Ramy is one of eight recipients of the sixth annual 2004 Turnaround Scholarship, awarded to him by Los Gatos Kiwanis on May 20. Turnaround scholarships help students who might not otherwise be recognized for their efforts, according to Los Gatos High School Principal Trudy McCulloch, because they are not eligible for regular scholarships.

"These are the kids who don't normally get honored because they don't have the grade point average," McCulloch said.

McCulloch, a member of Los Gatos Kiwanis, initiated the scholarship program when she became principal in 1998.

Ramy thanked his parents for their continual support as well as the teachers and administrators who have helped him along the way. He was expelled from school twice and attended The Foundry and Nova, two local alternative-education programs. His mother explained that her son spent his entire sophomore year of high school not in a mainstream, comprehensive school. As a result, Ramy is a huge proponent of intervention programs for at-risk youth, many of which are losing funding or being cut within the state.

"He needed to change mentally the path of his heart, and that's exactly what he's done," Cali said.

To make up for lost time, Ramy took night classes at De Anza Community College, enrolled in AP courses once he was back at Saratoga High and took on a summer internship at Stanford University's Center for Clinical Immunology. He's co-authoring a publication with his professor from Stanford and volunteers weekly at Santa Teresa Hospital.

School officials, leaders from Los Gatos and Saratoga, parents and students attended the May 20 scholarship awards luncheon at the Los Gatos Lodge. Kiwanis members awarded $1,000 scholarships to the eight students. Nova recipients included Cody Franks, Rachel Holmes and Hunter Laux, along with Los Gatos High School students Becky Baumstein, Tyler Bennink, Jacqueline Michaelsen and Travis Register.

The scholarship recipients each made sure to give a special hug, handshake or word of appreciation to Kiwanis member Leo Shortino. Shortino's family trust annually donates $50,000 to the turnaround-scholarship program in five school districts in the South Bay, including $3,000 this year in turnaround scholarships to the Los Gatos­Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

"I'm the one donating all the money," said Shortino jokingly, a former educator in Marin and Alameda counties.

Each student was introduced by an academic adviser or teacher who had watched the student's transformation from freshman to senior year. And one of last year's scholarship recipients from Los Gatos High School, Adam Breslin, also served as a guest speaker. Breslin attends DeAnza and expects to transfer to USC in the fall, where he'll major in political science. Breslin expressed his gratitude for the scholarship he received last year.

"I didn't have to get a job to pay for college, and it enabled me to concentrate on my work," he said. "Being recognized for my efforts of turning around was the most meaningful part."

Ramy was the only recipient from Saratoga High School, but Hunter lives in Saratoga and will be graduating from the Nova program on June 9. District Director of Educational Services Steve Lopez, who oversees the Nova program, described Hunter as having issues attending classes on a regular basis and focusing on his work. Hunter was placed into the Nova program in November of 2002, after attending Saratoga High.

"If you were to tell me I was getting a scholarship while I was going to Saratoga, I wouldn't have believed you," said Hunter, during his acceptance of the scholarship.

As a graduating senior, he now maintains a 3.5 grade point average and serves as Nova's "in-house techie" who can fix just about anything. Lopez said Hunter has a gift for language, leading, communication and philosophy. He's also a member of Nova's championship volleyball team.

The Los Gatos Kiwanis was founded in 1924 and has more than 50 members. According to President Len Brothers, more than $75,000 is allotted annually in the Santa Clara Valley for Kiwanis Turnaround Scholarships.