Natalie Guandique’s journey from global educator to Mission Graduates leadership. Learn about her impact on after-school programs and professional development for staff.
CEO Edward Kaufman appears on KTVU’s The Four to promote “Dine Out, Do Good” week. Local restaurants donate portions of proceeds to support Mission Graduates’ educational programs for San…
San Francisco Examiner highlights Mission Graduates’ perspective on the new school year, with CEO Edward Kaufman discussing how the organization continues adapting to support students despite potential district changes.
Mission Graduates celebrates 85 newcomer students at Everett Middle School with an “Excellence Dinner” recognizing their academic achievements, language progress, and successful adaptation to life in San Francisco.
🧡 Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Hanscome
Barbara Hanscome has been a Writing Partner for a year, helping rising seniors navigate college application essays. As a content manager for a college planning website with a background in publishing, she brings both college admissions expertise and writing skills to her work with students.
What makes Barbara’s impact stand out? Her ability to help students see themselves clearly.
“I think one of my favorite things about being a Writing Partner is helping students identify the impressive things they have done and to see their own unique qualities and strengths,” Barbara says. “Sometimes they just don’t realize how awesome they are.”
She shares a moment with one student who mentioned in passing that she’d spoken before the school board to advocate for a program in danger of being cut. The student didn’t think it was a big deal. Barbara helped her recognize it for what it was: significant courage and growth—and powerful material for her college essays.
Another student shared her story of immigrating to the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor, living in a shelter for homeless teens, and excelling in school while working to support herself. “She continues to be an inspiration to me,” Barbara reflects.
What drives Barbara? Equity. “I was shocked by the advantages some students have—test prep, tutoring, private counseling, legacy connections. I think all students, regardless of family background or income, deserve the same level of prep and support when applying to college so they have an equal chance to realize their dreams.”
To anyone considering volunteering: “Do it! You will get a lot of support and training; the program is well organized; the students are inspiring, motivated, and fun; and the staff is friendly and accessible.”
💞 Thank you, Barbara, for believing in our students and helping them see what’s possible.
#MissionGraduates #VolunteerAppreciation #CollegeAccess #SanFrancisco #EducationalEquity
🫶 When Janessa Found Her Community
When Janessa Reyes came back from the pandemic shutdown, something had shifted.
She’d spent her freshman year at Mission High quiet and to herself. Head down, don’t rock the boat — the survival strategy her grandparents had taught her. But watching anti-Asian hate surge across the country, she thought about her grandfather walking through the Tenderloin every day to pick up donuts for her, and she asked herself: is staying silent really going to protect the people I love?
It wasn’t.
So when a classmate started reviving Mission High’s API (Asian Pacific Islander) Club, Janessa showed up. Then she kept showing up. She joined the board, helped plan the school’s first annual API assembly, and started to understand what it meant to build community — not just belong to one.
Around the same time, she applied to College Connect, Mission Graduates’ cohort-based college access program. The weekly sessions, the accountability, the people — it became what she now calls her third space. Somewhere that wasn’t home and wasn’t school. Somewhere she could just be herself.
“When I think of Mission Graduates, I think that was the place where I first learned to be a leader,” she told us. “I don’t think I came out of the womb a leader. Little Janessa probably would have never thought I’d be doing any of this.”
This spring, we’re raising funds to ensure the next student who walks into Mission Graduates finds the same thing Janessa did.
👉 Give today: <Link in bio>
#MissionGraduates #SpringAppeal #CollegeAccess #FirstGen #EducationEquity
🎓 Mi Pasaje 2026: Celebrating Educational Journeys
We’re excited to announce Mi Pasaje 2026 — Mission Graduates’ annual celebration honoring the achievements of our College Access and Success graduates.
Mi Pasaje, meaning “My Journey” in Spanish, is the moment when “Sí Se Puede” becomes “Sí Se Pudo.” Each year, we come together with students, families, educators, and community to celebrate the young people who have overcome barriers to pursue higher education, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college.
This year’s ceremony will feature inspiring stories from graduating students, perspectives from community leaders, and a keynote speaker — all in celebration of the journeys that brought our students here.
Join us!
📅 Thursday, June 11, 2026
📍 Details coming soon
🔗 RSVP: <Link in Bio>
#MiPasaje #Graduation #FirstGen #EducationEquity
🧡 Volunteer Appreciation Month: Meet DeMario
“I look at philanthropy in three ways: time, talent, and treasure. I think if volunteers have a good experience through the time and talent part, you eventually motivate them to open their pockets.”
Meet DeMario Bell, who started volunteering with Mission Graduates in 2023 and has been deeply involved ever since.
When DeMario moved to the Bay Area from Atlanta, he was determined not to let his professional life consume everything. As a first-generation college graduate and Black professional, he wanted to mentor students who shared parts of his identity.
He started by facilitating virtual workshops on networking and code-switching—topics deeply personal to him as someone whose career depends on building authentic connections.
One memorable moment: a student reached out on LinkedIn after a workshop, sharing that the session affirmed their experience and gave them confidence to network more effectively.
“That message was incredibly rewarding,” DeMario reflects. “It confirmed I had made a real difference.”
For DeMario, volunteering isn’t just about showing up—it’s about sharing the skills and experiences that can change a student’s trajectory. His workshops on professional networking give first-generation students tools they might not learn anywhere else. And when he saw the impact of his volunteer work, he rallied his network too—leading a Food for Thought peer-to-peer campaign that brought over 25 new supporters into our community.
Time, talent, and treasure—DeMario has given all three.
💡 86% of our Career Readiness Series participants gained confidence in job interviews through volunteer-led workshops like DeMario’s.
Thank you, DeMario, for sharing your time, expertise, and belief in our students.
Interested in volunteering with Mission Graduates? Learn more at 👉 <Link in Bio>
#VolunteerAppreciationMonth #MissionGraduates #Volunteer #CareerReadiness #FirstGen
🚀 The Future Center at Mission High School
There’s a space at Mission High School where students show up every day at lunch. Not because they have to. Because they want to.
It’s called the Future Center, and it’s where Mission Graduates has embedded a team of college access counselors — available to any Mission High student, every single day. No appointment needed. Drop in, ask a question, get help with a FAFSA form, talk through a scholarship application, or just figure out what comes next.
The results speak for themselves.
⭐ This year, 98% of Mission High seniors completed their FAFSA applications — at a time when completion rates dropped 24% across California.
⭐ And the San Francisco Chronicle just ranked Mission High #1 in San Francisco and #4 in California for UC admissions.
That ranking is a direct result of what happens when a school and community show up together — consistently, and for the students who need it most. Almost two-thirds of Mission High students come from low-income families, and over one-third are English learners.
That’s the Future Center. That’s what your support makes possible.
This spring, we’re raising funds to keep that support going. We’d love to have you with us.
👉 Give today: <Link in Bio>
#SpringAppeal #FutureCenter #MissionHigh
🎓 Marching to the Future: Dreams on Display in the Mission
Last week, students from Flynn and Bryant Elementary Schools filled the Mission streets with energy, purpose, and big dreams.
The two schools marched from their respective sites and met up in the Mission, students carrying signs declaring their future higher education and career aspirations. The community showed up—honking, cheering, celebrating these kids and the futures they’re building.
Back at their school sites, students rotated through hands-on stations exploring different careers and pathways to higher education, then gathered for pizza and celebration.
This is what Marching to the Future looks like across all nine of our K-8 program sites this spring. Students at every grade level—from kindergarten through middle school—declaring their dreams, exploring possibilities, and building the belief that higher education is within reach.
When kids see themselves achieving their goals early, when they explore different paths and understand the steps to get there, they start shaping their futures with intention.
#MissionGraduates #MarchingToTheFuture #HigherEducation #EducationalEquity
💫 Janessa Reyes showed up to Mission High scared. She left knowing how to lead.
Her grandparents survived the Khmer Rouge, crossed three countries, and built a life in a Tenderloin studio apartment. They raised her with a quiet survival strategy — keep your head down, don’t rock the boat — and an unshakeable joy. Karaoke every night. Glow-in-the-dark stars on a small ceiling.
When the pandemic brought a surge of anti-Asian hate, Janessa thought about her grandfather walking through the neighborhood every day to pick up donuts for her and asked herself: “Is this really gonna help? Me not saying anything, not really being engaged?”
💞 She found her answer at Mission Graduates.
Today she’s a junior at UC Berkeley, an Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholar, and a Congressional intern who has twice worked on Capitol Hill. She’ll tell you Mission Graduates is part of how she got here — not because she needed saving, but because she needed a community that believed what she already knew about herself.
“Without Mission Graduates, I wouldn’t have gone to college. I didn’t know what FAFSA was. I didn’t even know UC Berkeley existed.”
This spring, we’re asking you to help us build that community for the next student who’s ready to find their voice. 👉 <Link in Bio> to give.
#MissionGraduates #SpringAppeal #FirstGen #CollegeAccess #EducationEquity
🌟 Thank You, Galileo Learning!
Camp Galileo brings hands-on STEAM learning to kids across the Bay Area, and through their Innovation for All scholarship program, they ensure every child has access—regardless of financial situation. They’ve awarded over 26,000 scholarships to date!
Douglas Gee, Area Director for Northern California and Mission Graduates alum: “As a Mission Graduates alum, I’ve experienced firsthand the impact of partnerships like this. They create opportunities for students who might otherwise be overlooked and open doors that can truly change trajectories.”
We’re grateful to partner with organizations committed to educational equity.
Galileo summer camps are now open for registration with scholarships available. <Link in Bio>
#MissionGraduates #CampGalileo #EducationalEquity #SummerLearning #Partnership @galileocamps
🧡 Volunteer Appreciation Month: Meet Vaijayanti
“One hour in your week is a very small time commitment. It’s one TV show, but it has a lifetime of impact on a student who doesn’t have that network.”
Meet Vaijayanti, a writing partner who spends an hour each week helping students craft college essays and build confidence.
Last year, when her student Henry got a Stanford interview, Vaijayanti didn’t just help him write—they practiced mock interviews together, helping him get comfortable talking about his strengths.
“Regardless of how the interview went, those are just really important life skills. Sometimes you just need someone to help you be comfortable in that.”
What stands out to Vaijayanti is the privilege embedded in the college application process—from extracurriculars students write about to having family members who can edit essays. For first-generation students whose families didn’t attend college, that support system isn’t there.
“If I’m going to live in this community, I want to find a way to give back to it.”
88% of high school students with writing partners report improved writing skills. But the real impact? Students gaining confidence and knowing someone is invested in their success.
🌟 Thank you, Vaijayanti!
Interested in volunteering? Link in bio!
#VolunteerAppreciationMonth #Volunteers #GiveBack #MissionDistrict #EducationEquity
⭐ Two Weeks Away: Alumni Social 4/23
Our Alumni Social is coming up on Thursday, April 23, and we hope you’ll join us.
Whether you graduated from College Connect five years ago or fifteen, whether you were in our after-school programs as a kid or connected with us in high school, you’re part of a community that doesn’t end at commencement.
Join us at Asiento for an evening of reconnecting with fellow Mission Graduates alumni, catching up with staff, and celebrating how far we’ve all come.
📅 Thursday, April 23, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Asiento, 2730 21st St, San Francisco
Complimentary appetizers and drinks. Casual atmosphere. Good conversation. See you on the 23rd!
RSVP: <Link in Bio>
21+ event*
#MissionGraduates #Alumni #SanFrancisco
🧡 Volunteer Spotlight: Henry 磊磊 Roark
Henry 磊磊 Roark joined Mission Graduates as a Writing Partner last summer and hasn’t stopped showing up since.
A longtime writing tutor in the Mission District, Henry brings years of experience from writing centers, peer support work with veterans, and his role as a youth librarian. But what makes him exceptional as a volunteer isn’t just his professional background—it’s how he centers students and listens to their stories.
“I see these skills as directly applicable in centering the student and listening to their story, along with how they want to tell it,” Henry says. “The diversity of the students’ aspirations and their creativity consistently inspire me in my own writing and worldview.”
Over the summer, Henry worked with a student on college essays and was struck by how similar their backgrounds were. “I understood how difficult his circumstances could feel because I was that high schooler twenty years ago.”
Since then, Henry has become deeply involved in Mission Graduates—attending events, sharing volunteer opportunities with his network, and serving as an interviewer for College Connect student interviews this fall.
As someone who lives in the Mission and champions hyperlocal community support, Henry gets what many people miss: “It’s not just about finishing high school, or getting into college, or even finishing college—it’s developing the whole person and supporting them through and through.”
That’s exactly what Mission Graduates does. And that’s why volunteers like Henry matter.
Thank you, Henry, for showing up for our students—again and again.
#VolunteerAppreciationMonth #MissionGraduates #CommunitySupport #Volunteers #EducationEquity
🧡 Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Bree Tse
Dr. Bree Tse is an Emergency Medicine physician who shows up for our students in every way possible—reading to elementary students, speaking on career panels at Mission High, and leading fundraising for our Food for Thought campaign.
“There are so many communities and kids who need help right now,” Bree says. “Being able to tap into my network and have them contribute to such a thoughtful, intentional program was extremely reassuring. I know we’re making impact where it matters.”
What keeps her engaged? The breadth of our work. “I can volunteer with elementary school kids in one session, then 16-year-olds in another. It’s rare within a single organization.”
One moment stuck with her: meeting Jorge Pacheco, a firefighter and Marshall Elementary alum who returned to read to students. “Seeing him come back as a community leader—that’s the work coming full circle.”
Another memory from Read Across America: reading a book about the first woman in medicine to young students. “Their innocence and curiosity was so refreshing. It gives me hope that by opening up pathways for kids at this age, their generation will be even more open-minded.”
Bree has volunteered at every stage of her life—teaching in housing projects, providing free medical care at homeless clinics, training with unhoused men during residency. Mission Graduates is where that commitment meets results.
“Mission Graduates is self-perpetuating—when you get kids to believe in themselves and give them tools to succeed, they truly can reach their potential.”
Thank you, Bree, for believing in our students and mobilizing your community to do the same.
#MissionGraduates #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #EducationalEquity #CommunitySupport #VolunteerSpotlight
