Chamber announces opportunity for local high school graduating seniors to earn scholarship

The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce board of directors has announced the chamber will be funding a yearly $1,000 scholarship for Laguna Beach High School graduating seniors beginning at the 2023 commencement ceremony.

“It has always been a goal of ours to fund a scholarship,” said Chairman of the Board Paula Hornbuckle-Arnold. “After the success of last year’s Taste of Laguna Food & Music Festival, our board of directors felt it was the right time to invest in the future generation who want to focus their career in business and/or entrepreneurship.

“The idea for a scholarship was presented in 2019 by former board member Dawn Knepper. At the time, the chamber was not in a financial position to entertain the option. The staff and board of directors has been working hard to ensure the financial strength and viability of our organization to give something back to our community,” said Hornbuckle-Arnold.

The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Business & Entrepreneur Award’s purpose is to further education in trade school, community college or university. Free thinkers are the future, and the board of directors would like to encourage students to be creative and think outside the box by pursuing higher education at any institution of their choice.

According to Hornbuckle-Arnold, “It was important to me personally that trade schools be an option for seniors who have decided that college or university isn’t quite right for them. I attended a trade school as college wasn’t an option for me.”

Students interested in applying will need to inquire through the Laguna Beach High School Scholarship Department.