Join hundreds of parents, students and community leaders as they gather from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Sunken Gardens at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Foundation will be awarding a record $8.5 million in student aid through loans ($2.2 million) and scholarships ($6.3 million). While 3,300 local students will get help attending college next year, more than 452 qualified students were denied scholarships because of a lack of funds.

Two foundations are giving the awards, but it really is a community effort. Many of the dollars have come from donors throughout the county who want to help young people achieve their educational dreams.

Wednesday’s free ceremony is open to the public.

Rebecca Anderson represents the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara.