RISE TOGETHER EDUCATION

Meet a Few of the Hearts & Souls of RTE!

DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

“The college years can be wonderful, but also can be challenging and unpredictable. As a mentor, I try to help my students navigate hurdles in their college journeys. Whatever the issue - a challenging class or a roommate conflict - I enjoy the opportunity to talk with students and try to find solutions so that their college experience can be as smooth as possible."

— Melanie Norall, RTE Mentor

CARING MENTORS NEEDED

Since RTE began 10 years ago, mentorship has been at the heart of our commitment to our scholars, many of whom are first-generation college students. We start training our mentors in January for May graduation. Show your interest by emailing us at info@risetogethered.org.

Melanie Norall is one of the many wonderful RTE mentors who form a supportive safety net for our scholars. Hear directly from her below.

Watch Melanie’s video on mentoring RTE scholars

STUDENT PROFILE: EVELYN ESTRADA-PEREZ

Evelyn Estrada-Perez is a second-year student at Foothill College. She is studying Sociology. Read her entire interview here.

What was your experience like going to Paly?  

Evelyn: My experience at Paly was incredibly enriching. Learning new, academically challenging subjects each year was made easy by the amazing teachers at Paly, who crafted the curriculum and form of instruction that showcased their values as educators. Some of my favorite classes were my history classes from my sophomore and junior years because my teachers taught and tested our learning through creative projects and summative writing assessments, instead of multiple-choice tests. This allowed my critical thinking skills to skyrocket and sparked my love for the social sciences. The child development classes I took at Paly were also some of my favorites. Being able to participate in fieldwork experiences at Greendell and Escondido Elementary Schools allowed me to take my learning to the next level in the best possible way and also drove my passion for working with children in the future. 

JASON AUZENNE IS SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS

A recent story on KPIX CBS Bay Area by reporter Mary Lee interviewed our very own RTE scholar Jason Auzenne (Paly, Class of 2024) about his journey in aviation. He is receiving support from the nonprofit Bay Area Urban Eagles to obtain his FAA certification to become a commercial pilot. Watch the clip here.

THE DRIVING FORCE: RTE PRESIDENT TIDA VIOLANTE

Tida Violante began volunteering with RTE in 2018 as Secretary of the Board, then moved to President in December 2022. Read the full interview here.

Q: Tell us about your life growing up and what it was like attending Paly as a high school student yourself.

A: In 1980, I arrived in Palo Alto as a nine-year-old from Bangkok, Thailand, to live with my American father and family. I did not speak any English and he did not speak any Thai so it was a very lonely time and challenging time for me culturally. But at Green Gables Elementary School (now Duveneck), PAUSD provided me with a lovely English teacher, Alice Bulos. Mrs. Bulos pulled me out of my third-grade classroom to teach me English and also American culture. She also taught my 9th grade English class. At Paly, I was the class president every year, rally commissioner and student body president, but I still always felt like an outsider. At that time, there was hardly any diversity in Palo Alto as a result of redlining. The Student Activity Director, Mrs. Bakken, a Chinese-American woman, helped guide me through the ups and downs of high school life. My early years in Thailand ingrained in me an awareness of economic disparity and cultural differences. I hoped that by taking on leadership roles, my peers would have greater exposure to and appreciation for others with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. For example, we held candlelit vigils for MLK Day and had chopstick competitions with the football players. 

Q: How did you first hear about RTE and what prompted you to get involved?

A: When I returned to live here in 2019, I was appalled by the lack of low-income housing, the existence of trailers everywhere, and the huge wealth gap that has developed in this region in the past three decades of the growth of Silicon Valley. I saw middle school children with $200 designer t-shirts and I wondered what happened to the grounded Palo Alto that I knew growing up. I wondered how the working class survived here. My children enrolled in PAUSD so I heard about RTE in a Paly e-newsletter asking for volunteers. 

HELPING SCHOLARS LEARN LIFE SKILLS FOR TODAY’S JOB MARKET

The Networking and Career Panel, organized by board member and RTE alum Brianna Moreno-Alcocer and held on November 9th. It was an engaging event designed to give students practical, real-world guidance for beginning their professional journeys by 6 young professionals, 5 of whom are RTE alumni. Attended by RTE students from across graduating classes, mentors, and led by professionals with varied career and academic backgrounds, the panel covered a wide range of topics. It included how to obtain internships, request recommendations from professors, and build confidence around networking, both on LinkedIn and in person. Speakers also discussed navigating anxieties around submitting résumés, effective interviewing tips, and how to begin the job search. Through open conversation and candid insights, the event equipped attendees with the knowledge and encouragement needed to pursue opportunities and form meaningful connections.

Memorable quotes from our panelists are shown below.

Sydney Schwan on the power of internships:

"I speed applied to I think over 500 internships. On Handshake. I just interviewed and took what I could get because I think internships are a very exploratory phase. Which is the best time to try something that you might like or not. If it’s something you do not want to do it still creates diversity in your whole work path".

Zharit Brand Robles on comparing yourself with others:

"Sometimes I hate going on LinkedIn though, I don’t know if it's just me or anyone else but it's my depressive app because I see all the amazing things other people are doing and I tend to compare. But I ground myself… Don’t let it get to you just think about all the amazing things you will be doing later on”. 

Brooklyn Hutchison on networking anxiety:

“As someone who is constantly nervous in any interaction, especially professional, I think the only way to get past that is to practice.Treating other things as a networking event can really help you get that practice. Sometimes I have to start off a conversation by mentioning that I am nervous in order to work past it".

Thank you to Brianna Moreono-Alcocer, David Wei, Brooklyn Hutchinson, Sydney Schwan, Susan Cacho, and Zharit Brand-Robles for helping us make this another successful job hunting panel!

Nothing is more meaningful than giving the gift of education! Please remember our scholars this giving season. Your support means our young neighbors will reach their dreams of graduating from college. 98% of funds raised go directly to our scholars from low-income families.

Happy Holidays and enjoy time with your loved ones!

From all of us at Rise Together Education…