The Lucerne Valley community of businesses, residents, school staff and more donated thousands of dollars in senior scholarships.
Graduating Lucerne Valley High School seniors received $115,868 in scholarships during the annual Senior Scholarship and Awards Night, according to school district officials.
As in previous decades, the Mitsubishi Cement Corporation Educational Foundation led the way by donating nearly $50,000 worth of scholarships to 20 Lucerne Valley Unified School District high school seniors.
Senior Zoey Davis received the coveted Bud Biggs Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of the late H.O. “Bud” Biggs, longtime plant manager at the Mitsubishi Cement Plant and an advocate of local education.
Besides scholarships, the Mitsubishi Cement Corporation Educational Foundation gives “Mini-Grants” to Lucerne Valley teachers throughout the school year for projects or programs.
The school district also named the elementary school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) laboratory in honor of Biggs in 2018, one year after he died.
Mitsubishi Plant Manager Tony Turner and another representative presented the foundation awards.
“It’s always amazing to see how this community comes together for our kids,” said Lucerne Valley Middle High School Principal Jason Story as he announced the scholarship numbers.
District Superintendent Peter Livingston noted that the scholarship total is likely to continue climbing.
This year’s Mitsubishi Cement Corporation Educational Foundation Scholarship winners include: Arelyn Gonzalez, Chayanne Mendoza, Cheyenne Flowers, Edyn Herrera, Jadyn Paddack, Jasmine Torres, Jose Ledezma, Meilani Nguyen, Rylee Giles, Zoey Davis, Elissa Otwell, Ian Collins, Kevin Angeles, Riley Rodriguez, Aydin Stewart, Dylan Hileman, Isaiah Navarro, Jacob Palmerin, Jasmin Suarez, Jennifer Acosta Cervantes, Samuel Arreola, Valentin Garibay, William Rietdyk and Xitali Contreras.
Last year, Lucerne Valley seniors received nearly $100,000 in scholarships, the Daily Press reported.
Other students who were spotlighted included:
For more information on the event, student awards, sponsors and special presentations, visit lucernevalleyusd.org or facebook.com/LucerneValleyUSD.
