This is a special time of the year for high school seniors. The class of 2021 will finish high school, say good-byes to long-time friends, and move on. Their college hopes and dreams for the future are boundlessly optimistic. The new graduates will now think about college fees and expenses. At this time, some students could probably use a little financial “bump” especially during this COVID economic recovery period.
With upcoming graduations, it’s also time to think about loved ones and special things we can do to honor those who are no longer with us. There is no better way to remember a person in your life than to set up a high school scholarship in their name.
Setting up a scholarship is easy to do and but it does take a little time to nail down all the details. You will probably not have enough time to give it out for the 2021 year but there is always next year.
We all know FMB likes to remain anonymous, so we are only showing the shoes from one of the scholarship sponsors.
The first step is to contact the high school you wish the scholarship to be given out at. We talked to one of the high school counselors who was very helpful in setting up things.
Now the hardest part, coming up with criteria to base your scholarship on. What is important to you? What qualities are you looking for in that person who wins your scholarship? (Yes, grit and a love of America can be part of your criteria). What high school activities are important in your decision? Is academic excellence required?
You will need to write up a short page about the qualifications for your scholarship and arrive at a dollar amount. This needs to be returned to the high school counselor.
It is usually best to have the interested students write a short essay which will highlight their qualifications, activities, and why they think they are a good match for your scholarship.
The counselor will then notify the students of your scholarship, collect the application essays and return them to you for your review.
Be prepared to read several essays and come to a decision about who will win your scholarship. It will be a tough decision as there are students overcoming obstacles and they all need money for their college journey. As you read through the submitted essays, it will also give a little insight into each student.
The dollar amount of your scholarship really isn’t important because the recipient will be happy with what ever you decide upon. You can give a one time scholarship, or it can be a recurring scholarship year after year.
We were asked before the award ceremony if we would be attending. Be prepared to give a brief speech about your scholarship as you give the check out. Be forewarned, this can be a bit emotional for you.
After giving out your scholarship, you will have a great sense of elation for helping a young person on their way. Sometimes it is just the one little thing that makes a difference in a person’s whole life. Who knows what road our scholarship winner will take?
Good luck all 2021 High School Seniors from Farmhouse Magic Blog! Have a wonderful life! Congratulations Nathan!