2009

JOYA Scholars was founded in 2009 by Dr. Kevin Doi (founding pastor, Epic Church) and Carey Jeu (Boeing). Kevin, Carey, and a group of volunteers surveyed hundreds of families in Fullerton’s Garnet neighborhood and discovered that no one could identify a single university graduate that had originated from the neighborhood in the last 3 decades.

2009-2015

JOYA Scholars operated from a single bedroom in one-half of a residential duplex in the heart of the Garnet neighborhood. We formed relationships with neighborhood families, established our College Readiness Program, and formed our core services—Tutoring and Mentoring.

2015-2019

JOYA Scholars grew from a handful of high school students and one site to 100 junior high and high school students and two sites. We formed two more core services—College Apps Academy and Parent Academy. In the Garnet neighborhood, we moved our services from the residential duplex to Topaz Elementary School. We moved our administrative office and expanded our services to the Maple neighborhood, and eventually to Maple Elementary School.

2020-2021

In the wake of COVID-19, JOYA Scholars moved to virtual programming. In the first 3 months of the pandemic, we mobilized our partners to provide over $80,000 in direct relief to over 500 Garnet and Maple neighborhood families who had experienced job, housing, & food insecurity.

In fall 2021, we returned to in-person programming and launched additional student support services—Service & Leadership Academy, Grad Photoshoot Day, Alumni Network, Elementary After School Program, and Charlemos Culture & Conversation Club.

2022-2023

JOYA Scholars’ team of 4 full-time staff, 2 Federal Work-Study employees, 4 volunteer leaders, and 35 volunteer tutors & mentors work with 100 elementary, junior high, & high school students, and 50 college students. With the pandemic subsiding, our Board of Directors and key stakeholders will now work this year to form a 3-year strategic plan, set to launch in 2023.