Hemet Unified School District is proud to recognize Abraham Perales (Hemet High School), Charles Yoon (Hamilton High School), and Johnson Banh (Tahquitz High School) as recipients of the QuestBridge Scholarship, a program that matches eligible students with prestigious universities across the country. These students were among just ten recipients across Riverside County to receive full university tuition.
Two of Hemet Unified’s QuestBridge scholars learned about the program from previous recipients at their school sites. Abraham shared, “I found out about the Questbridge Scholarship through my brother. He had previously received the same scholarship in 2021.” Similarly, Charles Yoon learned from an upperclassman who served as a mentor. Charles explained, “a huge part of my success is thanks to her, as I wouldn't have even known of Questbridge if it wasn't for her.”
The Questbridge Scholarship was founded in 1994 by two Stanford University students seeking to create opportunities for high- achieving students from lower-income backgrounds to be matched with notable colleges across the United States (Including but not limited to Stanford University, Dartmouth College, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Nationwide, the Questbridge Scholarship program has supported more than 100,000 high-achieving students.
The district’s third Questbridge Scholar, Johnson Banh shared, “I will be attending Stanford University, majoring in Philosophy and Art History. I want to go into education, either as a college professor or a high school teacher. Because I have the luxury to graduate Stanford loan free, I feel like it would be a waste to pursue what would make me money instead of what would make me happy.”
It is exciting to see these students receive this incredible opportunity to further their education and to receive the support that will allow them to pursue their dreams, a key part of the vision of the QuestBridge Scholarship. As we prepare to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2026, it is clear that their futures are incredibly bright.