Newark High Student to be Inducted into Women's Hall of Fame

Announcement, photo submitted by Alameda County:

A Fremont teenager who started a program to help pay education costs for youth in developing countries has been selected to join the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame. Farmaan Judge, 18, a senior at Newark Memorial High School, will be honored at the 22nd Annual Women’s Hall of Fame luncheon on Saturday, March 21, in Oakland.

Farmaan said she was inspired to start Education 2 Future when one of her teachers spoke to her about taking a trip to Mexico and being struck by seeing expanses of tropical paradise alongside scenes of abject poverty.

Farmaan was so moved by these descriptions that she founded Education 2 Future, which first focused on helping one young girl in La Paz, Mexico, by providing her with scholarships to pay for a full year of school, plus clothing and transportation costs.

To help the girl, Farmaan organized a “Change for Change” campaign rally at her school that drew 2,000 students; the campaign also raised $500 through donations by peers to change boxes set up in classrooms; all of the funds went to the girl in Mexico.

“This girl has an amazing GPA – a 9.3 out of 10 in her educational system,’’ Farmaan said. “It struck me that she needs help and I should do what I can to help her.’’

Farmaan has also started a “junior interact club” at a local elementary school to enlist the involvement of younger students in movements for social change, and she continues to work hard to generate support among her peers for efforts to have an impact beyond Alameda County.

Farmaan is this year’s Youth category inductee into the Women’s Hall of Fame, which for the past 22 years has honored outstanding local women for their contributions to the community.

Farmaan will be honored alongside 11 other outstanding women at this year’s Women’s Hall of Fame luncheon. The event will be at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland.

This year’s event will be hosted by Juliette Goodrich, anchor and reporter for KPIX-TV, Channel 5, Eyewitness News. Tickets are $85, with proceeds going to a Youth Scholarship as well as to organizations serving women and families in Alameda County. For more information, go to whof.acgov.org.