Scholarships Available To Newtown Students

The following Scholarships have arrived in the Career Center at Newtown High School. Applications and/or more information for these scholarships, as well as ones previously listed in The Bee, are available there. Please call Mrs McEvoy at 426-1915 if you have any questions.

Project Friendship – for graduating high school seniors residing in Connecticut. Friendship Dairies would like to reward students who realize the importance of friendship and community service and have demonstrated a commitment to those ideals. The awards will range from $1,000 to $3,000 each, with one winner declared in each county statewide. The criteria for selecting finalists will be based on academic achievement and a demonstration of leadership in school and/or community volunteer work that promotes a safe and friendly environment. Academic achievement means a good scholastic record with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The deadline for filing applications is March 15, 2001. Applications received after March 15, 2001 will not be considered.

Skirball Institute on American Values – students in grades 10-12 are invited to participate in the Skirball Institute 13th annual National High School Essay Contest. The 2001 question is: What do US history and literature teach us about the role of religion in American public life? First prize, $5,000; Second Prize – $1,000; Third Prize – $500; and 50 Honorable Mention Prizes – $100. Entries must be postmarked no later than March 13, 2001.

The Newtown Women’s Club (a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Connecticut) is sponsoring a statewide Art Contest for high school seniors only. Judging for this Art Contest will be on Saturday, March 31, 2001. Entries must be submitted at the Alzheimers Resource Center in Southington between the hours of 2:00 and 5:30 pm on Friday, March 30, 2001. Categories: Paintings (oil, acrylics, pastels, watercolors, mixed media); Drawings (ink, charcoal, pencil, marker, pen and ink); Graphic; Photography; and Sculpture. Awards: Best in Show on basis of artistic promise: $200. First, Second, Third, and Honorable Mention, if merited. For more information, check the file in the Career Center.

Gould Foundation Scholarships for Women – for high school senior women who would not be able to attend college or vocational school without financial assistance. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filled out. Preference will be given to an applicant who has demonstrated leadership qualities as well as academic excellence. Three seniors will be nominated from Newtown High School. From these nominees and others in Eastern Fairfield County High Schools, three will be chosen to receive scholarship assistance. The amount of the award varies but could be up to as much as $8,000 over four years. Applications must be in to the Career Center by Monday, April 2, 2001.

USA TODAY’s 15th All-USA High School Academic Team – in cooperation with the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Education Association, USA Today is searching for 20 of the best and brightest high school students to recognize as representatives of all outstanding high school students. A $2,500 cash award will be given to each of the 20 students on the First Team. The criteria are designed to find students who excel not only in scholarship but in leadership roles within and outside of school. The key element, to be given most weight by the judges, will be a student’s outstanding original academic, artistic or leadership endeavor. Applications must be postmarked by Friday, February 23, 2001.

Weller Medical/Health Sciences Scholarship – for high school seniors who are full-time students at Newtown, Joel Barlow, Masuk, Shelton, or Trumbull High Schools. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage and financially assist a student upon graduation who has chosen a course of study in the field of Medical/Health Sciences. Healthcare careers acceptable under this program are Nursing, Therapy, Medical Technology, Paramedics and other licensed healthcare workers who provide one-on-one training. Programs leading to MD or PhD degrees are not acceptable. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 during the first three (3) cumulative years of high school and an SAT score of 975 or higher. The award is for a total of $6,000 or 50 percent of the cost of tuition for the training program, whichever is less. Financial need will not be a factor in determining the award recipient. Completed application forms, with all required attachments, must be submitted to the Career Center by Friday, March 16, 2001. Questions? See Mrs Waterbury in Guidance or Mrs McEvoy in the Career Center.

The Weller Instrumental Music Scholarship – for high school seniors who are full-time students at Newtown, Joel Barlow, Masuk, Shelton, or Trumbull High Schools. Applicants must be accepted and subsequently enrolled at a four-year fully accredited college or conservatory as a music major with concentration in instrumental music. Financial need is not a requirement and shall not be considered. The award is for $4,000. Application must be submitted by Friday, March 16 to the Career Center and will then be sent on to the school’s director of instrumental music. The director may select no more than two finalists from their school. Finalists must audition on Wednesday, April 11, 2001 at the Fairfield Public Library. More detailed information is available in the Career Center. See Mrs Waterbury in Guidance or Mrs McEvoy in the Career Center if you have questions.

The Weller Foundation Vincent Voccia Vocational Award – for high school seniors who are full-time students at Newtown, Joel Barlow, Masuk, Shelton or Trumbull High Schools. The award recipient will receive a scholarship equal to the lesser of $2,500 or 50 percent cost of the cost of tuition and fees of the vocational-technical program proposed. To be acceptable, the program shall provide a minimum of 20 weeks full-time (or equivalent) instruction. Examples of acceptable programs are: culinary arts, auto/truck maintenance, aircraft maintenance, air conditioning and refrigeration, plumbing and fitting, machine/design (CAD), hairdressing/barbering, secretarial, photography, electrical or electronic technicians, carpentry, and masonry. Certain non-listed programs may be acceptable. See Mrs Waterbury in Guidance if you have a question about this. Four-year degree programs are not acceptable under this program. The applicant shall demonstrate interest and talent in his or her chosen field and must be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the school selected. Financial need will not be a factor in determining the award recipient. Application must be in to the Career Center by Friday, March 30, 2001.

Middle Gate PTA Scholarship – for Newtown High School seniors who attended Middle Gate School and will be continuing with post-secondary education. The amount of the scholarship is $1,000. Interview may be required. Deadline for applications is May 1, 2001.

The Bridgeport Chapter of Unico National – for Newtown High School seniors who have some Italian ancestry, i.e. must have one parent or grandparent of Italian origin. The candidate should have taken either the SAT or ACT test and be recommended to a college or university by his secondary school. The extent to which a candidate has contributed to the life and welfare of school and/or community will be taken into account, and financial need will be considered. One student will be selected from Newtown High School and the amount of the award is $500. Student will then be eligible to be considered for the UNICO National Contest for five scholarships at $6,000 each. All completed applications must be returned to the Career Center by March 3, 2001.

Educational Communications Scholarship Foundation – for high school students who are legal residents of the US and who have taken the SAT or ACT examination. A minimum of 200 awards will be given to meritorious students who may use the award at any accredited, post-secondary institution in the field of study of their choice. The amount of the award is $1,000. The basic criteria used are: ability (GPA and SAT or ACT scores), activities and financial need. Application deadline is May 15, 2001.

The News-Times/Stephen A. Collins Memorial Scholarship – for a graduating Danbury area high school senior interested in pursuing a career in journalism. The award is for $1,500. An advisory board of educators, journalists and past recipients will select the recipient based on the student’s literacy, journalistic merits, personal character, good citizenship and journalistic potential. Recommendations and essay are required. The completed application must be received by April 1, 2001.

Bill Lauf Memorial Scholarship – $500 is awarded by the Danbury Fish & Game Club to a high school senior planning on a career in journalism or the environment. The committee will make the award to the student who best exemplifies the qualities possessed by the late sportsman and journalist Bill Lauf. These qualities include, but are not limited to, sportsmanship, integrity, humor, curiosity, love of the environment, love of his fellow man, and love of writing. Application deadline is April 1, 2001.

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences/Connecticut Affiliate – a $500 scholarship for a graduating Connecticut High School senior who meets the following criteria. The student will be planning to major in a Family and Consumer Sciences field, and hoping to attend a two or four year school of higher education. Family and Consumer Science Fields include: child development, hotel and/or restaurant management, fashion design, family development, dietetics, clothing and textiles, home and living design, consumer and resource management, and family and consumer sciences teacher. Student will be selected based on future goals, leadership abilities, character, academic grades, SAT total, school clubs and activities, involvement in town/church and Family and Consumer Sciences courses. Deadline for application is April 1, 2001.