The Monte Vista Water District’s Board of Directors recently awarded the 2025 Bruce J. Lance Jr. Water Scholarship to Montclair High School graduating seniors Kaitlyn Arreguin and Jacob Garcia.

Each year, the board awards up to two $1,500 scholarships in Lance’s honor for his 44 years of service to the district and the community as the agency’s general counsel.

This year, students submitted application packets that included an essay on the topic “How conservation helps the environment.”

“Kaitlyn and Jacob had thoughtful responses to this year’s prompt, highlighting how water conservation protects our environment and prepares our communities for future challenges,” Manny Martinez, a member of the water district’s Board of Directors, said in a news release. “Their essays reflected practical actions and personal experiences, showing how simple daily choices and long-term solutions can protect clean, reliable water for future generations.”

With the assistance of Montclair High School counselor Alice Cornejo, the board’s community engagement committee — composed of Martinez and auditor Tony Lopez — reviewed the essays and selected the scholarship recipients.

The scholarships were awarded at the board’s April 23 meeting.

Arreguin will attend Mt. San Antonio College, and Garcia plans to attend Cal State Northridge.

The Bruce J. Lance Jr. Water Scholarship was established in 2013, and for the past 12 years, the Monte Vista Water District has awarded scholarships to graduating high school seniors from its service area who plan to attend two-year or four-year colleges.

For information about the Monte Vista Water District, go to mvwd.org.