CCWF students awarded top scholarships

June 25, 2025

CCWF incarcerated students Wendy Fong, Amy Lou Daniel, and Stephanie Erends with two representatives from Merced College.

Three Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) incarcerated students were awarded top scholarships by the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society.

Wendy Fong, Amy Lou Daniel, and Stephanie Erends were awarded the scholarships April 26 in Ontario by Alpha Gamma Sigma. The honor society is a service organization of the California Community Colleges.

Fong had the top-scoring application in the state for academic, service, and leadership excellence. Daniel tied for second in the state for academic excellence while Erends scored in the top 10 for academic excellence.

Warden Anissa De La Cruz said she is proud of their academic achievements and the ability to provide the gift of education to these well-deserving and hard-working individuals.

“These individuals have excelled as top students in the state, growing stronger and more resilient with every challenge,” she said.

CCWF Sierra Vista Adult School provides academic, career technical, transitional, and recreational programs to promote self-improvement and encourage life-long learning. Through standards-aligned and data-driven instruction, Sierra Vista Adult School’s safe and positive learning environment empowers students to become productive citizens contributing to their families and communities.

CCWF partners with Merced Community College and California State University, Fresno, enabling the school to offer in-person associate- and bachelor-degree courses.

During the year 2023-24 school year, incarcerated students earned:

15 high school diplomas
74 GEDs
36 Career Technical Education certificates in plumbing, electric, carpentry, roofing, painting, masonry, heating ventilation and air-conditioning
51 associate degrees
and 20 bachelor’s degrees.

Submitted by Lt. M.D. Williams
Photo by Robin Quinlan, TV specialist