Reporter's notebook: How If Given A Chance transformed lives - including mine

In the scrappy world of community journalism, it's a rarity to spend a year on any sort of project.

In this chaotic world that sometimes feels like it demands selfishness, it's even rarer to get a front-row seat to witness the power of a community working together to transform and uplift lives.

Thanks to Napa Valley's If Given A Chance, my colleague Brett Marsh and I got both.

Throughout the year, we were invited to report on a longstanding scholarship program that is so much more than just a handshake and a check. Throughout the year, we shared the triumphs, felt the application deadlines, and heard powerful stories of resilience and strength in the face of adversity.

This year's If Given A Chance class saw 10 high school seniors come together each month to form their own community, which one member affectionately referred to as "The Tardy Ten." Although they came from all over the valley and from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences, they were there for each other every step of the way.

They celebrated when one got into the college of their dreams. They comforted each other when a car accident or the stress of finals was heavy. They laughed with each other and helped rehearse what they'd say for a video that played at If Given A Chance's annual awards ceremony and dinner.

Getting to hang out with this group of incredible young people quickly became the highlight of every month. I looked forward to the formal handshakes from Jayden Romero and Alexis Lazo. I couldn't wait to hear who had received acceptance letters. I cherished hearing more about each student's story, while being forever humbled at how freely they shared them with us.

Beyond "The Tardy Ten," we also witnessed the greater Napa Valley community rally around this group of students.

At the core is the If Given A Chance team - Marisa Binder, Norma Magdaleno and Kelli Watkins - who each deserve their own columns. These three women went above and beyond without even flinching, never hesitating to meet each student where they were at to lend a helping hand.

Then there's a board anchored by District Attorney Allison Haley, whom I will never forget interviewing because of her insistence that I keep my story on her receiving an award for her years of advocacy for the program "about the kids." Beyond that, it felt like each week Binder was connecting a student with a local business leader, or fire chief, or any number of other professionals who were willing to take time out of their evenings to offer guidance and advice.

Now, there's this adage in journalism that old-school professors often drill into the minds of young reporters - don't become personally involved in the stories you're covering. To be fair to both Marsh and me, and out of respect to the institution that is the Napa Valley Register, I will say that we covered If Given A Chance like any other story.

But how could we not also engage as human beings during this process? It's those memories, of just being another dude who showed up, that I will keep closest to me.

I will never forget the ease with which a student freely handed me their personal essay, this collection of words that represented a life of experiences and asked for help with editing and structuring the piece.

I will never forget the laughter and earnestness of a conversation shared with Watkins and other students, where we helped a student realize their vibe was more Los Angeles than La Jolla. I will always remember the joy on that student's face when they proudly told me they'd be attending UCLA in the fall.

I will absolutely never forget getting the opportunity to connect Andrea Barrera with my wife, Taylor Vaughn. It was a natural fit, with Barrera being an incredible artist and my "much cooler than me" wife spending her entire career in the music industry.

And I will continue to root for one student, whom I had the pleasure of playing serious editor with as she wrote a one-page letter to express her continued interest in attending Columbia University.

As I grow mushy and need to pivot away from personal reflection, I have to say I will never forget how, in little and big ways, I related to each and every one of these 10 students.

To "The Tardy Ten," thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me be a part of your lives this year. It has been one of the highlights of my career and one of the great joys of my life.

I have no doubt that you will continue to become the next leaders of our community. My only piece of advice is to use that group chat y'all set up at your final meeting, even if it's just to send silly memes to each other, because the community you created is just as important as the community that will help you throughout your collegiate journey.

A common refrain in our society is that we all need to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. It speaks to a notion built into America's lore: that each of us has the capability to do great things if only we have the willpower.

But some of us don't have boots. Others could use a hand getting the boots on or making sure they're tied properly.

That's what If Given A Chance does and will continue to do with this next group of high school seniors. That's why this year has been so special for me, and why I highly encourage everyone in the valley to continue paying attention to what they're doing.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 6:07 PM.