The holiday spirit is spreading across local schools in the Coachella Valley as the third annual Magic of Lights experience at the Empire Polo Club in Indio will donate a portion of its proceeds to schools when guests use a promo code.
“Magic of Lights is a holiday must-do for many families, and this gives visitors a chance to enjoy this beloved holiday tradition while giving back to the community at the same time,” said Mark Girton, general manager of the Empire Polo Club, in a press release. “Funds raised will help finance educational programs, sports, art and enrichment activities and other important resources that enhance the student experience.”
Also in this week’s education roundup: Students at Herbert Hoover Elementary School to receive brand-new athletic shoes, thanks to Sunrise Giving Circle and Shoes That Fit; UCR Palm Desert opens applications for its homegrown teacher education program; Riverside County Office of Education breaks ground on a state-of-the-art conference center in Indio; College of the Desert launches first responder training program; and Dr. Carreón Foundation opens its scholarship application for high school and college students.
Did we miss a noteworthy education story? Raise your hand and send it my way: jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
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How to support local schools through Magic of Lights’ Lights for Learning partnership
The two-mile holiday drive-thru experience at the Empire Polo Club isn’t the only thing lighting up the Coachella Valley — local schools will also shine brighter thanks to a new partnership with Magic of Lights’ Lights for Learning drive.
More:5 things to see at Indio’s annual Magic of Lights drive-thru holiday display
For every ticket purchased online with a participating school’s promo code through Dec. 29, Magic of Lights, now in its third year, will donate $5 per ticket to the respective schools. As an added bonus, the school with the most tickets sold through its promo code will receive an additional $1,000.
The participating schools’ promo codes are as follows:
- Amistad High in Indio: AHS24
- Summit/Horizon in La Quinta: SUM24
- Carrillo Ranch Elementary in Indio: CRES24
- James Carter Elementary in Palm Desert: JCES24
- Dr. Reynaldo Carreón Elementary in Indio: DCES24
- Amelia Earhart Elementary in Indio: AEES24
- Gerald Ford Elementary in Indian Wells: GFES24
- Benjamin Franklin Elementary in La Quinta: BFES24
- Herbert Hoover Elementary in Indio: HHES24
- Andrew Jackson Elementary in Indio: AJES24
- Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary in Indio: LBJES24
- John F. Kennedy Elementary in Indio: JFKES24
- Abraham Lincoln Elementary in Palm Desert: ALES24
- James Madison Elementary in Indio: MADES24
- James Monroe Elementary in Bermuda Dunes: MONES24
- Richard Oliphant Elementary in Indio: ROES24
- Ronald Reagan Elementary in Palm Desert: RRES24
- Theodore Roosevelt Elementary in Indio: TRES24
- Harry Truman Elementary in La Quinta: HTES24
- Martin Van Buren Elementary in Indio: VBES24
- George Washington Charter in Palm Desert: WCES24
- Desert Mirage High in Thermal: DMHS24
- West Shores High in Salton City: WSHS24
- Toro Canyon Middle in Thermal: TCMS24
- Desert Hot Springs High in Desert Hot Springs: DHSHS24
- Palm Springs Unified in Palm Springs: PSUSD24
For more information: Visit magicoflights.com
Sunrise Giving Circle and Shoes That Fit partner to donate new shoes to all students at Hoover Elementary
What began eight years ago as a group of roughly 12 women has grown into the Sunrise Giving Circle, with over 60 members meeting monthly to aid Coachella Valley charities. Founded by Bonnie Shivley, Sunrise Giving Circle has collaborated with the national nonprofit Shoes That Fit for years, equipping students at Herbert Hoover Elementary School in Indio with new athletic shoes from brands like Nike, Puma and Adidas, ensuring they can attend school confidently and ready to learn.
Members of the Sunrise Giving Circle, along with Santa Claus, will return to Hoover Elementary on Thursday, Dec. 19, to gift new athletic shoes to every student in the school. From 8:30 a.m. to noon, 340 students will receive a pair of shoes as part of the annual tradition.
The initiative, which originally supported 150 to 175 students, has grown to benefit the entire student body. Funding for the program is provided by the Sunrise Giving Circle, while Shoes That Fit supplies the footwear. Principal Karen Schibler coordinates the effort to ensure every Hornet receives the correct shoe size.
Filling the gaps: Applications open for UCR Palm Desert’s teacher education program
Now in its second year, UC Riverside’s Palm Desert Campus is continuing its efforts to build a pipeline of homegrown teachers in the Coachella Valley to address ongoing teacher shortages.
“Given the growth in the Coachella Valley, school districts will be recruiting teachers for a long time,” said Frances Valdovinos, UCR’s assistant dean and director of the teacher education program, in a press release. “Bringing our program to the UCR Palm Desert campus means we can help curtail the teacher shortage immediately and into the future.”
More:Effort to train future wave of local teachers begins at Coachella Valley Unified schools
Aspiring educators can apply by Jan. 17, 2025, to earn a master’s in education and teaching credentials — including multiple-subject, single-subject or educational specialist credentials — with an optional bilingual authorization in Spanish, all within one year. Interviews for applicants will take place in February, with classes starting in June 2025.
For more information: Visit education.ucr.edu/tep/welcome, email creded@ucr.edu or call 951-827-5225
Riverside County Office of Education’s state-of-the-art conference center in Indio breaks ground
Educators across the Coachella Valley often log thousands of miles traveling to western Riverside County for educational events — but the upcoming 33,000-square-foot Riverside County Office of Education Indio Conference Center will soon offer a local solution, bringing a wide range of events to the desert region.
Designed by DLR Group with Erickson-Hall as the lead construction partner, RCOE’s forthcoming facility held its groundbreaking ceremony behind its existing facility on the corner of Dr. Carreón Boulevard and Calhoun Street Indio on Thursday, Dec. 12.
The state-of-the-art conference center will feature 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, a large conference area for up to 375 occupants, configurable breakout rooms, 22 offices and an open workspace for 30 staff members. Additional amenities include a warehouse and community space, 290 parking spaces (including nearly 100 covered by solar canopies), as well as a walking trail with a covered connection to the existing RCOE facility in Indio.
Funded by the county redevelopment agency funds, the $40 million project is expected to be completed in April 2026.
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“From student competitions and professional development trainings to regional conferences and partnership events with the community, this facility will serve as a beacon of commitment to the transformative power of education,” Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said in a press release.
Amid paramedic shortage, College of the Desert launches first responder training program
Beginning in the spring semester, College of the Desert will offer a new certificate program for first responders to meet the demands of the Coachella Valley’s aging population and the shortage of local paramedic training facilities following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current and recently graduated EMT students must apply to the EMS Paramedic Academy by Jan. 5, 2025, and attend one of two mandatory orientations — either on Tuesday, Dec. 17 or Monday, Jan. 6. The paramedic program, which has a capacity of 30 students, will take place every spring semester.
“This program will aid in filling a dire shortage of qualified paramedics,” said Walt Meyer, director of the Public Safety Academy, in a press release. “It is our goal, at College of the Desert, to provide programs that benefit students and the broader community. This program caters to the needs of our neighbors and allows students to enter a position that is in high demand.”
For more information: Visit collegeofthedesert.edu or email Laurie Green at lgreen@collegeofthedesert.edu
Scholarship Spotlight: Dr. Carreón Foundation scholarship application now open for high school and college students
The Dr. Carreón Foundation invites high school seniors and college students of minority ethnicities across the Coachella Valley and Blythe to apply for its scholarship program by March 31, 2025.
To apply, students must be full-time with at least a 3.0 GPA and demonstrate qualities of good citizenship, leadership and financial need. Though there is no age limit, applicants must be high school seniors or enrolled in a two-year or four-year college or trade school. Applicants must also submit an enrollment letter, transcripts and complete the FAFSA.
For more information: Visit carreonfoundation.org
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.