Tag Archives: Neighborhood Voices Scholarship

East Sacramento Preservation recently received a heartfelt thank you letter from Lucy Higginbotham, a 2025 graduate of Umoja International Academy and recipient of this year’s ESP Scholarship. Lucy is headed to Cal Poly Humboldt to pursue studies in wildlife—her passion and academic focus—and she took the time to write us a beautiful letter, complete with hand-drawn illustrations of local birds she loves.

In her letter, Lucy shared that the scholarship was not only a welcome surprise but also a meaningful contribution to her journey into higher education. It’s a reminder that our neighborhood’s support doesn’t stop at our sidewalks. It travels with our young people as they take the next step in life.

This scholarship program is one of the most impactful ways ESP contributes to the future of our community. It reaches students directly, uplifts dreams, and reinforces the values of stewardship, learning, and local investment. And this letter—thoughtful, personal, creative—is proof that it matters.

We thank Lucy for sharing her gratitude and her art with us. And we reaffirm our belief that this scholarship program has legs. It is not only alive but growing, with the potential to expand and strengthen as our neighborhood continues to invest in its next generation.

Let’s keep it going.