Watching her grandmother struggle with Parkinson’s Disease, Gabriella Jaakkola couldn’t help but wonder whether scientific solutions could have slowed the disease’s progression and improved her quality of life. The devastating experience inspired the Middle College High School senior to pursue studies in STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“I came to understand the transformative power of science, not just in solving problems, but in instilling compassion and hope,” Jaakkola said.
Hercules High senior Naysa Yow Fletcher is also aware of the power of STEM thanks to studying inspiring Black figures in history. She cited Katherine Johnson, the African American mathematician and NASA trailblazer who helped the U.S. achieve spaceflight, as an inspiration in her pursuit of a career in STEM.
“She rose above in an era when it was challenging to be a Black woman,” said Fletcher, adding, “This made me realize they need you even when they don’t want you.”
Jaakkola and Fletcher are among four student winners of the 2025 Chevron Richmond Dr. William F. King college scholarship program. Letina Fesseha, a senior at Middle College, and Jazaria Youngston, a senior at De Anza High, rounded out this year’s winners. All four students earn straight ‘As’ in school, but they are equally impressive in their commitments to building community outside of the classroom, according to Lucia Watson, Operational Excellence Assurance Team Leader/Advisor at Chevron Richmond.
Watson chairs the Chevron Richmond Black Employee Network Scholarship Program, which has awarded college scholarships to deserving West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) seniors annually for the last 20 years. This year saw a 25 percent increase in the scholarship amounts, with the first-place winner earning $3,500. To earn the scholarship, students were tasked with writing an essay, which they later recited at Chevron BEN’s 26th Annual Black History Awareness Celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The scholarships are named in honor of Dr. William King, a distinguished Chevron chemical engineer of nearly three decades who was active in the community. King retired in 2003.
The Black History Awareness Celebration, and the Chevron Richmond Black Employee Network in general, are part of the company’s long-running effort to encourage and to benefit from diversity and inclusion within its staff. The Black Employee Network is one of 12 company-sponsored networks that exist to provide employees from minority or underserved groups with increased access to opportunities for career development, mentoring, company participation and community involvement.
Willie Robinson, president of the Richmond NAACP, and Dr. Kim Moses, interim superintendent of the WCCUSD, spoke at this year’s celebration at Chevron Richmond. Dr. Moses noted that she won the Chevron Richmond BEN scholarship when she was a senior at Kennedy High. Moses said she was moved by the winning students’ essays and is looking forward to watching them lead lives that inspire future generations.
“I want you to remember this moment, remember these accomplishments, and the proud applause of everyone in this room,” Moses said. “Remember, we are all pulling for you.”
WCCUSD Board of Education member Guadalupe Enllana was also in attendance, along with Harpeet Sandhu, representative of the Office of Congressmember John Garamendi, Richmond Councilmember Dr. Jamelia Brown and West County Wastewater Board of Directors member Annie King-Meredith.
Robinson lauded the efforts of Chevron Richmond’s leadership team for encouraging diversity and inclusion among employees, and for its ongoing support of students in the community through scholarships. In 2014, Chevron Richmond additionally invested $35 million in a 10-year program to provide every student in Richmond and North Richmond with $1,500 in annual scholarship, as well as financial guidance, to pursue a college or technical degree. Since 2016, over 4,200 Richmond Promise scholarships have been awarded to local students.
“We ask for Chevron Richmond’s continued support in giving a hand, not a hand-out, to young Black leaders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District,” Robinson said.
Jacob Ansley, Technical Department General Manager at Chevron Richmond, said he is proud to be one of the sponsors of the Chevron Richmond Black Employee Network. He noted that this year’s Black History Awareness Celebration was themed “Lifting As We Climb,” the motto of the National Association of Colored Women. He said the motto represents the Association’s “holistic approach to education, job preparedness, elderly care, fighting Jim Crow segregation and suffrage.”
“And at Chevron we believe that in order to enable human progress, we must invest in these smart and talented young men and women,” Ansley said.
