In the News
Twenty-Eight Years of Scholarships, and an All-Time High
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Forty-nine Borregans, $93,150, and three new named scholarships. This is BASIC’s 28th year of sending students to school, and it is an all-time high.
This is BASIC’s 28th year of awarding scholarships to Borregans who wish to further their education. For the 2025–2026 academic year, BASIC will award $93,150 to 49 Borregans: high school graduates, continuing students, and adults returning to school. This is an all-time high, and worthy of celebrating.
The numbers for the 28-year scholarship program are, simply put, amazing: over 600 awards totaling over $900,000 have been made. Borrego Springs may be a little town, but together we support educating our children.
BASIC awards two kinds of scholarships: start-school scholarships to graduating high school seniors and to newcomers to our scholarship program, and stay-in-school scholarships to those who continue their educational journey. This year we will award 19 start-school scholarships and 30 stay-in-school scholarships.
By the numbers
- 49
- Scholarships for the 2025–2026 academic year
- $93,150
- To be awarded this year, the most ever
- 602
- Scholarships awarded in 28 years
- $913,300
- Awarded to Borregans since 1997
The BASIC scholars of 2025–26
Start-school scholarships · 19
- Abigail Gonzales
- Courtney Kidd
- Cristobal Sanchez
- Anthony Thompson
- Melanie Urquidez
- Odin Valdez
- Valentina Villarreal
- Carol Alvarez
- Abraham Arambula
- Marina Carbajal
- Brian Fuentes
- Angel Garcia
- Brenda Jimenez
- Noah Mattos-Kenne
- Alan Rodriguez-Osuna
- Jasmine Vilches
- Briem Cole
- Flor Gomez
- Matthew Shugart
Stay-in-school scholarships · 26
- Isabel Arteaga
- Chanel Barron
- Natalia Carmona
- Angela Fregoso
- Yair Fuentes
- Nahomy Fuentes
- Bryan Fuerte
- Miriam Hernandez
- Viviana Hernandez
- David Hernandez
- Astrid Lopez
- Julio Medina
- Victor Rodarte
- Laurynn Strate
- Mariana Torres
- Joselynn Troncoso
- Naylea Villarreal
- Daniela Zuniga
- Daniela Carmona
- Jimena Ochoa
- Pedro Rodriguez
- Hannah Strate
- Angel Vilchis
- Brody White
- Martin Fuerte
- Karie Strate
Continuing beyond a bachelor’s degree · 4
- Juan Fuerte
- Justin Lopez
- Edward Rivera
- Vanessa Rodarte
BASIC’s named scholarships
For the past ten years, BASIC has also awarded named scholarships: scholarships funded by donors who wish to have a loved one remembered, support education in a specific field, or reward academic excellence. These awards are given in addition to start-school and stay-in-school scholarship awards.
This year we are delighted to report that BASIC has three new named scholarships. Two of them, the Barbara Coates Scholarship and the Martha Deichler Scholarship, support students pursuing careers as teachers. The third, the Gary Bezer and Lise Fleury Scholarship, is a special award given to support academic excellence and a high probability of success.
- Joanne & Richard Ingwall Scholarship
- Outstanding academic achievement, GPA 3.66 or higher · Angela Fregoso, Bryan Fuerte, Daniela Carmona, Jimena Ochoa, Hannah Strate
- Joann & David (in memory) Stang Scholarship
- Outstanding academic achievement, GPA 3.5 or higher · Chanel Barron, David Hernandez, Julio Medina, Laurynn Strate, Mariana Torres, Daniela Zuniga, Juan Fuerte, Justin Lopez, Edward Rivera, Vanessa Rodarte, Pedro Hernandez
- Bill Wright Memorial Scholarship
- Careers in business and innovation · Hannah Strate
- Richard & Rosemary Fausel Scholarship
- STEM studies · Astrid Lopez
- Jon M. Gilbert Memorial Scholarship
- STEM studies · Angela Fregoso, Naylea Villarreal
- Gary Bezer and Lise Fleury Scholarship
- Academic excellence · Melanie Urquidez, Valentina Villarreal
- Barbara Coates Scholarship
- Future educators · Mariana Torres
- Martha Deichler Scholarship
- Future educators · Mariana Torres
- Dr. Edith A. Schmitt Memorial Scholarship
- Careers in the healthcare field · Chanel Barron
- Ralph Singer Memorial Scholarship
- Students in nursing · Chanel Barron, Laurynn Strate
- Paula Matthews & Mark Remy Scholarship
- Environment, sustainability and policy · Alan Rodriguez-Osuna
- Jim McFarland Memorial Scholarship
- Technical and vocational studies · Daniela Carmona, Briem Cole
Borrego Springs may be a little town, but together we support educating our children.
All of this is possible because of you
BASIC’s Board of Directors thanks you: Angela Cassidy, Barbara Coates, Ken Collard, Richard Fausel, Sharon Goldsmith, Joanne Ingwall, Peter Kellner, Esmeralda Lopez-Garcia, Urmi Ray, Heidi Schlotfeldt, Joann Stang and Mary Watkins, with Board Advisor Martha Deichler.
Contribute to the education of our youth
If you would like to be part of next year’s number, give online or mail a check to BASIC, PO Box 1914, Borrego Springs CA 92004. Every named scholarship began with one donor’s idea.
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