Bishop Alberto Rojas has announced the four Catholic school eighth graders who will receive the 2025 Bishop’s Scholarship. This year’s Bishop’s Scholars are: Karol Gaytan from Sacred Heart Academy in Redlands, Matthew Cannis from St. Margaret Mary School in Chino, Isabella Brown from St. Jeanne De Lestonnac School in Temecula, Luis Andres De Leon from Sacred Heart School in Palm Desert.
The Bishop’s Scholarship is a merit-based, four-year (renewable) award given annually to four eighth grade students matriculating from a parish partner school within the local clusters to Aquinas High School, San Bernardino; Notre Dame High School, Riverside; Xavier College Preparatory High School, Palm Desert, and Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac High School, Temecula.
These four students will be incoming high school freshmen in the upcoming 2025-26 school year. Cannis will attend Notre Dame High School, Brown will attend St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School, De Leon will attend Xavier College Preparatory High School, and Gaytan will attend Aquinas High School.
Applying for the Bishop’s Scholarship, students are asked to describe and discuss their commitment to God, faith, education, family, community, volunteerism and explain why they wish to attend the particular high school they have chosen.
According to the Bishop’s Catholic Schools Endowment Committee, each applicant is given serious consideration with top priority given to those most in need. Last year the committee had over 300 families apply for scholarships and were able to assist over 200 families with awards between $250 and to $1,000.