Even more impressive was the scholarship dollar amount—$1.7 million—a benchmark achievement for the school. The year before students received $400,000 in scholarships. Campbell Union High School District assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction Patti Gregory said Del Mar's scholarships exceeded all other schools in the district. The district's board of trustees recognized Del Mar's achievement at a June board meeting.

Del Mar Principal Jim Russell credited the increase to several large scholarships that will fund four-year college educations. Del Mar students received substantial scholarships to UC-Berkeley, the University of Philadelphia, Santa Clara University, DePaul University and UC-Santa Barbara.

Del Mar faculty encourages their students to apply for scholarships, but Russell said the efforts of students and parents paid off.

"We try to get information about the scholarships to the kids," Russell said. "Some really need the money."

The largest scholarships were granted to Ray Lomeli and Nathaniel Whipple. These graduates will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York. Each received a scholarship worth more than $300,000.

Lomeli not only had to apply to West Point, but he also had to go through a parallel application process for congressional nomination by U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren. This involved writing letters to Lofgren, California senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and obtaining recommendations. Then the teen appeared before a panel of interviewers selected by Lofgren and made up of educators, military and community representatives

For Lomeli, the scholarship will enable him to give back.

"One thing I admire in the military is that it's not about the individual," he said. "It's doing what's best for everyone else."

Lomeli knew early on, after an eighth-grade trip to Washington D.C., that he wanted pursue a career in politics and attend West Point.

In order to achieve his goals, he maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout high school. He took advanced placement classes, was active in numerous school and church organizations and exercises two hours each day.

"My family is a model for where hard work can get you," Lomeli said.

He watched his parents work to save up so they could purchase a home and move the family out of their small downtown San Jose apartment. His parents also made sure their children received a good education.

He will be the first in his family to attend college.

"I've been preparing in every way I can," he said. "I'm ready for whatever they are going to throw at me. I want to do great things with my life, and I can do that only where I can work hard."

Mari Sapina-Kerkhove contributed to this story.