The June 10, 2026 Don Diego Scholarship Foundation Gala on opening day of the San Diego County Fair was VIP all the way: from Preferred Parking to the elite Turf Club with a spectacular view, scrumptious dinner, and exclusive auction items; to the culminating concert by iconic rock band Chicago on the newly-debuted VIP Terrace of the Corona Grandstand reserved especially for Gala guests.
The true VIPs of the evening were the 22 stellar Scholar-Leaders comprising this year’s Class of 2026 sharing $94,000 in Don Diego college scholarships. As the event coincided with high school graduations, some were unable to attend, but those who did eagerly met and thanked donors while sharing their career goals with the crowd.
Among them was top winner Arya Bosworth, accompanied by her parents, Tom and Abha. She will use her $10,000 to double-major in Mechanical Engineering and Theatre, Dance & Media at famed Harvard. Saying she was honored to be a recipient, Arya confided, “When I visited Harvard, I could immediately see myself there for four years.”
Another top winner, Zaya Kramer, said she was elated to personally thank Joan and Jim Edwards, benefactors of one of her two Don Diego scholarships totaling $10,000, which will help propel this 4-H standout to Cal Poly SLO to study Agriculture Science.
A surprise Gala guest was Navy hero, Captain Royce Williams, a vibrant 101-year-old Escondido resident who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary service during three wars, including the Korean War in which this intrepid aviator survived 263 bullet holes to his plane while fighting off seven Soviet jets. “My work was so secret that I did not even divulge it to my wife for 50 years,” he noted, saying he felt connected to Don Diego. “I was in 4-H and FFA, giving me a love of agriculture.”
Board member Frederick Schenk was honored for his many years of service on the Boards of Don Diego and the 22nd DAA, as well as for his prominent regional stature as a longtime lawyer, including pro bono representation of families impacted by 9/11. He also is the auctioneer who put the fun in Don Diego fundraising for more than a decade. Saying he was proud to have helped raise money for our Scholars, Schenk noted, “It’s important to invest in the success of our future leaders. When we do that, they win, our community wins, we all win.”
In a heartfelt speech celebrating the Scholars, Don Diego Chair Kirby Morrison called the Foundation “the best organization with which I have been involved.” He said, “If you have ever felt down about the future, just look at these students here tonight!”
The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation was named for Don Diego, AKA Tom Hernandez, who served as San Diego County Fair’s welcoming goodwill ambassador from 1947-1984. Since its inception in 1986, the Foundation has awarded $1,604,344 in scholarships to 456 students and in Plant*Grow*Eat agriculture education grants, which enable elementary students from San Diego area Title 1 schools to learn about agriculture and nutrition while enjoying a day at the Fairgrounds.