Empowering Futures: Scholarships Support High School Seniors

Empowering Futures: Scholarships Support High School Seniors

Innovation, News

(Left photo, left to right) Judith Campbell Foundation Chairman, Jeffery Campbell, Linda Campbell, Vice President Laura Randolph, Carlsbad Educational Foundation CEO Laura Pitts, and Judith Campbell Foundation President Kimberley Lewis pose with Zaiden Dee (center), Carlsbad High School Senior and 2025 CEF Scholarship Recipient.

(Right photo, left to right) Michela Miracco, Erin O’Malley, Imane Elidrissi, Carlsbad Educational Foundation CEO, Laura Pitts (center), Jacob Dougherty, Divya Sharma, and Sophia Gocan, Sage Creek High School Seniors and 2025 CEF Scholarship Recipients.

Fifteen outstanding high school seniors from Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) have been awarded a total of $67,500 in scholarships through the Carlsbad Educational Foundation’s (CEF) 2025 Senior Scholarship Program. The awards celebrate both the students’ achievements and the impact of CEF-funded programs that inspired their college and career journeys.

“CEF provided the opportunities for me to learn, take risks, and challenge myself, sparking a love of STEM that shaped my future,” Kendra Ammon, a Carlsbad High School Graduate and $2,500 scholarship awardee, shared. “I’m excited to continue my journey at UC San Diego to study engineering and tackle real-world issues using the skills I first discovered through CEF-funded robotics.”

During her time at Carlsbad Unified, Ammon participated in the FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Robotics and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics program, funded by CEF through private donations and partnerships.

“This scholarship is a meaningful step toward achieving my dreams,” Ammon said.

Scholarship recipients include students who found a passion in music, STEAM, and programs rooted in educational innovation, made possible by generous community support and partners of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, including the Judith Campbell Educational and Community Foundation, the Tom Laurence Music Scholarship, and Viasat. Selected for their academic merits, personal statements, and reflections on how these programs shaped their educational goals, students were recognized during Senior Awards Nights at Carlsbad High School and Sage Creek High School.

“This year, we received 82 applications and conducted 32 student interviews, the most competitive applicant pool to date,” said Laura Pitts, CEO of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. “We’re incredibly proud to recognize these students, and grateful to our partners for their continued support. These scholarships aren’t just financial awards, they’re a celebration of students’ hard work, dreams, and the transformational power of education.”

The fifteen students who demonstrated remarkable dedication and commitment to their education are named below:

  • Sophia Gocan, Sage Creek High School, $10,000 Judith Campbell Educational & Community Foundation Scholarship
  • Marianthe Dresios, Carlsbad High, $10,000 Judith Campbell Educational & Community Foundation Scholarship
  • Zaiden Dee, Carlsbad High, $10,000 Judith Campbell Educational & Community Foundation Scholarship
  • Vassilios Dresios, Carlsbad High, $6,000 Tom Laurence Music Scholarship
  • Demetrios Dresios, Carlsbad High, $5,000 CEF Scholarship
  • Alex Le Moigne, Carlsbad High, $4,000 Tom Laurence Music Scholarship
  • Divya Sharma, Sage Creek High, $2,500 Viasat Scholarship for Science Olympiad
  • Jacob Dougherty, Sage Creek High, $2,500 Viasat Scholarship for Science Olympiad
  • Imane Elidrissi, Sage Creek High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Erin O’Malley, Sage Creek High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Meera Mor, Carlsbad High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Michela Miracco, Sage Creek High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Alessandra Anghera, Carlsbad High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Kendra Ammon, Carlsbad High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship
  • Luke Maland, Carlsbad High, $2,500 CEF Scholarship

Carlsbad Educational Foundation and its partners proudly congratulate the 2025 scholarship recipients and extend their deepest gratitude to the organizations, donors, and educators who helped make these awards possible.

Carlsbad Educational Foundation Awards Over $80,000 in Teacher Grants

Carlsbad Educational Foundation Awards Over $80,000 in Teacher Grants

Grant Awards, Innovation, Music, News, STEAM

A San Diego STEM sector professional teaches Calavera Hills Middle School students about materials science in one of three interactive modules at Project X STEM. Calavera Hills Middle School Science Teacher Aaron Sottile received a teacher grant to fund this field trip for every 8th grade student at his school.

The Carlsbad Educational Foundation (CEF) is proud to announce the award of $83,756 in teacher grants to secondary-level teachers in the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD). These grants, part of a new initiative launched by the Foundation in August 2024, are designed to support innovative instruction and fund impactful projects that will enrich student experiences and encourage engagement in the classroom.

The Teacher Grant Program was created to address the unique needs of secondary teachers and the diversity of their class offerings. Through this initiative, CEF aims to promote hands-on learning and creative curriculum that aligns with its core funding priorities: music, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math), and educational innovation. Projects that impact large numbers of students and involve teacher collaboration were given special consideration.

“This grant program empowers teachers to bring their ideas to life, ensuring that students have access to cutting-edge resources and experiences,” said Laura Pitts, CEO of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation.

Among the grant recipients is Rachel Hurlimann, who was awarded $8,247 to purchase Dell XPS 16 laptops to enhance her Multimedia Journalism class.

“This is INCREDIBLE news! I can’t wait to share it with the students and get to work!” Hurlimann said. With new laptops, students will be able to use industry-standard Adobe software, overcoming limitations caused by outdated equipment.

In her grant application, Hurlimann described the urgency of the need:

“Our current MacBooks have been in use since 2016, and they are no longer capable of running essential editing software. Receiving this grant will ensure we have the necessary equipment to produce our broadcasts and publications for the next 3-4 years.”

Another recipient, AP English Teacher Katrina Waidelich, was awarded $2,400 to transform her classroom into a “Thinking Classroom”—a dynamic learning environment designed to promote critical thinking and collaboration. With the grant, she purchased mobile whiteboards and other materials to implement this innovative teaching model.

“Many traditional classrooms rely heavily on worksheets or individual computer work, limiting student engagement and critical thinking,” Waidelich explained. “With the Building Thinking Classrooms model, students will work together on non-permanent vertical surfaces, encouraging immediate feedback, collaboration, and deeper thinking. I’m excited to see how this new structure will transform my classroom.”

The Teacher Grant Program emphasizes CEF’s ongoing commitment to fostering excellence in education by supporting innovative and impactful ideas. The grant amounts ranged from approximately $1,000 to $9,600, with projects aiming to impact hundreds of students across the district.

“This program not only enhances the classroom experience but also strengthens the connection between our community and the future of education,” Pitts said. “We are grateful to the donors and community partners who made this funding possible.”