ANNUAL BILL RUSSELL SCHOLARSHIP
Born in Monroe, Louisiana and raised in Oakland, California, Bill Russell graduated from McClymonds High School in Oakland before attending the University of San Francisco on a basketball scholarship.
Russell is most often remembered for his central role in the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships during the 13 seasons that he played on the team. He is commonly considered the greatest defensive center to have ever played the game.
While his achievements on the court drew national acclaim and led to his receiving of virtually every NBA honor, including a place in the Hall-of-Fame, Russell faced an entirely different battle off the court through much of his life. Growing up in Louisiana, Russell faced a continuous battle against racial harassment, which followed him all the way through college and eventually led to his activism in the American Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the continuous racial attacks, Russell remained strong and determined to ignore the ignorance of others in order to excel at the highest level.
Bill Russell is a winner on and off the court. In honor of his passion, dedication and persistence to succeed against all odds, each year the Summit Bank Foundation will award a one-year Bill Russell Scholarship to a student who has overcome adversity in their journey for success in education.
The foundation does not accept formal proposals for the Bill Russell Scholarship. The foundation seeks out inspirational individuals who strive to achieve greatness in their educational pursuits.
Second Annual Bill Russell Scholarship
The latest recipient of the Annual Bill Russell Scholarship went to Jovonte Young. He has overcome hugh obstacles in order to attend Cal State. The quote Jovonte, "by being able to attend Cal State East Bay it is the beginning of a new life, fresh hope, and a future he can trust."
Jovonte’ Young has attended many schools and moved many times in his life. He went to Longfellow Elementary, Havenscourt Middle School, Westlake Middle School, Oakland Tech, and McClymonds High School. That is just in Oakland. He did not stay at a school long enough to make close friends. After his father’s death, he moved to Richmond. While in Richmond he woke up every day not knowing if he was going to make it to school or how he was going to survive, because his mother didn’t have the sufficient funds to support him.
Because of lack of performance at Oakland Tech, his mother transferred him to McClymonds High school where his grandmother, Geraldine Bradford worked. He found a support system in her.
His grandmother was a close friend of his English teacher, Marsha Rhynes. The two of them motivated him to work hard, to believe in himself, and set goals. They encouraged him to continue to write to express his feelings and to apply for as many scholarships as possible. It turned out that their work in the tenth grade helped him win his first scholarship.
His grades were not as good as they should have been, but he knew that they did not reflect him as a person or his capabilities. He loved the fact that he had the chance to enhance his knowledge because he always heard that knowledge is power.
Throughout it all, the dream of attending college sustained and motivated him; education was his hope. In the fall, he will be attending Cal State East Bay. It is the beginning of a new life, fresh hope, and a future he can trust.
First Annual Bill Russell Scholarship
NBA Hall-of-Famer, Bill Russell, formally presented the First Annual Bill Russell Scholarship on behalf of the Summit Bank Foundation, to Patrice Webb on Monday, August 15th at the Summit Bank Foundation's 2005 Celebrity Golf Invitational at the Diablo Country Club in Danville, California.
An Oakland youth from McClymonds High School, Patrice was one of five students to be profiled by the San Francisco Chronicle for her success in overcoming adversity as she strived for achievement in school. From the split of her parents and the continued absence of her father, Patrice has faced many difficulties in her mission to graduate from McClymonds High School, where nearly 2/3 of the 344 students who entered ninth grade with Patrice, had dropped out. Now, four years later, Patrice achieved her dream of graduating High School and was accepted to the freshman class at the College of Alameda where she began this fall.
Based on her drive to succeed against all odds, the Summit Bank Foundation awarded Patrice Webb with a one-year Bill Russell Scholarship, to help cover the cost of tuition, books and course materials.
On June 27th , 2005 Mayor Jerry Brown and the President/CEO of the Bay Area Council, Jim Wunderman, presented a scholarship grant to Brandon Logans, a student at St. Mary's High School, who was invited to participate in the 2005 Cambridge College Summer Programme at the University of Cambridge in England.
(Left) Jim Wunderman, President of the Bay Area Council, looks on as Mayor of Oakland, Jerry Brown, presents a grant check from the Summit Bank Foundation to Brandon Logans (right) for his trip to the Cambridge Summer College Programme in England. Brandon's grandmother (back left) and mother (back right) watch with pride from the background.
Due to financial circumstances, Brandon would not have been able to attend the program if it were not for the Summit Bank Foundation contributing the funds necessary to pay for his tuition.
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Animal Rescue League (Matching Grant)
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