WSSNews Vol 40 No 5 | Thursday April 16, 2026

WESTSIDESTORY NEWSPAPER

Riverside Schools Become Statewide Model for Connecting Students with CalKIDS Scholarships

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) is emerg- ing as a statewide model for helping families access CalKIDS Scholarships by combining financial literacy education with coordinated outreach across school communities that con- nects students with scholarships worth up to $1,500 for higher education.

The CalKIDS Program represents a $2.2 billion state investment in children's futures, providing scholarships for college and career training. The program is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board and chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA.

Under RCOE's leadership, educators are conducting targeted outreach, embedding fi- nancial literacy and CalKIDS into everyday school engagement to increase awareness and drive scholarship claims. This approach has led to five schools in Riverside County achiev- ing a 100% CalKIDS Scholarship claim rate, including Lasselle Elementary, West Riverside Elementary, Myra Lynn Elementary, Good Hope Elementary, and San Jacinto Leadership Academy.

In Riverside County, more than $178 mil- lion in CalKIDS Scholarships have been des- ignated for more than 340,000 public school students. So far, approximately 34% of students have claimed their scholarships, includ- ing more than 54% of students in grades 9–12, unlocking more than $60 million to support future college or career training.

HOME

To continue, visit www.westsidestorynewspaper.com.

100 Black Men of the Bay Area Win 2026

Community Service Award

2026 David L. Cunningham Community Service Award by the California Association of Black Lawyers

OAKLAND, CA----- 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. was honored Saturday evening as the nonprofit recipient of the 2026 David L. Cunningham Community Service Award at the California Association of Black Lawyers' (CABL) 49th Annual Conference Installation and Awards Gala. Held at the Oakland Mar- riott City Center and themed "Reclaiming Our Shine," the gala convened Black legal profes- sionals, community leaders, celebrities, and supporters from across California to celebrate excellence in service and the law.

The David L. Cunningham Community Ser- vice Award recognizes commitment to com- munity betterment reflecting the values of CA- BL's mission. 100 Black Men of the Bay Area is the fifth nationally chartered chapter of 100 Black Men of America, selected in the non- profit category for its decades of sustained im- pact across the Bay Area's most underserved communities.

See "100 Black Men of the..." page 8