Celebration Honors 10 Resilient Napa County High School Graduates
Napa, California—March 17, 2025–If Given A Chance (IGAC) will honor 10 Napa County high school students who, with the help of this non-profit organization, faced extraordinary challenges and committed to continue their education.
The “Celebrating Our Stars” event, which is open to the public, takes place from 5-8 p.m. May 12 at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. Tickets to the event and information on being a sponsor are available at https://www.ifgivenachance.org/celebrate-our-stars
The event will feature IGAC alumnus Anastasia Novozhilova, who attended Brandeis University outside of Boston, MA, where she received a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in international finance. Today, Anastasia lives in San Francisco with her husband and two daughters and works as a product manager in digital commerce for a leading technology company.
As a child, Anastasia faced many challenges, including poverty, homelessness, and abuse. She eventually ended up living with her sister in foster care in Napa. Her life had somewhat stabilized in 2007 by the time she was selected for IGAC as a junior at Vintage High School. However, she said she still needed the support that IGAC provided.
“Having an organization like If Given A Chance standing behind me and providing support really made a difference when I was a 16-year-old from an immigrant background living in foster care,” Anastasia said. “They were an additional champion of my educational journey outside of my high school counselor and teachers. If Given A Chance especially helped me make the difficult switch from foster care to college, as there were not the transitional programs back then that there are today.”
“Because of the experience I had with If Given A Chance, I understand the importance of helping students who face the type of challenges that I experienced,” Anastasia added. “Therefore, I am dedicated to assisting young people as a board member of Students Rising Above, which partners with If Given A Chance to provide students with continuing support through their college careers.”
Besides Anastasia’s story, attendees will also hear the stories of the 10 graduating seniors being honored:
Liam Allen, Napa High School
Jasmine Calderon, Vintage High School
Jimena Castillo, Vintage High School
Linda Colin Jurado, American Canyon High School
Jesus Coria, American Canyon High School
Lilianna Gonzalez, Napa High School
Quetzaly Hernandez Rojas, Vintage High School
Jose Pina Verduzco, Napa High School
Hannah Root, Valley Oak High School
Evan Winkler, Justin Siena High School
The graduates will receive certificates from California State Senator Christopher Cabaldon, D-Napa; Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters; US Rep. Mike Thompson, D- St. Helena; and IGAC representatives. Napa County Superior Court Judge Scott R. L. Young will introduce each student following the tradition of his father, retired Napa County Superior Court Judge Ron Young, who performed this function at the awards ceremony for over 20 years.
Organizations sponsoring the event include PG&E, The Doctors Company, Kaiser, Gasser Foundation and Queen of the Valley Foundation.
About If Given A Chance
If Given A Chance identifies vulnerable, yet resilient, Napa County high school juniors who have faced extraordinary challenges and demonstrated a commitment to continuing their education to better their lives. It helps students regain their sense of self-worth, emotional balance, and independent living skills through mentoring, life-skills training, mental health support, and financial assistance. IGAC provides ongoing support as these students navigate the challenges of obtaining a college degree or completing a technical training program so they can achieve job security, experience increased quality of life, and become contributing members of their community.
For more information, contact: Angela Cooper, Director of Growth at 707-260-5656 or email info@ifgivenachance.org.