Tuesday, March 31, 2026 was an evening that had Summit High School buzzing.

Students in their best outfits. Families beaming in the audience. Names being called, hands shaking, photos being taken. For anyone in that room, it was hard not to feel it — that unmistakable sense that something genuinely good was happening.

That's Scholarship Night. And this year, it was bigger than ever.

The Summit Foundation awarded $598,320 in scholarships to 147 students at the 2026 Scholarship Night. A milestone event presenting over $700,000 in one night,  that wouldn't exist without the extraordinary generosity of our donor community.

The Numbers Tell a Story

This year's scholarship totals reflect what's possible when a community truly commits to its next generation:

  • $435,000 in Summit Foundation 1 and 2-Year General Scholarships
  • $162,820 in Named Scholarships, honoring the legacies of donors who believed in Summit County students
  • 147 students recognized across Summit Foundation and Named awards
  • 58 students (39.5%) are first-generation college students — the first in their families to earn a degree

That last number means something. For 58 families, tonight wasn't just a celebration. It was a turning point.

What Your Generosity Actually Looks Like

We talk a lot about impact in the nonprofit world. But impact has a face — actually, it has 147 of them.

It looks like a student who wasn't sure college was possible for someone like them, now heading to a four-year university with a scholarship in hand. It looks like a young person who found their passion in a Career Technical program and is now career-ready right here in Summit County. It looks like families who've given everything they have — and a community that showed up to meet them halfway.

Thank you to our generous philanthropists. As Summit County's largest scholarship provider, we are honored to represent a community committed to investing in the next generation.

Spotlight: The Bright Futures Fund Keeps Growing

Now in its second year, the Bright Futures Fund is already living up to its name.

Four exceptional graduates were named 2026 Bright Futures Scholars — each receiving a four-year scholarship to pursue their university goals. But the Fund's reach goes further than four names. It also fuels the High School and Career Technical Pathways program, creating opportunity for students across every path — whether they're headed to a four-year university, a technical certification, or a career right here at home.

This year's Bright Futures Scholars are:

  • Sebastian Borrego
  • Liliana Cervantes
  • Ashley Licea
  • Dylan Sullivan

We can't wait to watch where they go.

A Note to Our Donors

If you've supported the Summit Foundation — whether through a named fund, a direct gift, or a partnership — we want you to know something: you were in that room on Tuesday night.

Every name called. Every scholarship announced. Every student who walked across that stage — they got there, in part, because of you.

Summit County is building the workforce of tomorrow, one student at a time. And it's being built by people like you, who believe that investing in a young person's passion and dream is one of the most powerful things a community can do.

From all of us at the Summit Foundation — and from every scholar whose name was called Tuesday night — thank you.

Want to be part of next year's story?

 Support the Summit Foundation [Learn About Named Scholarship Funds →] [Explore the Bright Futures Fund →]