John O’Connell Technical High School is a public school in the Mission District of Francisco. As we approach graduation, we are excited to celebrate our seniors and their accomplishments. However, many of our students come from low-income families and may not have the means to afford the graduation trip to Disneyland planned for the end of the year. The majority of our graduating seniors have never been to Disneyland due to financial hardship.

John O’Connell Technical High School serves a diverse student population, with 78% of students identified as low-income and qualify for free or reduced lunch. Many of our students are first-generation college students and the children of immigrants and will be the first people in their families to graduate high school. This year, we have a lot of houseless students and students with insecure housing, making it even more difficult for them to afford this trip.

From our students:

"My mom is a single mom with a minimum wage job with 3 kids . I did have a job recently but I quit due to the fact I am a senior and focus more into school and my mental health . I always wanted the Disneyland experience since a child. My childhood wasn’t like every other kid, I want to live my inner child . and also wanna experience a picture with the minnie-mouse ears :)"

"I want to go on the trip to celebrate the end of my senior year and time at John O’Connell with my friends. And I could use help of financial support because it’s an extra cost for my mom and she’s currently not working so a scholarship to pay for my ticket would help."

"I want to go to Disneyland because I’ve never been there before and it’s really far. My dad doesn’t have a stable job right now because he works in construction and the weather affects my dad being able to work."

"The reason why I would like to go to Disney Grad is because I would love to experience it. I never really leave my family, but I would love to have one last night with my family at OC. Unfortunately, my parents can not afford much money because of their job. Due to the rain some jobs have closed up, my parents struggle financially so the only way that I could afford it myself is by doing internships. I can not do internships at the moment due to school, and responsibilities I have at home. So applying for this scholarship and getting donations would be of so much help and I would be very greatful!"

"The reason I need financial support is because my family has been having some financial problems due to the weather. Since my dad works in roof construction, but they haven’t been working because of the rain. That is why I need financial support and I have never gone to Disneyland."

"Going to Disney land means a lot to me because I’ve never been there and to have an opportunity to go with the school and my old friends would mean a lot to me."

"I always wanted to go to Disneyland to celebrate graduation since I've heard stories from friends about the different rides and food at Disneyland. It would be fun going with all my friends since I haven't ever been able to go because my family can't afford it."

"I’d like to go to the grad trip field trip to make new experiences and meet new people and make friends. I need financial support in order to save up money for college tuition, going to Disney land would be a memorable experience for me because I’d have never been so be able to go would be nice."

"I would like to go because I think it would be a memorable experience for me and my fellow senior friends. I need financial support because I do not have access to my own money and I am not on speaking terms with my parents for personal reasons, and they have made it clear that they will not be willing to pay for any further expenses throughout my senior year."

"I want to go on the Disney land trip because I have never been there due to the cost. In my family only my dad works and my mom is a stay-at-home mom so it’s really hard for us to go out on trips or vacations due to my mom having to take care of my younger sibilings. It would be a dream come true for me to be able to visit Disneyland and spend time there as part of being a senior in high school."

"I want to go on the trip because I've never been to Disney before. I need financial support because my family is low-income and doesn't generate a lot of money, We are a family of 5 and we've only ever gone on one trip out of San Francisco for that exact reason. Going to Disney means having fun and enjoying being with my friends."

78% of the student population is socio-economically disadvantaged and qualifies for free or reduced lunch. 67.7% of the student population is Latino, 10.7% is African American/Black, 6.5% is Asian, 6.5% Filipino and many are dreamers.

Please consider giving anything you can so students can celebrate this tremendous accomplishment in their lives!