ABC7 Salutes 6 outstanding San Francisco high school seniors graduating in 2023

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The 2023 Superintendent's 21st Century Awards Scholarship Program grants six graduating seniors in San Francisco who have excelled academically and have been leaders at their school and in their communities.

Each winner received a $6,000 scholarship. They were honored at an event sponsored by SFUSD on May 3.

Here's a look at their work:

Imani Clifton - Washington High School

Imani Clifton wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and took the initiative to fundraise so that other Black students at her school could tour several HBCUs.

Imani wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and took the initiative to fundraise so that other Black students at her school could tour several HBCUs. She was able to raise $18,000. She will now attend Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina to study Health Care management to make sure that people in her community have access to the care they need.

Gilberto Silva Cortes - Mission High School

While he was born in the U.S., Gilberto Silva Cortes' family moved back to Mexico when he was only 5 years old.

While he was born in the U.S., his family moved back to Mexico when he was only 5 years. His dream to return to San Francisco and go to college in America became a reality when he turned 17. He came back alone, living with an aunt and an uncle. He found a sense of family and community at Mission High School. He worked hard, being the first student to arrive at school at 7 am. He was recently accepted into Stanford.

Colten Hitchcock - Ruth Asawa School of the Arts

Creative writing, songwriting, digital illustration, podcasting and acting are just a few of the things that Colten Hitchcock is involved in at school.

Creative writing, songwriting, digital illustration, podcasting and acting are just a few of the things that Colten Hitchcock is involved in at school. He cares about others, co-leading the Niche Film Club at RASOTA and directing freshman in theater performances. Colten has been accepted to Emerson College in Boston.

Banyar Htut - SF International High School

Described by his instructional coach as "incredibly diligent and self-driven," Banyar Htut came to the U.S. with his family from Myamar without knowing any English.

Described by his instructional coach as "incredibly diligent and self-driven," Banyar came to the U.S. with his family from Myamar without knowing any English. He was the only Burmese speaker in his school. He persisted and thrived and decided to help others like him. As a senior, he is now a leader of the school's Peace Club, which brings cultures together to talk about their differences and learn how to reach common understandings. Banyar will major in computer science at Uc Santa Cruz and is proud to call himself a "Banana Slug."

Amy Li - Galileo Academy of Science and Technology

Studying healthcare and giving back to her community have always been important to SFUSD Superintendent Awards recipient Amy Li.

Studying healthcare and giving back to her community have always been important to Amy Li. She took the initiative to address the rising dangers of screen addiction in teens by filming a PSA video for a local hospital. Amy wants to be a traveling nurse and learn about the different cultures around the world.

Joshua Mayorga - Lincoln High School

Described by his art teacher as "the most remarkable student I have worked with in my teaching career," Joshua Mayorga is an artist and a voice for those with autism.

Described by his art teacher as "the most remarkable student I have worked with in my teaching career," Joshua Mayorga is an artist and a voice for those with autism. He is passionate about challenging the world around him to think and see things differently.

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