Just4Dust Foundation

06/19/2026

✨ Scholarship recipient spotlight ✨

HUGE congratulations to Sarah Lopez of Southwest High School for earning a $1,000 Dustin Tannenhaus Legacy Scholarship.

With an impressive 4.67 weighted GPA, 11 AP courses, and consistent Honor Roll recognition throughout high school, Sarah has balanced academic excellence with leadership and athletics at an exceptional level.

A dedicated soccer player since age 6, Sarah captained both her Rebels Soccer Club Academy team and her high school Varsity Girls Soccer team. She helped lead her club team to multiple championship finals and played a key role in helping Southwest reach the CIF Division 4 Championship for the first time in four years.

Beyond the classroom and soccer field, Sarah serves as ASB Vice President, where she worked to make school communication more inclusive by translating ASB materials to make information accessible to monolingual students and families.

Despite significant personal challenges, Sarah continued to excel academically while supporting her family at home, demonstrating resilience, maturity, and determination far beyond her years.

This fall, Sarah will attend my alma mater, UC Berkeley, where she plans to study Spanish Literature with aspirations of becoming an educator and professor who inspires future generations through language, culture, and community impact.

06/05/2026

✨ Scholarship recipient spotlight ✨

Joshua has combined academic excellence, leadership, and resilience to earn a $500 Dustin Tannenhaus Legacy Scholarship.

Joshua earned a 4.16 weighted GPA while challenging himself with honors, AP, and dual enrollment coursework. His achievements include passing the AP Computer Science Principles exam, completing AP Computer Science for college credit, and maintaining honor roll status every year.

Off the field, Joshua has played competitive soccer with Sporting San Diego since age 10, helping his team win tournaments including the Rebels Showcase, Copa Del Mar, and Legends Cup. As a team captain, he helped unite teammates from different backgrounds, building strong chemistry and trust both on and off the field.

Joshua’s journey has also been marked by perseverance. After facing the possibility of eviction during his senior year, he used the experience as motivation to stay disciplined, focused, and determined to create a better future for himself and his mother.

This fall, Joshua will begin community college with plans to transfer to either UCLA or UC San Diego to major in Computer Science. He hopes to pursue internships in tech and ultimately become a software engineer while giving back to the mother who has supported him every step of the way.

05/28/2026

✨ Scholarship recipient spotlight ✨

Kiana earned a $500 Dustin Tannenhaus Legacy Scholarship! She has excelled both in the classroom and on the field, graduating in the top 10% of her class with a 4.14 weighted GPA while taking an impressive lineup of 10 AP courses.

A standout student-athlete, Kiana made the Hilltop High varsity soccer team as the only freshman and went on to earn 1st Team All-League South Bay AND team MVP.

As the oldest sibling in a family of seven, Kiana has balanced rigorous academics, competitive soccer, and a part-time job while helping support her family and saving for college. Those experiences taught her the importance of perseverance and showing up for others both on and off the field.

This part of her application reminded us of Dustin: “I’m glad I can use my patience and communication skills when I am tutoring underclassmen with their assignments after school and on the soccer field when I’m guiding my teammates by motivating them and keeping our energy positive. Whether it’s my family, my classmates, or my teammates, I try to make the people around me feel supported and capable of growing.”

This fall, Kiana will attend the University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York, where she has committed to continue playing collegiate soccer while pursuing studies in Pre-Med/Biology with the goal of becoming a sports physician focused on helping athletes recover from injuries and reach their full potential.

CONGRATS, Kiana!

11/15/2025

It’s that time of year! Students are working on their 4-year college applications and we’re here to help cover application fees and other expenses. It takes a village ❤️

10/28/2025

WE DID IT!!!! Thanks to hundreds of donations over the past few years, we raised $50,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund at UC San Diego, Dustin’s alma mater. What does this mean? Starting in Fall 2026, every year, one UCSD soccer player who is First Generation and/or has moderate to high financial need will earn a $2,000 scholarship. The award will alternate between the men’s and women’s teams each year. ⚽️

The best news? This will continue in perpetuity!!! Dustin’s legacy will be felt FOREVER! We have done something deeply impactful at a place that carried a lot of meaning to Dustin. ✨

In the meantime, we will continue awarding academic scholarships to local high school soccer players. If you are reading this, you probably helped make this possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ~Sofia

09/07/2025

THANK YOU! 🎉 We are immensely grateful to the McBeth Foundation for generously supporting our work to continue. 🙏🏼

08/02/2025

Last month we got to share our story - our WHY - for the Just4DustFoundation on ABC 10News. A labor of love to continue Dustin’s legacy of generosity and positivity.

Dustin Tannenhaus, a captain of the UCSD soccer team in the mid-2000s, passed away from a heart attack in 2019. Dustin's wife, Sofia, said he changed her life forever. Now others can say the same.

06/15/2025

✨Scholarship recipient spotlight ✨

Marissa earned a $1,000 Dustin Tannenhaus Legacy Scholarship! Larissa shares, “I have been playing soccer since I was seven, dedicating my time to training, practices, and games. Since my freshman year, I have played as both a center-attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder for Rebels Soccer Club and the Chula Vista Varsity Girls Soccer Team. This position has allowed me to contribute to my high school teams’ successes, including winning the All-Metro League championship and earning recognition on the Pacific All-League Second Team. I have also volunteered as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles Soccer Club, where I mentored young athletes to improve their soccer IQ and critical thinking both on and off the field. My focus is on fostering personal growth and creating a safe environment for the players. Being both a player and a coach has deepened my understanding of the game, highlighting the importance of teamwork, leadership, and strategy both on and off the field.”

Larissa completed 10 AP classes and three college courses, earning a 4.1 weighted GPA. She has committed to the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) as a Pre-Psychological and Brain Sciences major. What most impressed us is Larissa’s drive to help others.

“Growing up in a single-parent household, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges, and those experiences have fueled my passion for helping others navigate their own struggles. Giving back has always been important to me, and I hope to help create an environment where everyone feels understood and valued. Ultimately, my goal is to empower individuals to embrace their identities, overcome obstacles, and contribute positively to our community, ultimately creating a more compassionate and resilient society.”

We are confident Larissa will continue to experience success as she pursues her college degree!

06/10/2025

✨Scholarship recipient spotlight ✨

Meet Lilia, a 2025 graduate of Chula Vista High School. During her sophomore year, Lilia was one of six girls from her school team who won a Metro Pacific League Award. During her junior year, her school’s soccer team was undefeated and won the Pacific League.

Lilia shares, “This was the first time in our school’s history that the girls soccer team became champions. Making history made me realize that everything is possible with a lot of effort. I had been going through injuries during my journey but that didn’t stop me from achieving my soccer goals. Those injuries that I went through taught me that I had to keep a positive mindset and to come back even stronger.”

Academically, Lilia was in the top 15% of her graduating class. She completed eight AP classes, earning Principal’s Honor Roll, and was a California Scholarship Federation member. She will continue her studies at San Diego State University as a Psychology major with a minor in Spanish. She plans to work in the mental health field.

We wish her nothing but the best as she begins her college education!