Our Community
Recipient & Donor Stories
The people behind the numbers — students whose futures changed, and donors who made it possible.
“I would be honored to share my experience. I found my check from 2012 and kept it all this time.”
Anna K.
Recipient & Donor
Anna t graduated from Redlands High School in 2012 , went on to attend Colombia University, work in finance in New York City, traveled to work in Japan where she met her husband, before feeling the tug to return to her hometown to manage her family's orange grove. This year she also became at major scholarship owner–giving three $1000 scholarships to students interested in agriculture, sustainable farming, and farm workers. Anna will be a keynote speaker in February when RCSF celebrates its 60th anniversary.
“Even more important (than the scholarship) is the knowledge that there are extremely generous people in my community who value the success of younger generations and are willing to help.”
Amanda M.
Recipient
I have always known that I was going to attend college. For my 10th birthday, my parents took me to tour a college because it was all I wanted to do. We visited UCLA because it was a huge public university nearby. After that tour I knew I needed to work hard so that I could attend a college that I loved. I pushed myself to do everything I could with all honors or AP classes, sports, clubs, and officer positions. Although I was often stressed, I loved challenging myself academically and being proud when I received a good grade in a hard class.
All four years of high school I was a member of our cheer team and was captain my senior year. Leading my team made all of the hard practices, games and competitions worth it. But being a member of our Associated Student Body was my favorite part of high school. I was class president in my freshman, sophomore and junior years, and ASB executive president as a senior. Staying late to decorate the gym for rallies, leading class meetings, volunteering for community events such as the Redlands Bicycle Classic, and just learning about changes we could make on campus to improve our school and culture made it exciting to go to school every day.
All of these things made me much more prepared for college. I am now a freshman at Boise State University and member of Tri-Delta sorority, where I am the director of risk management and wellness. That position requires me to plan guest speakers and call venues we work with to ensure a safe environment.
College has been great. My favorite part has been meeting so many wonderful people and, of course, the independence of living on my own. While my classes are challenging, for the most part, they are interesting and enjoyable. My classmates and faculty are willing to help and collaborate to make it a successful experience. If I could give any advice to high school seniors it would be to go to college with an open mind and make the effort to meet new people and get involved. It can be scary at times to meet new people, but it is well worth the effort. Building a support network makes college life easier and more enjoyable. Be ready to try new things because those will be some of your best memories.
During my senior year of high school, I was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship. This scholarship has been extremely helpful in paying for part of my tuition each semester. It has allowed me the freedom to focus more on my academics rather than worry about finances. Even more important is the knowledge that there are extremely generous people in my community who value the success of younger generations and are willing to help.
To the donors who make this happen I can only say you have my deepest gratitude. Your generosity has not only given me financial assistance, but also a love and respect for my community that is willing to help students live their dreams. I hope one day I can do the same.
“My scholarship has been a tremendous motivator, reinforcing that others believe in me. I deeply appreciate my donors’ support, which inspires me to pay it forward. Even a small scholarship can be life-changing, empowering students to pursue their dreams and create future.”
Shriyaa N.
Recipient
A defining moment that motivated me to pursue higher education was when I taught coding workshops for K-12 students in high school. One shy student gained confidence and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I realized then that I wanted to pursue computer science to help others find their passion in STEM.
Balancing my activities in high school was challenging—being #1 doubles on the tennis team, taking six AP classes, leading my club, competing in math, teaching coding, and preparing for my Bharatanatyam graduation. I learned to manage my time while making space for creativity, like writing stories or starting a YouTube channel. This balance helped me reach my goals.
Post-high school, I’ve loved meeting and collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds on meaningful projects. Seeing their impact has been incredibly fulfilling, and I’m excited for my upcoming Amazon internship. To high school seniors: pursue your passions despite challenges—success comes from persistence.
“My hope is that recipients and prospective donors recognize that anyone can contribute to the dream of a college education, even a 28-year-old RUSD alumna.”
Lindsey D.
Recipient & Donor
Ten years ago, when I graduated from Citrus Valley High School, I was a Redlands Community Scholarship recipient. I was the first in my family to attend and graduate from a four-year graduate program. I am deeply grateful for the RCSF support that helped make my dream a reality.
I attended Claremont McKenna College and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Middle Eastern Studies. Following my graduation from CMC in 2019, I was commissioned into the Active-Duty Army and served as a logistics officer for 4 years. I transitioned from Active Duty to the Army Reserve in May 2023, and began my civilian career in Government and Public Services Consulting at Deloitte in the Washington DC Area.
My goal for establishing the “Burton Scholarship for the Leaders of Tomorrow” is to inspire graduating seniors to become trailblazers in their families as first-generation college students.
“Being a man that relies on the efforts of my own two hands it was a blessing to have the backing of a community of people who simply wanted to help for the purpose of helping.”
Abraham M.
Recipient
I attended Northwest Lineman College. The program itself took about 3-4 months to complete. If I had the pleasure to talk to the donors directly I’d say that their generosity greatly contributed to my current success in both the peace of mind I have and the career that I'm currently building for myself. Being a man that relies on the efforts of my own two hands it was a blessing to have the backing of a community of people who simply wanted to help for the purpose of helping.
The most surprising thing about my school was the safety aspect of it. We work a dangerous job where situations are constantly changing and developing so having a safety first attitude greatly impacts the day to day of our job. That being said while in school I did take for granted the safety training being almost dismissive of it until unfortunately the following semester there was a casualty at the school I had attended. It left a sour taste in my mouth and all those who had previously attended the school but we learned that safety isn’t just, “something else to keep in mind” but it’s in fact the first and foremost thing to have in mind before performing any sort of task.
In complete honesty, I’ve fallen in love with my craft. I’ve put in long hours both at work and at my home trying to improve myself for the purpose of becoming, “ a hand” ( a good worker.) The people I work with constantly push me to become better and luckily the company it also pushes me to develop my skill set and move further up within the company. I’ve developed a sense of pride in my work as well as a sense of duty to the community I serve, sacrificing my holidays and weekends to make sure that people aren’t left without power. In conclusion, I’ve felt that my current trade has given me a sense of self and has given me the ability to feel pride in my own efforts.