Pepsi-Cola has awarded two groups led by Scripps students a collective $20,000 for their efforts to cultivate community-driven projects as part of the Mountain Dew ‘Energize Your Community’ Contest.
The CIW Prison Garden Project, led by seniors Adrian Hodos and Hannah Segal, and ImMEDIATE Justice, led by senior Laney Rupp, each won $10,000 grants as finalists in the campaign, which seeks to empower social justice by donating funds to worthy organizations. Of those who submitted proposals, 10 received grant money as finalists.
In true Scripps fashion, both teams share a common goal of educating women in underserved environments; Justice helps young women leaders from Los Angeles to document sex education through short film and documentary, while the Garden Project works with inmates at the California Institute of Women in building organic gardening within the prison, with the crops harvested used in the facility’s kitchens.
In addition to Hodos and Segal, Cassandra Gamm ’11 and Halley Everall ’10 were key organizers for the Garden Project, with more than a dozen students from the Claremont Consortium actively involved. Members of Rupp’s team also included students from Brown and USC.
More information about the contest and other winning teams may be found at www.energizeyourcommunity.com.