Scholarships Available

The Newtown High School Career Center publicizes all scholarships of w hich it is notified.

A few of the scholarships, typically national ones, request that money be enclosed with the application. The Career Center believes that students should not have to pay to apply for scholarships. If a student chooses to apply for a scholarship that charges a fee, however, the Career Center strongly advises parents and students to check its authenticity through the FTC Consumer Response Center, www.ftc.gov or 877-FTC-HELP; the National Fraud Information Center, www.fraud.org or 800-876-7060; or the Better Business Bureau, www.bbb.org or 703-276-0100.

Full details on all scholarships are available at the high school Career Center.

Portuguese Foundation of CT Scholarships — The Portuguese Foundation will award scholarships to graduating high school seniors from Connecticut with demonstrated financial need who have excelled in academics and are of Portuguese ancestry. Last year there were seven recipients from the greater Danbury area. An essay detailing proof of Portuguese ancestry and interest in the Portuguese language and culture is required. Interested students should go to www.pfict.org to download an application. The deadline is March 15.

Weller–The Vincent Voccia Vocational Award — The Weller Foundation supports local students planning a career in the skilled trades. High school seniors who are full-time students from Newtown, Joel Barlow, Masuk, Shelton, or Trumbull High Schools may be considered. Each participating school will be eligible for one recipient to receive a scholarship equal to the lesser of $2,500 or 50 percent cost of tuition or fees of the vocational technical program proposed. Examples of eligible programs are auto/truck maintenance, aircraft maintenance, air conditioning/refrigeration, plumbing and fitting, culinary arts, machine design (CAD), carpentry, barbering/hairdressing, masonry, electrical or electronic technicians, photography, secretarial, and firefighting. Certain nonlisted programs may be acceptable. The applicant shall demonstrate interest and talent in his/her chosen field. Financial need will not be a factor in determining the award recipient. The Career Center has applications. Completed applications must be submitted to Mrs Latowicki in the Career Center by March 15.

American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest — High school students may compete for scholarships at the local, district, state ($1,500 scholarship for the state winner), and national level through an oratorical contest that focuses on the US Constitution. The national website at www.legion.org has complete information on eligibility, dates, and all details under the “What We Do” heading. Students should register to receive details on the speech topic and competition rules. Students should also contact the local American Legion office for details on local contests. The state and local competitions usually take place in February or March.

BrainDance Awards — The Institute of Living and Hartford Hospital are sponsors of an annual art and academic competition for students in all high school grades. The contest is designed to decrease the stigma of mental illness and promote interest in mental health care professions. The best overall submission will receive $1,000. A project may consist of an academic project or art project that relates to mental illness. The projects can be in any format. Two $500 prizes will be given to the first place academic and art projects. Ten runner-up prizes of $100 will also be awarded. Complete rules and registrations are available at www.nrc-iol.org. The deadline is February 1. All applicants will be invited to a research day hosted by the Institute of Living on April 29.

American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarships — The AFSA Scholarship Contest is open to high school seniors in the United States who plan to further their education at a college/university or certified trade school. The scholarship is not based on financial need. Applicants must read the Fire Sprinkler Essay online at www.afsascholarship.org/information.htm and then take a ten-question open-book multiple choice test. For each question answered correctly, students will receive one entry into a drawing for one of ten $2,000 scholarships. The deadline for this scholarship is May 3.

Frame My Future Scholarship — Graduating high school seniors who plan to attend college during the 2010-2011 year are eligible to enter this scholarship contest by using an 8½- by 11-inch piece of paper to create a vision of their personal and professional life goals after college. The top five winners will each receive $1,000 scholarships. Entrants should submit a photograph, essay, collage, drawing, painting, or any creation that represents their vision of the future. The top 24 finalists will be selected by Church Hill Classics, the sponsoring company, in the spring. The top five entries will be selected by popular online votes. Complete contest details are available at www.framemyfuture.com. All submissions must be completed by March 15.

Cindy Dimenstein Scholarship — This scholarship provides a $500 college scholarship for high school seniors from Connecticut who have been personally affected by breast cancer. It is in memory of Cindy Dimenstein, an educator and breast cancer activist. Applications are available to download from Naviance and additional information is available at the Cancer Coalition Foundation website at www.cbccf.org. Completed applications must be submitted by March 31.

Connecticut Association of Educational Office Professionals — This scholarship encourages deserving high school seniors to continue their educational careers in the field of business. Applications must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation and a short essay about a life experience. The Career Center has applications. The deadline is February 26. A check in the name of the winning candidate will be sent directly to the college or accredited school of his or her choice upon the committee’s receipt of the confirmation of attendance. The winner will be notified by Friday, April 16.

Bright Lights Scholarship — This scholarship recognizes the outstanding achievements of high school seniors with disabilities by providing financial assistance. Candidates must be Connecticut residents who have a disability as defined by the Special Education Law or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and plan to attend a postsecondary school or training program. There are a number of one-time scholarships of at least $500 available as well as renewable scholarships for students who will attend a state or community college in Connecticut. Applications and complete details are available at www.gcyd.org. The student’s guidance counselor must review and certify the application prior to submission. All completed applications must be postmarked by February 15.

Komen College Scholarship Program — The Komen College Scholarship Award recipients are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service and participation, financial need, and demonstrated leadership potential. Recipients will be expected to be ambassadors for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the breast cancer movement within their social networks and on their collegiate campus. Applicants are eligible if they have lost a parent to breast cancer or be a breast cancer survivor themselves. High school students who will graduate by June 2010 are eligible as well as current college students. Students must plan to attend a state-supported college or university in the state where they permanently reside. The deadline to submit applications is February 15. Complete details and applications are available from www.komen.org/scholarship.

American Chemical Society Scholars Program — The American Chemical Society offers renewable scholarships of $2,500 per year for underrepresented entering minority high school seniors and current college students who are high academic achievers in who plan to major in chemistry or chemistry-related sciences. Applications and all details are available at www.chemistry.org. Applications and supporting documents must be submitted by March 1.

Guardian Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program — This annual scholarship award program is open to girls ages 12 through 18 who are community-minded and have demonstrated budding entrepreneurship. Essays will be reviewed by a panel of judges according to the following criteria: emerging entrepreneurship; steps toward financial independence; ability to make a difference in the community and the initiative to start a new business or service. Awards include one $10,000 prize, one $5,000 prize, one $3,000 prize, and 12 $1,000 prizes. Nominees must submit a personal statement of no more than 250 words and a letter of endorsement from an adult. Complete information is available at www.girlsgoingplaces.com. Applications must be submitted by February 26.

George Coleman Scholarship — Three $1,500 scholarships will be awarded to three high school graduates who will enroll in a New England Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (NEACRAO) member institution in the fall 2010. The list of NEACRAO member schools is available on the website. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA based on the 4.0 scale, or equivalent. Completed applications with a recommendation from a guidance counselor must be submitted by March 15. Applications are available from www.neacrao.org.

UCB Family RA College Scholarships — UCB is offering 30, one-time scholarships of up to $10,000 per scholarship to students diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or an immediate family member (parent, spouse, child, or sibling) of someone with RA who is studying to receive a post-high school degree. Students of all ages may apply. The scholarship can be used for an associate’s, undergraduate, or graduate degree, or trade school certificate. All information is available at www.reachbeyondra.com/scholarship. Apply by March 19.

National MS Society Scholarship — The National MS Society will award scholarships that range from $1,000 to $3,000 to high school seniors who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) or have a parent with MS and will be attending an accredited postsecondary school for the first time. Information and applications are available at www.act.org/nmss. The application deadline is January 15.

Newtown Youth Lacrosse Scholarship — The Newtown Youth Lacrosse Scholarship Fund was established in 2008 by the Newtown Lacrosse Association (NLA) to provide financial assistance to qualifying high school seniors (one male and one female) who will be continuing their education after graduation. To be eligible for this award, the applicant must: be a 2010 NHS graduating senior who is continuing his or her education at a college, university, technical and/or professional school; former participant in the Newtown Youth Lacrosse program; and be or have been a significant contributor to the Newtown High School lacrosse program. All applicants must complete the application form and return it by the April 26 deadline to The Newtown Youth Lacrosse Scholarship, c/o Mrs Latowicki at the NHS Career Center. The NLA Board of Directors will review all applications and may request personal interviews. The board will select one male and one female recipient of the scholarship award.

Eagle Foundation Scholarships — The Eagle Foundation will select up to ten highly motivated high school seniors to receive four-year scholarships of up to $10,000 annually. Recipients must be residents of the metro area of NY, NJ or CT. Successful candidates will possess all of the following characteristics: a GPA of at least 3.4; a 1200 SAT score minimum; have held recognized leadership positions in their school and community; demonstrate the need for financial assistance to attend college. The website www.theeaglefoundation.com has the details about the requirements and paperwork for this scholarship program. All applicants need to demonstrate financial need in order to qualify for this scholarship program. The application deadline is April 1.

Connecticut Junior Soccer Association — The Board of Directors of the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association has established a scholarship fund for graduating high school seniors. Applicants must have participated with a CJSA affiliated club, have a C+ or better average and anticipate attending college as a freshman in September. All applicants must submit a 250-word essay on “What Soccer Means to Me” and be available for a personal interview with the Selection Committee. The fund will award four $1,000 scholarships to candidates meeting established criteria. Applications are available from www.cjsa.org and must be submitted by April 1.

 Kline Family Community Service Scholarship — These scholarships will be awarded to deserving graduating Connecticut high school seniors with strong records of community service and who will be attending the University of Connecticut next year. Three scholarships for $500 will be awarded. Interested students should go to www.klinefamilyscholarship.org to download an application. The deadline is April 25.

AAAC Classic Youth of the Year Award — The Classic Youth Awards seek to recognize the best and brightest in the Connecticut African American community and those in service to that community. A school nomination is required for this award. The Career Center has detailed information and nomination forms. All nominations must be received by March 5.

Doodle 4 Google Competition — Doodle 4 Google is a national competition for students in grades K-12 students where each entrant reinvents the Google homepage logo in accordance with a stated theme. The national finalists, regional finalists and state finalists receive recognition. One National Winner will win a $15,000 college scholarship to be used at the college of their choice and other prizes. Interested students should go to www.google.com/doodle4google/index.html for complete details. The contest usually opens in January.

UConn–Waterbury Campus New Student Scholarships — Several scholarships are offered to new students entering for full or part-time study at UConn’s Waterbury campus. Students from NHS may be eligible for some or all of these scholarships and one application may be submitted for several scholarships. Financial need is one of the criteria for all of the scholarships available. The applications are due by March 12. Interested students should go to www.waterbury.uconn.edu for more information. 

Schubmehl-Prein Prize — A national essay contest open to high school juniors in the top 20 percent of the class for the best analysis of the social impact of a particular aspect of computing technology. The first place award is $1,000 with the second and third place awards equal to $500 and $250, respectively. The topic for 2010 is, “What Should Individual Privacy Rights Be With Respect To Services Such As ‘Street View’?” The maximum length is 2,500 words or roughly ten pages. All participation requirements are available from www.cse.nd.edu/EssayContest/. All essays must be submitted by May 31.