Borrego Sun - Since 1949

BASIC (Basic Assistance for Students in the Community) has established a new scholarship to honor one of its founders: the Bill Wright Memorial Scholarship. This named scholarship will be awarded annually to a BASIC Scholar to help her/him achieve a life goal. This scholar, like Bill, will be a budding entrepreneur. The Bill Wright Scholar will pursue a challenging career, but one that he or she has a passion for and will enjoy.

In 1997, Bill and a small group of concerned residents established BASIC, an organization committed to education in the Borrego Valley.

Three years earlier, Bill and others had founded the Borrego Springs Airport Improvement Corporation (BSAIC) to promote and operate the Borrego Valley Airport and to provide flight training for high school youth in the area.

The flight training had been very successful with peak enrollments teaching 28 students and 24 adults. Eventually, however, there were few new students, and generating enough money to support the expenses of operating the airport was just too great a challenge.

In response, Bill and his colleagues broadened the education mission and BASIC, Basic Assistance for Students in the Community, began as a scholarship granting program for all disciplines.

In the ensuing years BASIC has granted $462,000 in 372 scholarships, all to residents of the Borrego Valley. In the last five years BASIC has developed additional programs to help students reach their potential and realize their dreams. This multi-part integrated strategy called CRADLE-TO-GRADUATION or C2G, targets critical times in an individual’s learning life and provides support and a boost at these critical junctures. C2G supports books for children from birth to age 5; a summer Learning Academy targeting reading, math and English language proficiency; and scholarships to start college and technical training and scholarships for college and adult students to stay in school.

Bill Wright was a BASIC founder, and at his death he remained a champion of BASIC and especially of the expanded C2G strategy and programs. This scholarship will honor his memory.

BASIC invites others to join in honoring Bill and supporting his vision by making contributions to the Bill Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made on the website – http://www.borregobasic.org or by check to BASIC, PO Box 1914, Borrego Springs, CA 92004.

BASIC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. EIN 33-0631683.