POE-South Bay is an independent chapter of our parent organization POE with the same mission and goals. Since our founding in 2015 we have provided financial aid and mentoring to 48 students, fulfilling their dreams of attending college, and have 14 graduates as of 2022. In our first year we raised just $13,000 and three students were selected to receive our funding. Presently we have raised over $500,000 and take between seven and ten students per year. What sets us apart from other scholarships programs is that we fund the students until they graduate, we are an all-volunteer program, and 98% of our funds raised go directly to help the students.

We are working with students who come from 3 high schools in San Jose and 1 in Los Gatos. Each student we accept into the program is matched with a mentor who helps the student navigate the challenges of college.  Since most of the students are first generation, the mentorship is vital for their success and graduating. POE-South Bay has a graduation rate of almost 80%, which is far above the national average for similar students.

We will continue to collaborate with these high schools to increase the scholarships offered, based on our fund raising abilities.

• Los Gatos High School
• Lincoln High School
• Pioneer High School
• Independence High School