In 1999, Dr. Daniel Koshland Jr., the son of our foundation’s founding chairman, established the Koshland Youth Leadership Awards (KYLA), a scholarship program that recognizes young leaders who balance extraordinary challenges, including family separation and homelessness, yet continue to show academic promise and community leadership.
To date, the awards have given nearly $1M to more than 100 young leaders to give them a jump start as they enter college. KYLA alumni, such as 2012 recipient Edith Melendez, have pursued college degrees and continue their community involvement. Melendez graduation from UC Davis in 2017 and now works as an Instructional Aid assisting recent immigrants. “I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to work and give back to my San Francisco international community,” she says.
Each year, the Koshland Young Leader Awards provide $10,000 each to up to 11 outstanding San Francisco public high school juniors from low-income families.
Call for Nominations: The San Francisco Foundation 2021 Koshland Young Leader Awards
Stay tuned for the 2021 KYLA open call.
Nomination Process
This is a three-part nomination process:
- Part 1: Teacher/counselor submits the online teacher nomination form, including complete official high school transcript.
- Part 2: Student submits online self-nomination form.
- Part 3: Finalists will be invited to a mandatory in-person interview at the San Francisco Foundation.
Notes
Late and/or incomplete nominations will not be considered. Nominators may submit multiple nominations. If you have any questions about the KYLA program, please contact Ali Sirkus Brody at abrody[at]sff.org.
2020 KYLA Winners
| Elisa Aguilar Cinto | San Francisco International High School |
| Kathya Almanza Correa | June Jordan School For Equity |
| Gabriela Gonzalez Martinez | San Francisco International High School |
| Isreal Laviene | Mission High School |
| Jyairrah Martin | Ruth Asawa School of the Art |
| Jasmin Martinez | Leadership High School |
| Karin Andrea Muniz | San Francisco International High School |
| Nahomi Ruiz-Mejia | KIPP Bayview |
| Rana Salem | Balboa High School |
| Thiri Than | Balboa High School |
| Tien Tran | Mission High School |