Racing Across The West For Borrego Springs High School Seniors
By Sylvia Maas,
This June I will be participating in the Race Across America. A 930 mile trek from Oceanside Pier, in Southern California to Durango, Colorado. The Race Across the West is the first leg of the event. Racers will make their first time station stops at Christmas Circle, right here in Borrego Springs, a place I now call home after retiring from 36 years of teaching.
After moving here last year, I joined the Borrego Springs chapter of Soroptimist International. This philanthropic group focuses on women helping women. Through one of their programs, I began to volunteer with seniors at Borrego Springs High School, helping students fill out scholarship applications for colleges, junior colleges, and vocational programs.
Equity in education is a hot topic that came to the forefront during COVID. Borrego Springs High School is a perfect example of the imbalances that plague small rural towns. From lack of reliable internet access, to language barriers between school-student-home-applications, these inequities are real. Typically counseling departments deal with college and scholarship applications, however Borrego Springs High School has no counselor, adding to students challenges.
The purpose of the “Race Across West HS senior scholarship “ fundraiser is to provide scholarship(s) to student(s) to help with the initial expenses of college including: moving, transportation, computer, and other needs. Each scholarship will be for $1000. An anonymous donor has offered to match these scholarships up to $10,000! The recipient(s) will receive the funds shortly before they begin college in the fall.
Your donation will help get student(s) started on their next phase of life with the confidence and conviction that is shared by their peers. My hope is to have multiple scholarship recipients. Any help you can give is appreciated. The link to a paypal account is here:
1. Click on “Funding education and dreams”
2. Click on “Donate today”
3. Click on the “soroptimist program” drop down menu
4. Click on “Race Across West HS senior scholarship”
All donations to Soroptimist International are Tax deductible.
Thanks so much for your support, and come to Christmas Circle this June 14th around 5pm to see me and all the racers!