In 1999, Dr. Daniel Koshland Jr., the son of our foundation’s founding chairman, established the Koshland Young Leader Awards (KYLA), an awards program that recognizes young leaders who balance extraordinary challenges, yet continue to show academic promise and community leadership.
Candidates embrace a commitment to strengthening their families and communities despite facing formidable life challenges, such as economic and family responsibilities. Each year, 11 outstanding San Francisco Unified School District juniors are provided $10,000 each to fund tuition and/or education-related expenses. To date, the awards program has awarded nearly $1 million to more than 170 young leaders to give them a jump start as they enter college.
Click on the sections below to read more about the Koshland Young Leader Awards application requirements, process, and timeline.
Applications are officially closed.
2024 Koshland Young Leader Award Winners
- Alexia Ramirez – George Washington High School
- Aser Lloyd Sorongon – Galileo Academy of Science and Technology
- Elijah Arrington – George Washington High School
- Halima Cherif-Hminat – San Francisco International High School
- Jiahui Fu – Thurgood Marshall Academic High School
- Joleen Deng – Balboa High School
- Jose Anibal Castillo Najarro – San Francisco International High School
- Kelly Du – Abraham Lincoln High School
- Nohemí Muxnay Méndez - San Francisco International High School
- Rachel Tse – George Washington High School
- Reem Algazali – San Francisco International High School
- Toby Li – Balboa High School
Application Requirements
Competitive candidates must:
- be a junior in a San Francisco Unified School District High School
- have demonstrated academic excellence (at least a 3.4 GPA) and be college/junior college – bound.
- have demonstrated significant leadership in their community, school, work, and/or home including active participation in school clubs, sports, volunteer work, paid work, religious community, college prep programming, family responsibilities, etc.
- have overcome significant hardship (e.g., unstable housing, non-native English speaker, economic insecurity, health or mental health issues, immigrant story, family situation, etc.)
- have a recommendation from a teacher, counselor, school administrator, or college prep program staff who can speak to their qualifications. The recommendation should not be from a relative.
Tax ID or SSN not required to apply, however if selected, the student will need to provide either Tax ID or SSN. If you do not have a Tax ID, this organization can help you obtain one.
Application Process and Timeline
February 8, 2024: Student applications are open for the 2024 Koshland Young Leader Awards.
April 8, 2024: Applications are due.
Late May 2024: San Francisco Foundation notifies all 2024 Koshland Young Leader Award winners.
June 2024: Event to celebrate the 2024 awardees.
How to Apply
Applications are officially closed.
For questions about the awards program or the application, please contact Mayra Roman at mroman[at]sff.org.
Past Koshland Young Leader Award Winners
2023 Koshland Young Leader Award Winners
| Sofie Azmi | Abraham Lincoln High School |
| Melany Flores | San Francisco International High School |
| Lucia Gomez | San Francisco International High School |
| Fiona Ma | Lowell High School |
| Nixon Ooi | Life Learning Academy |
| Samrawit Tesfai | Balboa High School |
| Meagan To | George Washington High School |
| Tiarri Washington | Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts |
| JiaHui Wen | San Francisco International High School |
| Mandy Zhao | Balboa High School |
| Cammy Zou | Galileo Academy of Science and Technology |
2022 Koshland Young Leader Award Winners
| Yuli Zhang Hung | Mission High School |
| Thailyah Leeann Miller | Gateway High School |
| Nathaly Perez | Mission High School |
| Janessa Reyes | Mission High School |
| Vicky Huang | George Washington High School |
| William Cao | Lowell High School |
| Sally Hong | Lowell High School |
| Tuvana Soronzonbold | Mission High School |
| Roman Alvarado Munoz | San Francisco International High School |
| Yena Im | Lowell High School |
| Winnie Yu | Raoul Wallenberg High School |
2021 Koshland Young Leader Award Winners
| Agnes Liang | Mission High School |
| Jazmine Guzman de Anda | John O’Connell High School |
| Joanna Chen | Balboa High School |
| John Huynh | Balboa High School |
| Johnny Lin | George Washington High School |
| Kristel Mantilla Ulloa | Mission High School |
| Lilian Emelife | Phillip and Sala Burton High School |
| Marcus Young | Galileo High School |
| Kaylie (Meiqi) Li | Balboa High School |
| Songia Goodwin | Mission High School |
| Wilson Wu | Galileo High School |