$35K in scholarships to be awarded to 10 local Students of the Year
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) - First-generation college scholars, future teachers, and students who will shape the next generation of the Coachella Valley are among the ten seniors in the Class of 2026 from high schools throughout the desert region who will be honored at the Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year event, the Riverside County Office of Education announced.
The ceremony will take place Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center in Indio.
“We are honored to partner with community and business leaders to provide scholarships for the desert-area students of the year,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez. “The dedication and commitment of these outstanding graduates is a testament to their resilience and the power of education to change the world one student at a time.”
First organized by the Riverside County Office of Education during the 2023-2024 school year, the third year of recognitions included Student of the Month events in October, December, February, and April that highlighted students from Coachella Valley Unified School District, Desert Sands Unified School District, Palm Springs Unified School District, and the Riverside County Office of Education.
Each district selects its Students of the Month based on how they embody character, integrity, a passion for learning, active involvement in school life, sports, and community service, or have displayed remarkable resilience in the face of life’s challenges while maintaining a commitment to education.
All Student of the Month honorees from the 2025-2026 events were eligible to apply for the Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year award.
For the Students of the Year, RCOE selected two scholarship recipients from each of three desert-area school districts: CVUSD, DSUSD, and PSUSD. One recipient was selected from RCOE alternative education programs.
Beyond these initial seven recipients, three additional scholarships are being provided by community partners, Sun Community Federal Credit Union, Altura Credit Union, and The Madison Club.
The ten total recipients were chosen based on their outstanding academic achievements, active participation in high school life, and their inspiring journeys of self-improvement and transformation.
As part of RCOE’s ongoing partnership with OneFuture Coachella Valley, many of the Student of the Year recipients will also receive a scholarship match.
Community support has been essential to the success of the program, with this year’s Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month partners including each desert-area school district, along with Sun Community Federal Credit Union, Altura Credit Union, Sam’s Club, Walter Clark Legal Group, OneFuture Coachella Valley, The Madison Club, and Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino.
The Greater Coachella Valley Students of the Year include:
Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)
- Karime Mejia - Desert Mirage High School
- February 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: AVID Program, Migrant Leaders Club, Riverside County Office of Education Migrant Education Career Academy Partnership Program, internship with Office of Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, concurrently enrolled at College of the Desert, completed early childhood education teacher certification
- After Graduation: Attend California Baptist University as a first-generation college student with the goal of becoming a Spanish teacher.
- Matthew Sanchez – Coachella Valley High School
- April 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: Started an after-school math tutoring program, captain of football team, AVID Program, family caretaker
- After Graduation: Attend University of California, Irvine as a first-generation college student with the goal of becoming a math teacher
Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)
- Juliann Brinson – Palm Desert High School
- April 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: AVID Program and peer tutoring, concurrently enrolled at College of the Desert, internship with Fox Sports Palm Springs radio, Aztec Studios career technical education film and broadcasting pathway, caretaker of younger siblings
- After Graduation: Attend Arizona State University to study sports journalism and mass communication
- Alora Druyon – Indio High School
- December 2025 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: ASB President, dance, theatre, concurrently enrolled at College of the Desert, Ophelia Project mentorship program
- After Graduation: Attend California State University, Fullerton, with the goal of becoming a performing arts teacher
Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD)
- Kayla Bautista – Palm Springs High School
- April 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: Internship in Palm Springs Academy for Learning Medicine (PALM), drum major for marching band, provides hand-made greeting cards to hospital patients, concurrently enrolled at College of the Desert, volunteer at Desert Regional Medical Center and Fenixia Foundation
- After Graduation: Attend University of California, Los Angeles, to study biology and pursue a career in neonatology
- David Delgado-Naranjo – Cathedral City High School
- October 2025 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: Basketball, volleyball, football, water polo, unified sports, marching/jazz band, International Baccalaureate (IB) program, volunteer at Sunnylands, and THINK Together LEGO Robotics,
- After Graduation: Attend University of California, Berkeley, to become a civil engineer
Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)
- Ceyonna Cox – CBK Charter – Palm Springs
- April 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: Basketball, volleyball, family caretaker, volunteers at medical rehabilitation facility, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and food banks
- After Graduation: Attend College of the Desert with the goal of pursuing a career in culinary arts
Sun Community Credit Union Scholarship
- Aiden Jauregui – Summit High School, Desert Sands Unified School District
- April 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: Football, basketball, visual/performing arts, volunteered at medical clinic
- After Graduation: Attend College of the Desert with the goal of majoring in political science/public policy.
Altura Credit Union Scholarship
- Italy Acosta – Palm Springs High School, Palm Springs Unified School District
- February 2026 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: ASB, French Club, Ballet Folklorico, peer tutoring, flag football team manager, concurrently enrolled at College of the Desert,
- After Graduation: Attend California State University, Monterey Bay, to pursue a career in education and become an elementary teacher
The Madison Club Scholarship
- Nayeli Quino Lucero – West Shores High School, Coachella Valley Unified School District
- October 2025 Student of the Month
- High School Highlights: ASB, Link Crew, school site council, founder of Voices for Change club, manager of sports teams, family caretaker, volunteers at senior center
- After Graduation: Attend California State University, San Bernardino, as a first-generation college student to pursue a career in nursing and the medical field
