SBHS Alumni Association awards over $200,000 in scholarships to current and former students

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. —This hasn’t been a typical year for the class of 2020. 

To help its seniors gain a much-needed boost, the Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association recently awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to 78 former and current students.

"These students are chosen because they have good grades, they've done huge amounts of community service and they've contributed to the school through sports or theater,” SBHS Alumni Association Vice President Helen Murdoch said.

Overall, 57 scholarships went to graduating seniors from the class of 2020.

On the other hand, 21 “Always a Don” scholarships were awarded to SBHS alumni who are continuing on with their education. 

Those attending a four-year university will each earn $3,000 in financial aid.

Students headed to Santa Barbara City College will receive $1,000 scholarships.

"I am very honored to receive this award,” SBHS senior Kailani Cordero said. “I’m a fourth generation Don and Santa Barbara High School has already meant so much to me and my family."

"Earning this scholarship provides me with a sense of accomplishment,” SBHS senior Miriam Santos said. “It just shows how prominent I was into furthering my education."

Although they will not be able to hold their annual award ceremony, this honor allows these students to have a sense of accomplishment despite their academic year being cut short as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"These poor seniors really had a hard time this year with the pandemic and everything,” Murdoch said. “We're hoping that this money will help families whose parents may have lost their job or students who were working to help pay for college."

"I plan on using it to further my education at UCSB,” Santos said.

Reflecting on the past four years, these students are thankful for their high school experience. 

"Santa Barbara High School will hold a special place in my heart,” Cordero said. “It is where I have found strength and support within moving forward in my life."

"What I got most out of attending Santa Barbara High School was that I became a really inspiring leader to a lot of students on my campus,” Santos said.

"Knowing that these students will go onto college and wear their SBHS gear while representing being a Don out beyond our community is really important to the Alumni Association,” Murdoch concluded.

Over the past 45 years, the Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association has distributed over $2 million in scholarships to seniors and alumni. 

Scholarships are funded by alumni in memory of classmates, family members, favorite teachers and graduating classes. 

Funds left to the Alumni Association by ex-principal Claud Hardesty round out the money used for scholarships.