Ilai “Sunny” Petersen lived for adventure and curiosity. He loved all things, big and small. From a very young age, Ilai would say he wanted to be an entomologist. He had a love for all things outdoors; bugs, snakes, plants, sharks and really everything in between. Ilai’s love for all these things was fostered, explored, and taken to new heights at Desert Sun. He absolutely loved his teachers, his classmates, and the ability to explore, learn and play. Ilai had a full life during his short nine years on earth. He traveled the world, surfed the ocean, hiked mountains, helped refugees, and fished lakes. Most of all, he made a genuine, authentic, pure, and loving impact on the lives of those who knew him. Ilai “Sunny” Petersen was a bright light and he let his light shine no matter where or who he was around. Our hope with this scholarship is to continue to share Ilai’s light with others so they can know that learning is meant to be fun, engaging, and inspiring. We cannot thank Desert Sun enough for instilling these qualities into our kids and we hope through this scholarship they can do the same for yours!
The Ilai “Sunny” Petersen Scholarship Fund welcomes applications from families seeking financial assistance for their child’s enrollment in the Desert Sun Child Development Center’s Preschool Program. This scholarship is designed to provide opportunities for families who may face financials constraints.
To apply, please submit a letter highlighting your family’s interest and enthusiasm in Desert Sun’s Childhood Development program. We would love to hear about your child’s interests, curiosities, strengths, eagerness to learn, and the family’s need for financial support.
This scholarship excludes kindergarten.