Mission Statement
The JAC Scholarship Foundation empowers students who successfully graduate from Glen Alta Elementary and high schools in the Northeast Los Angeles by providing financial support and encouragement as they pursue higher education. Our mission is to promote and inspire by providing the resources to help them grow into confident scholars, skilled professionals, and engaged members of their community. The JAC Scholarship Foundation supports students as they advance to college, university, trade programs, or vocational schools, and we strive to inspire a culture of achievement, resilience, and lifelong learning.
Our beginnings…
The Jesse & Anne Carrillo (JAC) Scholarship Foundation was established to commemorate the lifelong dedication of its founder and benefactor, Jesse Carrillo, to the youth of Lincoln Heights and the surrounding communities.
Jesse grew up in the Happy Valley neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, attended Glen Alta Elementary School, and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, blocks from his childhood home. After serving honorably in the United States Navy with tours in Vietnam from 1970 to 1974, Jesse returned home determined to give back to the community that shaped him.
He helped launch a youth football program with his brother, Albert “Woody” Carrillo, in Lincoln Heights that taught discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, values that continue to influence generations of young athletes. Since its inception in 1975, the program has developed thousands of youth, creating a ripple effect of positive change and community involvement. Yet Jesse’s vision reached far beyond the field. He recognized that education was the key to lasting change, whether through college or vocational training, and made it his mission to open those doors for local students.
Today, the JAC Scholarship Foundation carries forward the vision by providing up to $5,000 in educational scholarships to students who attend and graduate from Glen Alta Elementary School and subsequently complete high school.
Our mission is simple but powerful: to plant the seed of higher education, inspire personal growth, and bridge the gap between Latino youth and opportunities that await them around the world.
Learn more about the people moving our mission forward..
I have been part of the Lincoln Heights community for more than fifty years. My focus has always been simple: do whatever I can to lift the youth in my neighborhood so they can see that life holds more than what surrounds them right now. I want our kids to believe in their potential, to feel supported, and to know that someone is standing in their corner. My commitment to this community comes from lived experience, and I carry that purpose into everything I do for the JAC Scholarship Foundation.
Ronald Chico, President
Vivian Arteaga, Vice President:
I am a credentialed vocational education instructor and nurse with more than forty years of experience. My goal is to open doors for our community by creating real opportunities for higher learning and, most importantly, stable employment. I believe that education and workforce readiness can change the direction of a person’s life, and I remain committed to guiding individuals toward skills that lead to long-term success.
Jackie Casillas-Bedoy Treasurer:
I have spent many years volunteering in the communities that shaped me. I served with the El Sereno Bicentennial Committee from 1986 through 1989, and I supported the Big Brother Big Sister program of Greater Los Angeles from 1991 through 1993. I continued that work with the El Sereno Stallions as both a volunteer parent and a board member from 1995 through 2007. I later joined the Lincoln Heights Optimist Club, where I remained active from 2011 through 2017. I now live in Ontario, California, with my husband Eric, my son Damian, and our dog Blue.
Sal Carlos-Secretary
Angelina Escalante-Historian
Board Members
Steve Kasten:
I have operated my business at 2718 North Broadway in Los Angeles since 1982, serving as the owner and manager of Steven Kasten Properties and the broker for Steven Kasten Realty, Inc. My community work includes service as a board member of the LA Boys and Girls Club, president of the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce, and president of the Police Business Association at LAPD Hollenbeck Station. I previously served with the Andy Vargas Scholarship Foundation through the Lincoln Heights Optimist Club and on both the Governing Board and Foundation Board of White Memorial Hospital, where I served as chair. I also served as president of the Hollenbeck Youth Center. My passion centers on supporting children, caring for animals, and protecting the environment through my charitable work.