10:00 PM PDT on Wednesday, July 23, 2008

By JERRY SOIFER The Press-Enterprise

CORONA - Katie Kemp has a golden transcript from Santiago High School. She did not have the gold to go to college.

She compiled a 4.2 grade-point average during 3½ years of study at the Corona school.

Her SAT score is 1980. Story continues below

She ran track, taking third in the 800-meter run at the Mountain View League finals April 30.

She was a valedictorian at graduation in June.

She has been accepted by three of the four University of California campuses to which she applied.

But conflict with her family forced the 18-year-old to move to a friend's home in October, and she works at a fast-food restaurant to earn money to pay rent.

She doesn't have a driver's license and could not afford to go to college.

The Circle City Rotary Club of Corona came to her rescue, awarding her a scholarship that will cover tuition, books and fees through two years at Riverside Community College and two years at a UC or a Cal State campus.

The only requirement is that she maintains a B average.

"I'm so proud of her for what she has accomplished," said Mel Campbell, a Santiago physics teacher. "I don't think anybody in the city deserves it more.

"She's struggled with her mom and dad. She's living with a friend's parents. She had to hold down a job 20 to 30 hours a week to support herself. She's maintained her grades, her self-worth. . . . She kept pressing through. She didn't quit. She's going to make it."

Kemp said, "When I first found out that I won the scholarship I guess I was in shock at first. Right after that I was overjoyed. If I didn't get this scholarship I would not be going to college at all."

Kemp's scholarship represented a change in policy by the Corona Rotary Club, which previously had given out awards of several hundred dollars each.

During the presidency of Cynthia Schneider, the club's 45 members voted to pool the money and put it into one scholarship that would make a difference in the life of a deserving candidate.

The club received 30 applications for the first new scholarship. Six or seven finalists were interviewed. Counselors at the respective schools were consulted. Kemp was chosen as the winner.

"Katie Kemp is an incredibly talented young lady. . . . She impressed the selection committee with her both her need for the scholarship and her ability to maintain the standards we set," Schneider said.

Kemp has also received a $500 scholarship and a laptop computer from the Corona Parent Advisory Group.

Kemp would not talk about her parents, who did attend her graduation. She said her mother declined to comment about the split in the family.

"There had been a lot of stuff building up," Kemp said. "It was kind of a combination of you're being kicked out and I'm leaving."

Kemp called her friend, a track teammate, to pick her up and take her to her home.

She was provided a room and was hired by a Carl's Jr. restaurant within walking distance of her new home.

Her life was busy.

Classes concluded at 2:30 p.m. Track practice ended about 5 p.m. She got a ride home, changed and went to work.

She sometimes did homework until 3 a.m.

Campbell said Kemp never backed away from tough challenges.

"Physics gives everybody fits," said Campbell. "Katie would be the first one in class to ask questions. She would ask questions until she got it."

"Backing away from difficult stuff or avoiding it doesn't make it go away," Kemp said.

Reach Jerry Soifer at 951-893-2112 or jsoifer@PE.com