Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara awards more than 7 million dollars in scholarships this year
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara works all year to give out financial awards that help students continue their education.
The foundation held the first of two Santa Barbara award ceremonies at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Garden on Tuesday afternoon.
In total, the foundation is awarding more than $7 million in scholarships to nearly 1800 students.
Foundation President and CEO Melinda Cabrera said they range from $1500 to $40,000.
She said college is getting more and more expensive and every dollars helps.
Brenda Martinez Rios is graduating from San Marcos High School this year and plans to attend Westmont College.
The money is even more important this year due to the difficult roll out of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid known as FAFSA.
The teen said the foundation helped her fill out the FAFSA.
"I was really nervous that my FAFSA wasn't going to process, but with the help of the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation it all worked out," said Martinez Rios who received a $10,050.
She will be the first in her family to go to college.
Her mother Jazmin Rios Rivera called it a great opportunity.
She said she is grateful the money will help her daughter make her dreams come true.
Tiago Eckstein is using his scholarship to pay for Cal Berkeley.
He will graduate soon from Dos Pueblos High School.
Both students plan to send thank you notes to the people who donated to their scholarships and they are not alone.
About half the money goes to North County students and half goes to South County students.
The foundation's Chief Communications Officer Tim Dougherty said people can donate to all kinds of scholarships.
He said there is one for a bowler this year and others for students interested in studying music and the art.
About 70 percent of the donations go to designated scholarships.
The donors can choose the recipients.
The rest of the money is donated with no strings attached.
Many people create scholarships in memory of a loved one.
The ceremony also included a drawing for nine $100 dollar cash awards called book money.
That is what they called the scholarships in 1962.
Since then they have awarded a total of $150 million in scholarships.
The next award ceremony will take place at Alan Hancock College on Wednesday starting at 3 p.m.
For more information visit https://www.sbscholarship.org
