Next 2025-2026 Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month Event Honors 21 Desert-Area High School Seniors
INDIO – Inspiring stories of resilience, community involvement, and academic excellence shared by local high school students will be the highlight of the next Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month event hosted by the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) on Tuesday, December 2, 2026, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino – Special Events Center (84-245 Indio Springs Parkway, Indio, CA 92203).
First organized by RCOE during the 2023-2024 school year, the third year of recognition started in October, and will continue by honoring one high school senior from each of the 19 different high schools in three local school districts: Coachella Valley Unified School District, Desert Sands Unified School District, and Palm Springs Unified School District, along with two students enrolled in Riverside County Office of Education alternative education programs.
“The stories of resilience and excellence shared by our students of the month are powerful examples of the promise of education to transform lives,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “We are thankful for the collective dedication and commitment of the desert-area educators whose impact on student success is on full display with each extraordinary story shared at the Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month events.”
Additional Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month events are scheduled for February 3, 2026, and April 14, 2026. Honorees from each of these events will compete for the Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Year scholarships that will be awarded on May 21, 2026.
Each district selects its Students of the Month based on their embodiment of character, integrity, a passion for learning, active involvement in school life, sports, and community service, or have displayed remarkable resilience in the face of life’s challenges while maintaining a commitment to education.
Community support has been critical to the success of the program, with this year’s Greater Coachella Valley Student of the Month partners including each desert-area school district, along with Sun Community Federal Credit Union, Altura Credit Union, Sam’s Club, Walter Clark Legal Group, OneFuture Coachella Valley, and Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino.
The honorees at the December 2 event include:
Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD)
- Crusz Carrizales – Coachella Valley High School
- Kiana Miranda – Coachella Valley Independent Study
- Ivan Izar – Desert Mirage High School
- Haide Reyes-Mendez – La Familia High School
- Bryan Magana – Nova Academy Early College High School
- Zaide Sanchez – West Shores High School
Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD)
- Arturo Garcia – Amistad High School
- Josiah Lopez – Horizon High School
- Alora Druyon – Indio High School
- Siera Irwin – La Quinta High School
- Jake Brande – Palm Desert High School
- Aubrie Dunn – Shadow Hills High School
- Kevin Gonzalez – Summit High School
Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD)
- Joseph Refugio Bueno – Cathedral City High School
- Joel Ruiz – Desert Hot Springs High School
- Janet A. Ramirez – Desert Learning Academy
- Katia Martinez – Mt. San Jacinto High School
- Alaina Vega – Palm Springs High School
- Janel Paule – Rancho Mirage High School
Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)
- Savannah Lopez – Palm Springs Community School
- Ana Cisneros-Lemus – Don F. Kenny Regional Learning Center
Sponsorship opportunities are available for all events, including platinum ($7,500), gold ($5,000), silver ($3,000), bronze ($1,500), and table ($500) levels. Please contact Natalia T. Gonzalez for additional information at ntgonzalez@rcoe.us.
About the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)
RCOE is a service agency supporting the county’s 23 school districts and 500+ schools that serve nearly 430,000 students—more than the student population of 17 states. RCOE services include administrative support to districts and charter schools, programs for preschool, special education, pregnant minor, correctional, migrant, and vocational students. In addition, the organization provides professional training, support, and resources for more than 18,000 teachers, administrators, and staff, throughout the 7,000 square miles of Riverside County. Learn more at www.rcoe.us.