National FFA Organization awards more than $2.6 million in scholarships

The National FFA Organization and Foundation has awarded more than $2.6 million in scholarships to 1,791 recipients. This was made possible thanks to the generosity of 116 sponsors.

More than 8,300 students applied online for the scholarships, with many of the applicants being considered for multiple awards. Approximately one in every five students who applied was awarded a scholarship. The scholarships were available to students pursuing two-year or four-year degrees or vocational programs. The average recipient had a GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale and were in the top 16 percent of their class.

This year marks the 32nd year for the scholarship program, which began in 1984 with 16 scholarships offered. Since then, more than $44 million has been awarded in scholarship funds through the National FFA Organization.

The selection process takes into account the whole student, including FFA involvement, work experience, supervised agricultural experience, community service, leadership skills and academics.

A list of recipients is available on the scholarship results page on FFA.org. Recipients are listed first by the state in which their high school is located then alphabetically by student last name. To see an illustrative overview of the 2016 recipients, visit https://www.ffa.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/awards_2016_scholarship_infographic.pdf.

Detailed instructions on how to claim scholarships will be mailed to the recipients in late May. Recipients who have not received instructions by July 1 should email scholarships@ffa.org.

Information for the 2017 scholarship program will be available on FFA.org Nov. 15.

Source: National FFA Organization awards more than $2.6 million in scholarships

Washburn Women's Alliance honors scholarship recipients, donors

As Lauren Wright enters junior year at Washburn University School of Law, she will have help from the Washburn Women's Alliance.

Twenty-three scholarship recipients and their donors were recognized during a Tuesday evening reception.

Wright said receiving the scholarship is a boost in self-confidence and a motivator to work even harder. It is also great to be recognized as a single parent who has worked hard and struggled, she said.

Wright has two children, ages 10 and 8. She hopes to practice civil litigation after completing law school.

The Washburn Women's Alliance was established in 1995 to provide financial resources for non-traditional female students, namely single mothers.

In 1996, the group awarded the first scholarship of $856.

This year, $80,000 was distributed, president Becky Sanders said.

This is the third year scholarships have also been given to single fathers who are the custodial parent, Sanders said.

The reception is an opportunity for recipients to meet their donors.

Georgia Sandlin's son, Clayton Funk, started a scholarship in her name many Mother's Days ago. Sandlin said she was a single mother who struggled herself and later went back to school to receive her master's in special education.

"It's very satisfying to be able to help someone else," she said. "I usually get their story and we get to see young people just starting out and get this boost that they might not otherwise have."

Ashley Sumpter, a three-year recipient of the scholarship, said she has kept in touch with some of her past donors.

She graduated Saturday and is continuing on to graduate school for addiction counseling at Washburn.

Eventually she would like to work in a clinic with community outreach services.

"(The scholarship) gives me more opportunity to grow my knowledge and to help my community," she said.

She added that the scholarship has helped her pursue her dreams and to be an example to her 10-year-old daughter to do the same.

Sanders said the scholarships are like a rock being thrown in a lake with ripples of effects that reinforce the importance of education.

Randy Pembrook, vice president of academic affairs, addressed the audience of about 165 people. He told them the program makes a difference and changes lives dramatically.

Source: Washburn Women's Alliance honors scholarship recipients, donors

AbbVie Invites University Students with Cystic Fibrosis to Apply for Scholarships

AbbVie welcomes undergraduate and graduate students with cystic fibrosis (CF) to apply for the 2016 AbbVie CF Scholarship, awarding $3,000 for education-related expenses. Applications will be accepted until May 27 and are available online at www.AbbVieCFScholarship.com.

The CF community in the U.S. includes approximately 30,000 children and adults, and about half are age 18 or older.

"Not long ago, children with CF rarely lived long enough to attend elementary school. Today, thanks to tremendous medical advances, students with CF are conquering high school, college, and even graduate school," Jim Hynd, vice president, GI Care, AbbVie, said in a press release. "Since 1993, AbbVie has proudly offered the scholarship program. Helping students achieve their milestones is our focus."

AbbVie's Scholarship program has awarded more than $2.6 million to exceptional students with CF for the past 24 years. Award recipients are young people who demonstrate the ability to serve as positive role models for the CF community due, in part, to their record of community service and academic excellence.

This year, the company increased the value of each scholarship, and will select 40 young adults with CF to receive the $3,000 award based on their extracurricular activities, academic record, and creativity. Furthermore, winners may compete for a Thriving Undergraduate Student Scholarship or a Thriving Graduate Student Scholarship worth a total of $24,000.

"Being awarded the AbbVie CF Scholarship helped me reach my educational goal of a master's degree in bioethics and certification in clinical ethics mediation at the University of Pennsylvania," said Emily Kramer-Golinkoff, a 2011 Thriving Graduate Student and 2015 White House Champion of Change for Precision Medicine. "The education I received empowered me to find my voice as a patient advocate, which has been critical for the growth of my non-profit CF foundation, Emily's Entourage, which has raised nearly $2 million in four years to accelerate research for new treatments and a cure for rare nonsense mutations of CF."

CF is a chronic disease characterized by the build up of mucus in one or  more organs, affecting mainly the respiratory and digestive tracts.

Source: AbbVie Invites University Students with Cystic Fibrosis to Apply for Scholarships

MLK Council gives $5K in scholarships to seniors

Five high school seniors each received $1,000 from the MLK Commemorative Council Scholars Program to help with their college expenses.

On Monday, Christian Bennings, Jovanne Marin, Josh Merriot, Olivia Sanders and Princess Tates were presented with the Martin Luther King Commemorative Council Inc. Joan Y. Ervin Scholarship at the ROOTS Foundation Office.

Yolanda Jeffery, MLK Commemorative Council chairwoman, said this is the second year the council was able to provide scholarships to local high school students.

"We want to give back to the community, rather than just keep doing things and not reaching out," Jeffery said. "We have a very diverse group of young people to give this scholarship to. We started out with $500 last year and this year we were able to give $1,000 per child. We know that when they first go to college they need help."

L. V. Andrews, MLK Commemorative Council president, congratulated the students during the scholarship presentation Monday and said he hopes they all succeed on their educational journeys.

"At MLK we value education and we try to help some young person along the way," Andrews said. "We want to wish all of you well in school and want you to do the best. We want to see our young boys and girls do good in life. We want you to fight hard and stay in there and become whatever your profession calls for."

Bennings, a senior at Estacado High School, said he was thankful for the scholarship and said the funds would help him with his costs in attending Western Texas College, where he plans to study to become a physical therapist.

"It will give me a boost for things that I need, such as a laptop and paying for books," Bennings said.

Marin, a senior at Lubbock High School, said he hopes to not graduate college in debt and said the Joan Y. Ervin scholarship will help. Marin is a cancer survivor who hopes to become an oncologist.

"It's going to help me with book costs and tuition costs," Marin said. "It will help me reduce a lot of debt in the future — that's my goal. I really do not want to graduate with a lot of debt."

Merriot, a senior at Coronado High School, plans to pursue an engineering degree and is putting the scholarship funds toward his first year at South Plains College.

"I'm going to start out at South Plains and that's about $9,000 a year and I've almost got all of South Plains covered," Merriot said. "After South Plains, I'm going to major in engineering and transfer credits to the University of Texas. I eventually hope to go into the renewable energy field."

Sanders, a senior at Margaret Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, plans to attend Prairie View A&M in the fall and study to become a nurse.

"This scholarship is a blessing," Sanders said. "It was hard for me to find good opportunities to improve my education. It really means a lot to me and my family and I hope that this (scholarship) can be a blessing to other students to continue working hard so they can further their education and go to college."

Tates, a senior at Coronado High School, said the scholarship will help pay some of her way at Texas A&M in College Station where she plans to study microbiology and become a dermatologist.

"This scholarship will help me pay some of my tuition and fees and some of my books," Tates said. "Just all of the main expenses that come with college."

George Love, Martin Luther King Commemorative Council Inc. board member, said he hopes the young graduates can use the scholarship to help further them in their education and help them become positive influences on the community.

"As you transition from high school to college we hope that you are able to have an inward motivation that helps outwardly to provide a platform where you can engage others in meaningful relationships and in meaningful dialogue that helps society as a whole," Love said. "These five recipients are writing their story and using the platform that has been giving to them by way of the MLK Scholarship Committee and the Joan Y. Ervin Scholarship."

denise.marquez@lubbockonline.com

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Source: MLK Council gives $5K in scholarships to seniors

Two Kirkland students receive National Merit Scholarships

Luis Castillo | May 16, 2016, 7:50

Two Kirkland students receive National Merit Scholarships

Elizabeth Han and Kai Trepka, both West High students, and Sonali Durham, a City High student, will receive $2,500 scholarships, according to a program news release.

They were chosen from among 15,000 finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The students represent less than 1 percent of all the nation's high school seniors.

"We appreciate the National Merit Scholarship organization for recognizing our district's 21 finalists and awarding scholarships to the Raman brothers", Superintendent Joe Siano said. Scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited US college or university.

National Merit selected Julia R. Grant of Gulfport High School, Sally Reid Boswell of Ocean Springs High School and Joseph A. Hasbrouck of Pascagoula High School after a comprehensive screening.

An all-American final in Rome: Serena Williams vs. KeysWhile the American didn't offer any break point, Muguruza proffered just a solitary one, which was eventually converted by Keys. Murray, who hasn't dropped a set this week, will return to No. 2 in the rankings ahead of Roger Federer on Monday.

In addition, about 4,000 winners of college-sponsored merit scholarships will be announced June 1 and July 18, and the names of some 1,000 corporate scholarship recipients were released April 20 (none in FCPS).

From the semifinalist group, 15,000 met the very high academic standards and other requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition.

The program will announce winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarships this summer.

Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the Aaa rating on Scarsdale Union Free School District, NY's $45 million in outstanding general obligation debt.

Source: Two Kirkland students receive National Merit Scholarships

Letter: A B’ville Community Scholarship Foundation ‘thank-you’

May 15, 2016 admin Baldwinsville Messenger, Schools, Your Opinion 0

To the editor:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Baldwinsville Community Scholarship Foundation, I would like to thank the Baldwinsville community for its support of our recent Dollars for Scholars Phone-A-Thon.

Since its inception more than 40 years ago, the Baldwinsville Community Scholarship Foundation has provided 2,400 scholarships worth more than $2 million dollars. Each qualified student can receive only one foundation scholarship; therefore, the more money that we are able to raise, the more students that we are able to help. At the 2015 Baker High School Moving Up Day ceremony, 107 scholarships were awarded, totaling $116,000 to graduating seniors in the Baldwinsville community. 

The scholarships we distribute annually are a direct reflection of the giving, caring community that we live in. The Moving Up Day Ceremony will be held at Baker High School on Friday, May 27.

We wish to acknowledge the more than 90 students who participated in the Phone-A-Thon, as well as the many volunteers who helped in countless ways. A special "thank you" to Verizon Wireless, who provided cell phones for the two evenings; TOPS for providing pizza for both evenings; the Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce, who provided assistance with postage; the clerical staff at Bucci and Lockwood for their assistance with mailings; and the Baldwinsville Department of Public Works for hanging our banners around the village. In addition, we would like to thank Renee Teich, who organized all of the refreshments for both nights, and the custodians from Baker High School for setting the rooms up for the Phone-A-Thon. 

If you were not contacted by one of our student volunteers during the Phone-A-Thon and would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please make your checks payable to BCSF and mail to P.O. Box 88, Baldwinsville, NY 13027 or submit through our online giving at baldwinsville.dollarsforscholars.org.

We are continually grateful for the support of the Baldwinsville community and its belief in the value of higher education. This is clearly demonstrated through the current donations totaling close to $35,000. Our students are indeed fortunate to live in such a caring community.

Elizabeth N. Graydon

President, Baldwinsville Community Scholarship Foundation

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Source: Letter: A B'ville Community Scholarship Foundation 'thank-you'

UGA fullbacks (on scholarship) continue to fade

Kirby Smart was apologetic when asked by a fan last week in Macon to assess the ability of Georgia's fullbacks to help protect the quarterback.

"I'm not a big fullback guy, sorry," the first-year Bulldogs head coach said at an alumni event. "I'm one with the philosophy of I love the hard-nosed fullback but the fullback position is a position that has now become a transition position."

By that, he means players move to fullback from other spots and fullbacks are rarely signed on scholarship.

Georgia lists five scholarships on its roster. All are walk-ons.

The last fullback Georgia signed under former coach Mark Richt was Quayvon Hicks in 2012.

Before that, Zander Ogletree signed in 2010 but it didn't hurt that his brother, Alec, was a coveted recruit. You have to go back to 2006 to find another fullback that signed.

That would be Shaun Chapas, who is now working with the football program, and Fred Munzenmaier. They were ranked No. 8 and 16, respectively, by Rivals.com at fullback. Brennan Southerland was signed in 2004 as the nation's No. 3 fullback.

"Our best one right now is an O-line walk-on and who moved over to fullback," Smart said referring to Glenn Welch.

Christian Payne, who had four catches for 57 yards last season, began his college career as a walk-on linebacker after arriving from Prince Avenue Christian.

"I think of a fullback as a 5-foot-10, 6-foot guy that will run in there and bloody the linebacker's nose," Smart said. "I'd just as soon would have a 6-foot-3, 240 tight end that can catch the ball still go bloody a linebacker's nose and can catch the ball and have more size. The fullback position has almost slowly kind of gone away. Every now and then you'll find a special one. There were a couple of special ones in college football last year."

Rivals.com listed five fullbacks in its 2016 rankings of high school prospects.

The No. 1 was Devin White who signed with LSU and is now a linebacker for the Tigers. Hayden Johnson, who inked with Arkansas, was No. 4.

The SEC also had three of the top five in 2015 with Auburn's Chandler Cox No. 1. He started 10 games as a freshman.

"A lot of people will use tight ends as fullbacks and fullbacks as tight ends," Richt said in 2014. "They can be a little bit of hybrid-type guys."

Georgia senior Brendan Douglas was the No. 5 fullback in 2013, but he signed as a tailback at Georgia which is where he's played.

Three fullbacks were picked in the NFL draft last month--all in the sixth round.

"There are a couple of special ones at the NFL level," Smart said, "but it's harder to use."

Source: UGA fullbacks (on scholarship) continue to fade