They acknowledged the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and Soboba Foundation for being among the program’s strongest supporters and major contributors since day one. Zermeno said that Soboba’s generosity allowed them to award every student who submitted an application with a scholarship. Chairman Isaiah Vivanco was invited to the stage to say a few words.

“On behalf of the Tribe, I’d like to welcome you to our homeland,” he said. “We are proud to be sponsors of this program and to celebrate the accomplishments of all these great students. We can’t wait to see where their dreams take them.”

After the final breakfast in March, each Student of the Month was encouraged to complete an application to be considered as the Class of 2026 Student of the Year for their school site, resulting in eight honorees. Both districts have schools of choice that take turns attending the monthly celebrations throughout the school year and one student from each district’s rotating schools is chosen to be Student of the Year.

“Tonight we come together to recognize an incredible group of students whose resilience, character, and determination continue to inspire all of us,” Zermeno said. “Each student being honored this evening has faced challenges with courage, shown strength in their difficult moments, and continues to move forward with purpose and heart. Their stories remind us that true success is not only measured by achievements, but by perseverance, kindness, and the ability to rise above adversity.”

Guests were treated to a gourmet buffet before awards were given. The evening mirrored well-known awards ceremonies such as the Oscars and the Grammys since the results were not revealed in advance. A short video clip of each student’s speech from when they were honored during their month was played before announcing the winner for each school, after an anticipatory drum roll.

Students of the Year

Hemet Unified School District’s Student of the Year honorees are Aidan DeSanto, Nevaeh Gray, Celeste Lopez, Samantha Calvillo Navarro, and Eddie Villa. Those honored from San Jacinto Unified School District are Karen Alvarenga Quiroz, Elizabeth Schmitz, and Christian “CJ” Viramontes. Each accepted their award with gratitude to the sponsors, school personnel, friends, and family members who supported them throughout their high school journey.
As Student of the Month in February for Tahquitz High School, Aidan DeSanto will be attending Cal State, San Marcos on his path to becoming a history teacher. Nevaeh Gray was September’s Student of the Month from Hamilton High School. She is going to be studying nursing at Cal State, San Marcos in the fall. The Western Center Academy honored Celeste Lopez as Student of the Month in February. She will be studying nursing at California Baptist University. Samantha Calvillo Navarro was West Valley High School’s choice in March. She will be completing her core classes at Mt. San Jacinto College before transferring to Loma Linda on her way to becoming a sonographer. Eddie Villa was singled out in March by Hemet High School. He will attend MIT to major in nuclear science and engineering.

November’s Student of the Month for Mountain Heights Academy was Karen Alvarenga Quiroz. She will attend Cal State, San Marcos and plans to be a lawyer, medical assistant, and an actor “because I can do everything” she said. San Jacinto High School chose Elizabeth Schmitz in January. She will study business and business analytics at UC, Davis. Christian “CJ” Viramontes was honored as Student of the Month in October for San Jacinto Leadership Academy. He will begin his college education at Mt. San Jacinto College where he will major in journalism, hoping to become a sportswriter.

Additional scholarships

Individual scholarships were presented to students who were chosen for their ability to meet the criteria set by the community members or businesses who sponsored the awards.

The Adanesne Carrasco Soto Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Justin Valladares, San Jacinto Leadership Academy’s March SOM. He will attend MSJC to study to become an EMT before joining the fire department “to help this community.” Adanesne had been honored as SOM for San Jacinto High School in December of 2021. She passed away from cancer the following June, shortly after graduation.

Terry Cobb presented the Mike Christie Memorial Scholarship to Lola Elzy, Hemet High School’s SOM for December. Lola will attend San Diego State University as a biology major on a pre-med track. Terry said she and her late husband, Mike, met at Hemet High School. Zermeno said Mike Christie created the Student of the Month website in 2012 at the beginning of the program and that losing him was a great loss to the community.

The $2,000 Hemet Teachers’ Association Scholarship went to Jaysen Arreola, who earned Hemet High School’s SOM recognition in September. He will be studying geology at UC, Berkeley with the intention of becoming a paleontologist. The award was presented by Hemet High School teacher James Walsh.

The Dr. Koka & Family Medical Scholarship was awarded to Erendira Soria, Hemet High School’s January SOM. She plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College as she pursues her goal to become a nurse. Dr. Vidhya Koka said her family has had the privilege of being in this community for 22 years and this award is to congratulate and encourage people going into the healthcare field so they can come back and serve this community.

Jackie Sanchez Ibarra, Mountain Heights Academy’s SOM in March, was presented with the Daniel Lopez Jr. Memorial Scholarship. She wants to take EMT courses to become a paramedic. Daniel was named SOM in the 2015-2016 school year and died in a tragic traffic accident a few days before graduation. His parents set up the scholarship to honor students that best represent their son who always gave back to his family and community.

The Dr. Kari McGowan Memorial Scholarship was presented to Savannah Garcia, Tahquitz High School’s December SOM. Savannah is headed to Riverside Community College in the fall to study performing arts and pursue a career in the music industry. Current principal Andrew Holmes said the scholarship is designed to support a student who embodies the same qualities former principal McGowan held dear—a heart for service, a resilient work ethic, and a fierce belief in the power that education has to change lives.

Katelyn Cerpas Fuentes, January SOM for Tahquitz High School, received the Marie Quandt Memorial Scholarship. She will be attending Grossmont College in San Diego to prepare for a career as a laboratory scientist. John Norman presented the scholarship after explaining that Quandt had been a very active woman in the community who showed up for kids. He said, “The support that she provided is like the support that I see a lot of the teachers and administrators giving.”

Shannon Murdaugh presented the Sizzler/BMW Management Inc. Scholarship to Diego Gomez, Western Center Academy’s SOM for November on behalf of Sally Myers. Diego will be studying engineering at California Baptist University before pursuing his career as a civil engineer in the water industry. The local SOM program is based on the one started by Myers of Sizzler/BMW Management Inc. more than 30 years ago. Her programs have since spawned more than 20 variations in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties, including several in the Inland Empire overseen by Zermeno.

The Cassi Tichy Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Lily Snow, who was SOM in September from the Academy of Innovation. Lily has not yet decided on her future plans. Cassi was Hemet High School’s Student of the Year for 2016-2017. She had been chosen as SOM while battling a rare form of cancer. The award was presented by Hemet Unified School District Superintendent Christi Barrett.

Closing Remarks

“Students, this is not just an award; this is a testament to all of the challenges that you have overcome and are currently overcoming,” Zermeno said. “But you are ready to face the world because you have shown that you can overcome anything. You have shown that you have built your character and your strength and you use those

strengths to help others. Your kindness has carried you through and we hear the stories of your perseverance and helping others. Congratulations again to our students of 2025-26.”

To learn more about the program and to view monthly videos, please visit www.studentofthemonth.net.

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Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno-Leon emceed the event. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.

November’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Deanna Bailey, Jaida Gilbert, Diego Gomez, Deonys Ioane and Terrell Strong. San Jacinto Unified honorees for November are Karen Alvarenga Quiroz and Jacob Burke.

Hemet Unified School District

Deanna Bailey

Hamilton High School Principal Kari Sanchez introduced Deanna as a “phenomenal student and leader on campus.” Attendance clerk and Cheer coach Darian Henderson said she has watched Deanna lead the cheer team with strength, passion and genuine care for everyone around her. She serves as captain with grace, all while balancing multiple AP classes, Girl Scouts and helping care for her two disabled family members at home. Deanna feels her greatest contribution is helping others and tries to make a positive difference wherever she can. “I’ve learned that small acts of kindness can have a big impact on people,” she said. The outstanding senior plans to major in biology with a goal of becoming a physician assistant. She said it wasn’t easy for her to find a way to juggle three varsity sports, maintain good grades, be social, and prioritize family time but she did so with determination and faith. “The most important lesson I’ve learned is that success isn’t about grades or awards—it’s about effort, attitude, and kindness,” Deanna said. “Those are the things that truly define who we are and how we’ll make a difference in the world.”

Jaida Gilbert

Hemet High School Principal Jeff Franks said, “Many of you have had the pleasure of hearing Jaida sing the national anthem at various district events; she’s an outstanding singer and also an outstanding student.” Her CTE First Responder teacher Wayne Eder said Jaida was in the program when it started last year. “I also test people to become firefighters and police officers,” he said. “Jaida completed physical testing and requirements and became certified as a wildland firefighter.” Growing up in Texas, Jaida’s family was involved with the AME Church that came under scrutiny that caused the family personal and financial struggles. At 13, her mother was diagnosed with leukemia and at 14, Jaida developed POTS partially due to large amounts of personal trauma she had suffered. “Recreational activities such as choir and sports became a way for me to relax and a start to my healing process,” Jaida said. “Over time, I have learned to turn the anger and hurt that I felt once before into determination and positivity. I’ve now found a strong passion within the healthcare pathway, and I hope to major in nursing at California Lutheran University to become a certified pediatric nurse.”

Diego Gomez

Western Center Academy Executive Director Paul Bailey said Diego is a bit of a “pied piper” on campus in that everybody wants to be able to follow him. Teacher Melanie Thornburg said Diego continues to inspire others with his perseverance. “He’s our hype man for everything,” she said. Diego thanked his parents for always pushing him to be the best he could be. “In my sophomore year, I took an all-weighted class schedule, played three sports and fit salsa dancing into the mix,” Diego said. “My parents pushed me to accomplish all that while also dealing with personal challenges.” Being dyslexic, he admits to being a slow reader and learner in grade school, but his parents would not let that stand in the way of him challenging himself academically. Although his IEP (Individualized Education Program) allowed him to have certain accommodations, his mother did not want him to be treated as less than the other students. “Late last year, I became partially blind,” Diego said. “It’s been a challenge to overcome, and I lost a lot of motivation, but my parents pushed me to overcome things.” He plans to attend California Baptist University to study engineering.

Deonys Ioane

West Valley High School chose to honor Deonys for November. She is a straight-A student who is co-captain of the volleyball team where she plays starting center. “I believe my greatest contribution to my family is being responsible and supportive,” she said. “I do my part around the house, I help with my siblings when my parents are busy with work, I stay focused on my goals, and I try to set a good example for my siblings.” Deonys plans to major in kinesiology with the goal of becoming an athletic trainer for a college or professional sports team. “The biggest challenge I faced was being a military kid,” she said. “This meant moving every three years and starting at a new school. It was fun being able to travel around the world, but I always wanted to stay in one place.” During the time her father served in the Marine Corps, Deonys has lived in three different states and spent six years in Japan where she attended three different schools. Looking back, Deonys said she is thankful for the challenges she endured. “Because they have taught me resilience, adaptability and independence,” she said.

Terrell Strong

Tahquitz High School Principal Andrew Holmes described Terrell as the ideal recipient for the Student of the Month award. “He’s an exceptional athlete whose athleticism is second to none; he is a true joy to watch on the football field. He’s a superstar on both sides of the field,” Holmes said. Counselor Kelly Duggins has known Terrell since he was a freshman. “He has taken a lot of hits on and off the field, but I can tell you he has a lot of grit,” she said. “Every time he’s been knocked down, he pops right back up.” Terrell’s father passed away in 2022 and he said, “It was hard for me to grasp mentally and physically because he was my coach, he was my everything. With him not being here, it was difficult.” Terrell said he had to learn how to push himself physically and academically because there was no one there to tell him what to do. But with support from school staff, family and the Lord, he was able to get through it. He thanked some of “the people who have helped me turn my pain into purpose.”

San Jacinto Unified School District

Karen Alvarenga Quiroz

Mountain Heights Academy selected independent studies student Karen for November. Her teacher Sarah Heritage said that after working through some personal issues, Karen is back on track. She was planning to graduate early but decided to stay on and join the Film & Media class and enroll in the CTE Health Careers pathway this year. “I think my greatest contribution to my school and community has been simply being myself, someone who tries to live by kindness, love and peace,” Karen said. “I’ve learned that sometimes the most meaningful impacts come from small things like encouraging others, lending a hand when someone needs it, and showing compassion.” She said that four years ago she didn’t have a plan for herself. “During my sophomore year I struggled a lot, and I was placed in treatment for an eating disorder,” Karen said. “Now I have many dreams and I’m going to chase them all.” She wants to work with the movie industry, help those in hospice care, study law, work in a bakery and rescue animals. “I only get one life, and I want to fill it with as much as I can,” Karen said.

Jacob Burke

San Jacinto Middle College High School instructor Lt.Col. Michael Howard said, “Jacob has risen to the top two percent of my JROTC program to become a member of the cadre, one of the top five cadet officers who lead the entire unit of 190 cadets. He has excelled in leadership roles since his freshman year.” Howard said that what makes Jacob truly extraordinary is that he continues to pile up achievements while enduring multiple surgeries, physical therapy and daily pains. “Courage, determination and optimism like this I have not seen in my 10 years as a teacher,” he said. Jacob said his greatest contribution to his community is his time. “I’ve learned that showing up consistently makes a real impact,” he said. He plans to study aerospace engineering. “My goal is to design sustainable systems that solve real world problems,” Jacob said. “But the path hasn’t been easy. Just a few weeks ago I had major spinal surgery; in fact, I’ve undergone 39 surgical procedures in my life. These experiences taught me resilience but more importantly they taught me that clarity and structure unlock confidence. Whether I’m solving equations or presenting ideas, organizing my thoughts leads to better outcomes and deeper understanding.”

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

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