anamikaThis year’s annual scholarship dinner was a successful and bright event, with the Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation (DBA Desert Valley Charitable Foundation) awarding $76,000 to sixty students from the High Desert studying to work in a healthcare related profession.
For the past eight years, Dr. Reddy and his family have awarded nearly $800,000 to students needing assistance to pay for an education. This year’s dinner was especially touching, as Dr. Kavitha Bhatia shared her mother’s story. Dr. Venkamma Reddy was one of two out of seven children that her family was able to send to school. She went on to become a doctor, respected and loved physician and mother. It was a true honor to learn about her story and hear firsthand why her family feels strongly about supporting others in their quest for a good education.
The students and their families enjoyed their evening and lined up to speak with, thank and share their own stories with Kavitha and her mother. Kavitha, and her younger sister Sunitha, personally reviewed every application submitted. The top recipient, Jesus Rodrigues (pictured above), received $3,500 and an iPad. He is currently studying biology at Cal State San Bernardino, and hopes to one day become a cardiac surgeon at Desert Valley Hospital.