Now, ready to graduate from San Diego State University, she wants the community to know she is believes in it. Kaylor plans to return to the area with a multi-subject credential in education.

Colette Couch, a foundation trustee, said that is what the foundation works so hard for. "The kids really don’t realize until the night of the award," Couch said. "When they see all those people coming together from all different directions, for one specific purpose, it works both ways. I think it is neat they have an appreciation and realization that it is not easy to go out and get the [scholarship] money and it is a little pat on the shoulder for the kids, realizing they had to work to get there."

Many of us choose to raise our families in this valley precisely because children enjoy support for so many of their endeavors here. The Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation of Temecula Valley is one of the organizations that has become an institution in that undertaking. Now in their twelfth year of existence, last year they awarded $111,360 to 241 college or trade school bound recipients. Next year they will expand to include students graduating from Chaparral High School.

Thank you notes to the board often include sentiments such as these written by 1998 recipients: "I will work hard in college to be worthy of your time and effort. Scholarships are appreciated very much by both myself and my family," and "It means so much that a donor like you has faith in my educational future and me as a worthy scholarship recipient."

This year scholarships will be awarded on Monday, June 14, at Temecula Valley High School. The evening is always electric as benefactors often make their own presentations to surprised recipients. Poignant moments occur when memorial awards are presented or when donors recount their impressions of going through the scholarship applications to choose the recipient.

I had that experience recently sitting on the committee to choose the Rancho Elementary PTA recipients. All students must be in good standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0. As with many of the donors, stipulations are made based on areas of interest, or academic success or community service. Rancho chooses students who attended there.

Kaylor has funded much of her college education on her own. She received the Jack Locklin Memorial Scholarship and a Rancho Temecula Area Women’s Club scholarship. "Every little bit helps, no matter the amount," Kaylor said. "Being up there that night and knowing someone had faith in me, boosted me and let me know, ‘I can do this.’"