Students Rising Above

Beating the Odds, the theme of KRON-TV’s public service series Students Rising Above, highlights the incredible obstacles faced by at-risk high school students in the San Francisco area on a daily basis. These students, many of whom live below the federal poverty line, confront homelessness, domestic abuse, and similar issues with determination and a positive attitude. Some raise younger siblings by themselves while maintaining 3.0 GPAs and holding down part-time jobs. Others work multiple jobs, leading productive lives without assistance from family or social agencies. Producers Wendy Tokuda and Dana Rebbman and reporters Noel Cisneros and Catherine Heenan show how these students overcome obstacles related to poverty with persistence and integrity. The series prompted viewers to donate more than $2.3 million to help these students pay college tuition costs. KRON-TV and series host Wendy Tokuda continue to present these stories as part of an ongoing series. For its long-standing commitment to providing higher education to at-risk students and thereby serving its local community, a Peabody Award is presented to KRON-TV.