High schools across Hesperia have secured nearly $6 million in academic, athletic and community awards this year.
The students’ success spans admittance to Ivy League universities, local trade schools and branches of the United States Armed Forces, among other paths.
“We are so proud of the accomplishments of the HUSD Class of 2026, and we wish them happiness and prosperity as they move on to the next chapter in their lives,” Hesperia Unified School District Superintendent Michelle Smith said. “We are also so grateful to all of the community donors as well as our hard-working staff for supporting our students and helping to make their goals a reality.”
Hesperia seniors will walk across graduation stages throughout June.
Hesperia High School
The Scorpion community celebrated 179 seniors for their academic rigor and ambition at the Senior Awards Night event. Hesperia High School seniors took home a massive $2.1 million in collective scholarships.
With them, students are heading to local University of California and California State University campuses, with some moving as far as Ivy League giant Princeton University. Numerous Scorpions are entering trade schools to master high-paying, high-demand technical skills. Several brave seniors also stepped forward to enlist in the military to defend the nation.
Two significant Scorpion highlights were seeing HUSD Student of the Year award recipient Mariangel Rubio Aguilar accept over $300,000 in scholarships to attend Princeton University and HUSD Athlete of the Year award recipient Nolan Newman-Gomez accept over $200,000 in scholarships to compete in the NCAA Division 1 basketball program at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.
Oak Hills High School
Oak Hills honored 111 outstanding seniors at the school’s Senior Awards Night. The celebrated students collectively tallied the largest total of scholarships across district high schools, totaling $2.2 million.
Bulldog excellence was on full display as students finalized plans for prestigious institutions from California to Hawaii. Several Bulldogs accepted awards honoring their commitment to the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Navy. 20 Bulldog athletes officially accepted offers to compete at the university level, showcasing how local athletic talent bridges into massive future opportunities.
One standout senior, Emma Berman Healey, accepted many awards and will attend the University of Alabama to be a part of their color guard program next year. Congratulations were also extended to Jordan Spencer, who accepted a full-ride scholarship to Cal State Fullerton, worth over $130,000 over the next four years, to run track at the NCAA Division 1 level.
Sultana High School
Sultana’s Senior Awards Night brought together staff, families and local partners to celebrate 95 seniors who walked away with 151 total awards. Their financial achievements include local community scholarships totaling $423,000 as well as university scholarships topping $1.2 million over the next four years.
In addition, Sultana student-athletes secured athletic scholarships valued at nearly $100,000. One of the highlights was Kaine Koltoniuk accepting a scholarship from the U.S. Navy for over $200,000 over four years to attend Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.
Mojave High School
The Coyote senior class honored 10 hardworking seniors who earned nearly $10,000 in scholarships. Mojave graduates are utilizing hands-on career pathways to jump straight into high-paying sectors, including healthcare, dental, welding, IT, cybersecurity, culinary arts, and criminal justice.
Special recognition was given to Lexi Avalos, who took home the highest number of individual scholarships for the evening. Avalos is officially on her way to pursuing her dream of becoming an ultrasound technician.
Shadow Ridge High School
The Shadow Ridge Sharks hosted a “fin-tastic” Senior Awards evening, celebrating 50 winners. The school achieved two statistical victories this year: 90% of the senior class earned at least one award or scholarship, and 72% of the class graduated A-G compliant, having met the course requirements to step directly into a four-year university immediately following graduation.
A big highlight of the evening demonstrated the local partnership between Shadow Ridge and Cardenas Markets, as three Sharks received “We Really Care” scholarships: Fabian Alvarez, Sophie Kazandjian, and Michelle Perez.
McKenna Mobley is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Hesperia seniors awarded over $6M in scholarships: Full highlights
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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