Martin Luther King Jr. High School student Christian De La Vega, left, celebrates his selection as a Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship recipient with Multi-Tiered System of Support counselor Steven Fuller II at the Riverside Unified School District Foundation’s award presentation.
Martin Luther King Jr. High School student Christian De La Vega, left, celebrates his selection as a Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship recipient with Multi-Tiered System of Support counselor Steven Fuller II at the Riverside Unified School District Foundation’s award presentation. (Photo: Courtesy)

Ellen Perrault

The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Foundation honored the inaugural recipients of the Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship Fund, distributing a total of $9,000 to nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) students. 

The scholarship was established to honor the life and enduring legacy of Tom Hunt, a devoted advocate for vocational skills and hands-on learning. This first-ever distribution fulfills the Foundation’s core mission to invest directly in the next generation of skilled trades professionals and technical experts.

“There are so many deserving students engaged in our CTE programs, who can benefit from this financial support as they pursue skilled trades and technical careers,” said RUSD Foundation Director Knea Hawley. “The RUSD Foundation is actively working to grow the Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship endowment and looks forward to expanding the number of scholarships in the upcoming award cycles.”

Educational Options Center student Wendy Mendoza-Juarez, left, is congratulated by counselor Karen Wright after receiving a Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship from the Riverside Unified School District Foundation. (Photo: Courtesy)

Nine RUSD students earned the Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship, including Arlington High School’s Nathan Jara, the Educational Options Center’s Wendy Mendoza-Juarez, Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s Christian De La Vega, John W. North High School’s Brenden Mercado, Raincross High School’s Yandel Rivera, Ramona High School’s Andrew Rahner, Riverside STEM Academy’s Ezekiel Figueroa, Riverside Virtual School’s Eddie Ascencio, and a Riverside Polytechnic High School student.

The Tom Hunt Memorial scholarship funds are designed to support students who have demonstrated academic excellence and exceptional commitment to their respective CTE fields; which included automotive repair, health sciences, and HVAC in this year’s first group of awardees. Each of the nine recipients received a non-renewable $1,000 award to offset the costs of tuition, necessary tools, or certification fees.

From left to right, Riverside STEM Academy counselor Sandra Izquieta, student Ezekiel Figueroa, and RUSD Foundation Director Knea Hawley celebrate Figueroa’s selection as one of nine inaugural Tom Hunt Memorial Scholarship recipients. (Photo: Courtesy)

“Tom was a strong advocate for expanding Career and Technical Education programs, ensuring that students are better prepared for future career paths,” RUSD Board of Education President Brent Lee said. “It is a tremendous honor to launch this scholarship by supporting nine diverse and incredibly motivated students. They are the inaugural standard-bearers of Tom’s vision, and we are thrilled to help them transition from the classroom into vital, high-demand careers.

”The RUSD Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities and ensuring accessibility for all RUSD students. Through three key initiatives which include Innovative Learning that provides  experiential learning opportunities across the district, including support for Visual and Performing Arts, Career and Technical Education, and civic engagement; Student Resilience, which assists families facing financial hardship to ensure all students start on equal footing and have the same opportunities to succeed; and Extraordinary Futures, that provides scholarships to help students pursue their post-high school dreams. The Foundation strives to empower every student to succeed. For more information, contact Knea Hawley at khawley@riversideunified.org.

Ellen Perrault is retired and works occasionally as a freelance writer who contributes to publications in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Her primary focus is preparing/reformatting press releases and other public announcements–both municipal and nonprofit–for publication.