Bolts honor 2008 Chargers Champions

Chargers President Dean Spanos sat in his office Tuesday afternoon shortly after meeting one of the 16 members of the 2008 Chargers Champions class and couldn’t help but dream big for High Tech High International junior Yura Salter.

 

“This might be the next Bill Gates right there,” Spanos said. “It could happen. These are our future leaders.”

 

Salter had just told Spanos about his desire to pursue a career in the Information Technology field, and a $7,000 scholarship from the Spanos Family will help make that happen. 

 

Salter is one of 16 San Diego County juniors who will be recognized Wednesday Night at a reception at the Hotel Del Coronado as the 2008 Chargers Champions.  Scholarship winners will receive $7,000 toward their education as well as a laptop computer courtesy of Sony. The reception is presented by Wells Fargo.

 

“I was kind of shocked when I found out I won,” Salter said. “I want to continue my education but money is an issue. I’m really appreciative that the Chargers are helping me.”

 

In addition to recognizing 16 deserving students, nine San Diego-area schools will receive more than $400,000 in scholarships, grants and computers. The grants will be used to improve physical fitness, athletic or nutrition programs on each campus. 

 

The contribution on behalf of the Chargers Champions ranks as the largest private education-based gift in San Diego County for the ninth year in a row.

 

“San Diego has struggled financially in the last few years, and unfortunately at the cost of the educational system,” Spanos said. “You visit some of the schools and they’re just so short on everything. Anything you can do to help the schools improve their facilities or help the students get started in their education is a benefit to them.”

 

The goal of Chargers Champions is to help give young leaders an opportunity to succeed, and it’s not the first time Salter has benefited from a helping hand. As a young child, he was abandoned by his alcoholic parents and ended up in an orphanage in his native country of Ukraine, which is part of the former Soviet Union. At the age of four, he and his sister were adopted by a San Diego couple and moved to the United States.

 

“I had no clue what we were doing when we got on the plane with my new family,” Salter said. “I didn’t know why they were crying and hugging us when my parents came to get us. Now I know that I was very fortunate.”

 

In order to be considered for a Chargers Champions scholarship, students must take an active role in leadership and community service. Salter donates much of his time to the Presbyterian Crisis Center at his church where he regularly encounters people facing some of the same difficulties he did as a child, such as alcoholism and homelessness. Scholarship winners are involved in a wide variety of charitable organizations and activities that benefit others. 

 

“This is not just about academics,” Spanos said. “It’s also about leadership. We want well-rounded students who are putting forth an effort to give back to their communities.” 

 

Jim Esterbrooks of the San Diego County Office of Education has served on the Chargers Champions selection committee for each of the nine years of the program’s existence. He finds himself continually marveling at stories like those of Salter and the many others that have come before him.

 

“Some of the individual stories are just overwhelming,” Esterbrooks said. “The level of achievement they’ve attained is pretty striking. I think it’s a complement to the Spanos family and the Chargers’ leadership that they’ve put together something that’s so beneficial.” 

 

In addition to Salter, the 2008 scholarship winners include Amanda Ashwill from Santana High School; Ramona’s Elizabeth Branco; Alice Cash from Canyon Crest Academy; Adelaide Dyer from El Capitan High; San Pasqual High’s JoLynn Earl; Antonio Figueroa from Herbert Hoover High; West Hills High School’s Taylor Hye; Lucas Lancaster from St. Augustine; Jennifer MacCongahy of Ramona High; Mary Naoom from El Cajon Valley High School: Harmony Palmer of El Camino High; Mt. Carmel High’s Archana Ramesh; Celena Robinson from Palomar High; Daley Vertiz of Bonita Vista High School; and Jade Wagner from Hilton High.

 

“We’re just grateful to be able to get these students jumpstarted in their education,” Spanos said. “We feel very fortunate to be able to help the future leaders of our city and our nation. It’s our responsibility to help them in any way that we can.”

 

Kearny High School received the largest of the school grants this year as the campus was awarded $75,000 to replace an aging and worn out weight room. Calvin Christian High, received $55,000 for football equipment. Chula Vista’s Castle Park Middle School will use its $40,000 grant to build an outdoor circuit course.  

 

El Camino High School in Oceanside received $30,000 for a patch course and weight room. Hilltop Drive Elementary in Chula Vista will build an outdoor fitness center with the $28,000 it will receive. Cubberly Elementary in San Diego is set to construct basketball courts with its $27,000. Greg Rogers Elementary ($21,000 for a track for disabled students), Washington Elementary ($18,000 for general P.E. equipment) and Lakeside Farms Elementary ($5,000 for core strength equipment) round out the beneficiaries.     

 

A volunteer selection committee of 16 key business, community and educational leaders interview student applicants and review grant candidates. The committee is comprised of Doris Alvarez, Retired Principal; Reuben Barrales, SD Regional Chamber of Commerce; Dr. David Chao, Oasis Sports Medical Group; Marilyn Creson Brown, Silberrad Inc.; Dr. Terry Grier, SD Unified School District; Chuck Lemoine, Sr., Wells Fargo Bank; John Shacklett, San Diego High School Sports Association; A.G. Spanos, San Diego Chargers; John Spanos, San Diego Chargers; Susie Spanos, San Diego Chargers; Ed Trimble, KFMB Stations; Bruce Ward, San Diego City Schools; Dr. Randolph Ward, San Diego County Schools; Ed Wallace, Sony USA Foundation; Bob Watkins, R.J. Watkins & Co. and Esterbrooks.

 

“It’s been extremely enjoyable for me to be involved with Chargers Champions because there’s such a direct impact on students,” Esterbrooks said. “The benefit is so clear and direct for both the students receiving the scholarships and those gaining from the grants, it’s so rewarding to be a part of something that is helping kids so profoundly.”

 

Over the course of the program’s nine-year existence, Chargers Champions has honored 175 students and 73 schools with more than $3.5 million in total contributions. Spanos’ favorite part of the program is the feedback he receives from those that have benefited from it.

“I think the most rewarding thing is when we receive letters from past recipients updating us on how they have benefited from the program,” Spanos said. “That says it all right there. They’ve finished their education and moved on to become responsible and productive citizens. Our goal is to help them do that, and it always touches me when we hear that they’ve succeeded.”