Riverside County high school students were encouraged to apply Friday for this year’s Date Festival Scholarship Program, in which the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival will award $20,000 and a season pass to this year’s festival to 10 seniors.
“`The Date Festival Scholarship Program extends the event’s celebration of the very best Riverside County has to offer — from blue ribbons to college tuition,” Chris Pickering, CEO of Pickering Events, said in a statement.
Applicants will be open to county residents who are graduating seniors with a minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA. Requirements will include a 500-word essay on “The Importance of Community,” unofficial transcripts and a school identification due by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, officials said.
Submissions will be reviewed, with finalists set to be notified on Jan. 26, and recipients will be selected following interviews with a judging panel and announced on Feb. 4 at the organizer’s website.
Officials said $2,000 scholarships will be distributed to each recipient’s college or university.
“This scholarship is an investment in Riverside County’s students and the future of our community,” said Supervisor Manuel Perez. “We’re proud to support local seniors take their next step toward higher education.”
In addition to the scholarship, recipients will be honored during the Presidents’ Day celebrations, including being featured in the parade and recognized in the Presidents’ Day breakfast alongside elected officials and community members.
The National Date Festival will be held from Feb. 12 through March 1 at the county’s Fairgrounds in Indio.
To learn more about the scholarship program, email scholarships@datefest.org, or call at 760-863-8247.