With high school graduation little more than a month away, there are still scholarship dollars available to help fund continuing education. Among them is financial support for both college and technical programs. Some are for this year’s graduates and some are for past-year graduates. Not all of them require straight A’s.
“About a quarter of (high school) seniors apply for scholarships,” said Lin Hampson, Homer High School guidance counselor. “The most likely (to apply) are really good students. There are an equal number of vocational and academic scholarships, but fewer vocational students apply.”
Completing a scholarship application can be intimidating and confusing, especially if writing an essay is required, according to Hampson. However, this year students were given a helping hand from members of Rotary who volunteered to help students navigate scholarship application requirements. Still, there were fewer applications for vocational funds.
“At this point in Homer, I think committees are more interested in B students than the top kids, but again, it’s harder to get those kids to apply,” said Hampson, “The 4.0 students are better at managing their time and doing extra work. It’s what they do. Kids with less than perfect grades think they don’t have a chance even though we keep telling them they do have a great chance.”
For help finding available scholarships and completing applications, students should check with their guidance counselors or go to OneStop on the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s web page: kpbsd.k12.ak.us, click on Students/Parents, click on OneStop.
Following are scholarship opportunities with deadlines later this month:
The Homer Foundation manages permanently endowed scholarship funds that provide annual awards to area students for a variety of educational and vocational endeavors. The 2014 scholarships that are currently available include:
• Alain and Daniel Rieser Scholarship for foreign language study/travel;
• Homer Community Science Scholarship supporting post-secondary education in the life sciences;
• Health Care Providers Scholarship supporting students serious in pursuing a career in healthcare;
• Drew Scalzi Memorial Maritime Scholarship supporting students of fishing families and/or students wishing to pursue a career in Alaska’s maritime industry;
• Kachemak Bay Medical Clinic Scholarship supporting students with outstanding academic achievements, community involvement, and a strong work ethic;
• Beluga Tail-Tale Writing Scholarships provide awards in both creative and nonfiction writing;
• Ptarmigan Arts Visual Arts Scholarship for 11th- and 12th-grade high school students with support for art materials or training.
Applications may be requested via mail, phone or email, picked up at the Homer Foundation or the Homer High School counselor’s office, or downloaded from the Foundation’s web site at www.homerfund.org. The deadline is 4 p.m. April 17 for most applications. Contact Joy Steward at the Homer Foundation for more information, or if you are interested in establishing a scholarship fund or contributing to one of our existing scholarship funds, 235-0541 or jsteward@homerfund.org.
Homer Marine Trades has applications available for its $1,000 scholarship for graduating seniors or prior year graduates wanting advanced vocational education and training. The applications have been sent to school counselors and are available online at homermarinetrades.com. The goal of the scholarship is to fill the positions Homer Marine Trades has available now and in the future.
Deadline: April 15.
Kachemak Board of Realtors will award three $1,000 scholarships to one or more applicants this year. The committee is looking for graduating high school students from the Homer, Anchor Point and Ninilchik areas with plans to pursue career training in a vocation-technical field or a two- or four-year college degree.
Application packets must include (1) a short essay about the applicant, including future goals and career plans, school activities, awards and achievements, employment, community service, interests and hobbies; (2) two letters of recommendation; (3) an official high shcool transcript, no minimum grade-point average required; (4) a personal interview may be required. Criteria for granting the awards will be at the discretion of the committee, but will include character, leadership, work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and overall presentation. The award may be used for tuition, books or fees.
Applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered by April 15 to Kachemak Board of Realtors, P. O. Box 2660, Homer, AK 99603 or to Gina Pelaia at Bay Realty, 331 E. Pioneer Ave., Suite 101, Homer, AK 99603, 235-6183 or fax 235-4031. Recipients will be announced at graduation or awards ceremonies.
