Jenna Sue Souza Furst Memorial Scholarship Fund

My Mom’s (Jenna Sue Souza-Furst) story begins with me moving to California when I was two and my mom was twenty. My mom was finding new hope and opportunity when moving to northern California from Racine, Wisconsin. 

I do not remember much about when I was very little, but I do remember in school pictures she always wanted me to look my best. My Nana (Mom’s Mom) recently told me a story that she was working two jobs, Starbucks and Holiday Market in order to care for and provide for me. One day she told my Nana that she “had enough” and she enrolled in a technical college in Sacramento. I remember vividly going into lectures with her in the evening and she would have me read an iSpy book. 

My mom eventually got her degree from college and started a career in the daylighting industry. She got a job at Sunoptics as a customer service agent and quickly rose the ladder. She was eventually flying across the western United States giving presentations to CEO’s and COO’s of Pepsi and Coca-Cola about the need for natural daylight in buildings. I remember that she was gone for 2-3 days a week while I was in 3rd-7th grade grinding her job in order for us to be financially sound. My mom was always adamant about not taking any financial help from anyone, including the government. My mom was always giving me the best childhood a child could ask for. I remember going on a cruise to the Catalina Islands and Baja, Mexico when I was in 3rd grade. After the cruise was finished, I saw an advertisement for a week-long cruise to Alaska. Me being me, in 3rd grade I told my mom that my dream vacation would be a cruise to Alaska when I turned 13. She took that to heart and two months before I turned 13, we went on a week-long Alaskan cruise. 

With my mom traveling so much for work, I had the opportunity to go with her on a couple of trips to New York City and Los Angeles. My mom also took me to Hawaii, a whopping three times. I am so thankful and grateful that I was able to experience those places, especially with her. My mom also always pushed me to do good in school. I struggled my first year at high school, but with my mom’s help, I was able to accomplish a 4.0 for the rest of my High School career. My mom encouraged me to apply for some scholarships to pay for college. I submitted my “Is America a Republic?” essay for the contest with the El Dorado County Republican Women Federated group. To my surprise, I won the scholarship and was able to pay for my books for two semesters. 

My mom saw me being active in local government/politics and wanted to be a part of it herself. She eventually joined the El Dorado County Republican Women Federated (EDCRWF) group as a Second Vice President. My mom would call me while I would be at college telling me all about the club she was in and what their meeting was about. After high school, I went off to college at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Again, I struggled my first semester, but with my mom’s support, I was able to achieve a 4.0 my last semester at UWGB. Whenever my mom and I would drive to college she always wanted to make a trip out of it. Before my first year at college, we explored Yellowstone National Park. Before my second year at college, we camped outside of Mount Rushmore and explored the surrounding area. My mom always enjoyed being outdoors and we would take numerous hikes throughout the summer and go kayaking and fishing. One of her favorite activities was rock hounding (searching/digging for crystals). I never particularly enjoyed it, but it was good to see my mom happy when she was doing it. 

Another one of my mom’s favorite hobbies was gardening. She was always outside at the end of the day watering her plants and would get very excited when her flowers would bloom. While I was at college, she would often send me pictures of her flowers blooming. One of my favorite things to do while I was at college with my mom was to send each other sunset pictures. I was two hours ahead of CA time zone, so it was always interesting to see the sunset differences. My mom’s sunset pictures were often better than mine. My mom always wanted nothing but the best for me. She has taught me how to be the respectful, responsible, and kind young man that I am today. When I am a father one day, if I am half as good of a dad as my mom was to me, my children will be grateful and happy throughout their childhood. 

When my mom passed away earlier this year, I thought of the idea of creating a scholarship in her honor at El Dorado High School so that she could “live on” and bring happiness and success to people. I want this scholarship to spread light on mental health and mental health awareness. It seems today that we have a stigma against mental health and mental health resources. I want to bridge the gap in both by offering this scholarship opportunity. Prospective scholarship award winners will write an essay explaining why mental health is important and shed light on mental health awareness. I also want students to be able to go to a free therapy session of their choice just to try it out and see if they like it. Before my mom passed, my family and I tried getting her a therapist for weeks, to no avail. So, offering a free therapy session would allow someone who might not be able to afford or go to therapy a chance to go. 

This year the scholarship will be for $1,000 for college or trade school education, plus a free therapy session of up to $250 value.  This scholarship will be open to graduating seniors of my Alma Mater, El Dorado High School.  Based on funding available in the future it could be expanded to other El Dorado County high schools.

Jenna Sue Souza Furst Memorial-Scholarship Fund EIN: 93-2430026

Thank you for your support,

Dylan Souza