Media Releases

Release Date
May 15, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

California Desert REALTORS® Donate $18,000
In Scholarships To 18 High School Seniors

PALM DESERT (Calif.) - The California Desert Association of REALTORS® awarded $18,000 in academic scholarships to 18 high school seniors from nine public Coachella Valley High Schools at their recent annual (April 26) Spring Scholarship Breakfast.

"We are always so proud to award these scholarships to such great young people who want to further their education," said Emily DiSimone, president of the California Desert Association of REALTORS®. "This year, we were able to include outstanding students from Desert Mirage High School in Thermal."

Students were given $1,000 scholarships, "thanks to the hard work of our Golf Tournament Committee and Community Services Committee, which raises monies for scholarships," she said.

About 500 applications for scholarships were reviewed by a committee, headed by Suzie Waggoner of Coldwell Banker and Judy Gaudiano, of Action Appraisal Services.

"As the Coachella Valley grows and the number of students increases, it becomes more of a challenge to choose among the wonderful young people we have here," said Waggoner, who has been involved with the scholarship committee for 24 of the 25 years the California Desert Association of REALTORS® has awarded scholarships.

The selection process is tough, she said, noting that students are selected on the basis of academic achievement and desire to continue their college education.

The students are:

• Daisy Ramirez, Anayeli Zavala, Desert Hot Springs High School
• Cameron Nabhan, Victoria Ingram, Palm Springs High School
• Omar Felix, Aimee Lacuesta, Cathedral City High School
• Shandy Pinkowski, Emily Keith, Palm Desert High School
• Yuliya Bilan, Aracelie Vazquez, La Quinta High School
• Nimisha Patel, Ivey Preston, Indio High School
• Maria Paz, Isaac Juarez, Coachella High School
• Alma Guerrero, Jesus Grajeda, Amistad Continuation High School
• Yaneli Reyes, Elizabeth Alvarez, Desert Mirage High School

CDAR Scholarship Committee Members are:

• La Quinta High School - Penelope Woodside, Prudential California Realty
• Desert Hot Springs High School - Joan F. Burke, Tarbell REALTORS®
• Coachella High School - Judy Gaudiano, Action Appraisal Services
• Palm Desert High School - Pat Fredericks, Broker
• Indio High School - Maggie Hickman, Prudential California Realty
• Palm Springs High School - Myrna Chariton, Coldwell Banker Residential Realty
• Cathedral City High School - Don Rossignol, Prudential California Realty
• Desert Mirage High School - Suzie Waggoner, Coldwell Banker Residential Realty
• Amistad Continuation High School - Maggie Hickman, Prudential California Realty

The California Desert Association of REALTORS® sponsors an annual golf tournament and other events to raise money for the scholarship fund. This year's tournament will be held May 2 at the Classic Club golf course.

The California Desert Association of REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate® for the Coachella Valley, represents 4,000 estate professionals from Palm Springs to Coachella.

For more information, please call (760) 346-5637 or visit online at www.CalDesertRealtors.com