Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year Scholarship

Funder: Riverside County Office of Education, in partnership with local community sponsors and OneFuture Coachella Valley

Recognition and scholarship program for outstanding high school seniors in the Coachella Valley region. Program includes monthly Student of the Month recognition events followed by Student of the Year awards ceremony.

Geographic Scope: Coachella Valley region, Riverside County, California

Participating School Districts:

• Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)
• Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)
• Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD)
• Riverside County Office of Education alternative education programs

Selection Criteria:

• Outstanding academic achievements
• Active participation in high school life
• Inspiring journeys of self-improvement and transformation
• Character, integrity, passion for learning
• Active involvement in school life, sports, community service
• Demonstrated resilience in face of life challenges

Award Structure:

• Base scholarship: $2,500 per Student of the Year recipient
• Additional $2,500 scholarship match through OneFuture Coachella Valley partnership
• Total: $5,000 per recipient
• 9 total recipients for 2024-2025 school year
• 2 additional scholarships provided by community partners (Sun Community Federal Credit Union and Altura Credit Union)

Community Sponsors (2024-2025):

• Sun Community Federal Credit Union
• One Coachella Valley
• Walter Clark Legal Group
• Office of Supervisor V. Manuel Pérez
• Burrtec Waste
• Altura Credit Union

Program History:

• Launched 2023-2024 school year
• Second year of recognition in 2024-2025

Contact:

• Riverside County Office of Education
• Phone: (760) 863-3000 (Indio Office)
• Address: 47-110 Calhoun Street, Indio, CA 92201

Application Process

1. Student of the Month Recognition (Prerequisite)
   • Students selected by individual school districts based on character, integrity, academic achievement, and resilience
   • Monthly recognition events held at: October, December, February, April
2. Student of the Year Application
   • All Student of the Month honorees automatically eligible to apply for Student of the Year
   • Application required to be selected as Student of the Year
3. Selection Process
   • RCOE selects 2 recipients from each of 3 desert-area school districts (6 total)
   • 1 recipient selected from RCOE alternative education programs
   • 2 additional recipients selected by community partners
   • Selection based on:
   • Outstanding academic achievements
   • Active participation in high school life
   • Inspiring journeys of self-improvement and transformation
4. Award Ceremony
   • Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year event held in May
   • Formal recognition and scholarship presentation