Every year, San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) high schools assist seniors in preparing portfolios that will help them apply for and obtain college scholarships. For most seniors, that task is complete and soon they will begin participating in mock interviews so they are able to put their best foot forward during the actual scholarship interviews that happen later in the school year.
Additionally, the two non-profit organizations that coordinate and fund scholarships specifically for SBCUSD students—San Bernardino Community Scholarship Association and Making Hope Happen Foundation—have begun coordinating with high school scholarship counselors for the next scholarship application window.
Based on the fact SBCUSD students in the Class of 2022 earned more than $11 million in scholarships and grants, including adult students from Inland Career Education Center (ICEC) and students from the District’s alternative high schools, these efforts appear successful.
Although past performance is no guarantee of future success, the Class of 2022 scholarship earnings demonstrates what a community can do for students and the future when they work together.
Indian Springs High School graduated 342 students in the Class of 2022 who can boast about their combined total of $3,125,000 in scholarships and grants, including more than $360,000 in military scholarships and enlistment bonuses.
Cajon High School’s 583 graduates, which included International Baccalaureate (IB) students, earned $1,950,999 in scholarships and grants, with $440,000 coming from military scholarships and enlistment bonuses. Another SBCUSD IB school, Arroyo Valley High School, proudly graduated 555 students, with 70.6 percent of them earning scholarships and grants totaling $1,459,690.
With 327 graduates in the Class of 2022, San Gorgonio High School secured $2,046,734 in scholarships, including $619,200 in military scholarships and enlistment bonuses.
A full 100 percent of Middle College High School’s 59 graduates earned scholarships totaling $900,000.
Of Pacific High School’s 239 graduates in the Class of 2022, 162 earned $800,278 in scholarships, including military scholarships and enlistment bonuses. And 78 of 232 San Bernardino High School graduates earned $694,412.
SBCUSD’s continuation high schools also boasted scholarship recipients, with 20 San Andreas High School and 19 Sierra High School graduates in the Class of 2022 earning $13,050 and $26,618, respectively.
Seven of ICEC’s 109 adults' high school diplomas and GED graduates earned a combined $14,819 in scholarships.
“I’m proud to say that the vast majority of the non-military scholarship dollars are the direct result of efforts by our District and our local community,” said Ginger Ontiveros. “Local businesses, charities, and individuals have donated time and money to the Making Hope Happen Foundation and the San Bernardino Community Scholarship Association—two nonprofits geared specifically to support SBCUSD students—just to make sure our students have a chance at success.”
Community Scholarship Association members were responsible for 313 graduates in SBCUSD’s Class of 2022 receiving a total of 364 scholarships totaling $283,447.
“The Scholarship Association awards scholarships only to SBCUSD graduates. Charter school and private school students are not eligible for these scholarships,” said longtime Association member and former SBCUSD high school counselor Blythe Anderson. “Many of our Board members are former District employees or scholarship recipients, so it’s important to us that we support students in our schools.”