Scholarships Available

The Newtown High School Career Center publicizes all scholarships of which 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.

Meserve Memorial Scholarship Fund — Local high school seniors, high school graduates, or current college students pursuing a college degree in the environmental sciences or nursing are eligible to apply for the Meserve Memorial Scholarship Fund. A course of environmental studies includes, but is not limited to: agriculture, animal husbandry, ecological studies, forestry or marine sciences. Students residing in Newtown, Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Redding, and Ridgefield are eligible. Apply online www.csascholars.org by March 5.

Drive2Life Contest — Drive2Life Contest, sponsored by Scholastic, challenges students in grades 6–12 to create an innovative storyboard or script for a memorable public service announcement designed to educate their peers about distracted driving. The grand prize winner receives $1,000 and will embark on a trip to New York City, where a professional film crew will transform the student’s vision into a 30-second commercial. Visit the website www.scholastic.com/drive2life to enter the contest. The submission deadline is February 29.

Hartford Whalers Booster Club Scholarship — A hockey scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior who has excelled in both the classroom and the hockey arena. Seniors from Connecticut who played high school hockey and plans to attend a four-year college while playing collegiate hockey are eligible. Applications may be downloaded from the website www.whalerwatch.com. The completed application and all requirements must be postmarked by March 1.

180 Medical Scholarship — 180 Medical is sponsoring a scholarship program to help students with spinal cord injuries, spinal bifida, and transverse myelitis. Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to those who demonstrate perseverance, courage, and good will and have made the best of their condition. To be eligible, a student must be a graduating senior and have been accepted to a two-year or four-year college in the United States of America on a full-time basis (at least 12 credit hours) in the upcoming fall semester. For more information and to apply visit www.180medical.com/scholarships. All application materials must be postmarked by June 1.

Connecticut Building Congress (CBC) Scholarship — Graduating high school students from Connecticut studying construction industry-related subjects at the college level are eligible for the CBC scholarships. The awards will be given for academic merit, extracurricular activities, potential, and financial need. The scholarships may be renewable each year based on performance in school and available resources. Applications are available from the website www.cbc-ct.org. The submission deadline is March 30.

Republic of Azerbaijan Essay Contest — The World Affairs Councils of America has announced a national high school essay contest for students in grades nine through 12. Refer to the website www.worldaffairscouncils.org for the essay topic and details. Essays must be submitted via e-mail by March 1. Three regional winners will be selected and will then be eligible to win one of the ten spots on the Study Tour to Azerbaijan in June.

Imagine America Scholarship Program — Imagine America Foundation provides an opportunity to graduating high school seniors to receive a $1,000 tuition discount that can be used at career colleges participating in the Imagine America Scholarship Program. To view a list of participating career colleges and schools listed by state go to www.imagine-america.org/highschoolsscholarships/apply-now. Eligibility requirements include financial need, community service during senior year, a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and likelihood of successful completion of postsecondary education. Each year, every high school in the United States of America and Puerto Rico may nominate up to five graduating seniors. The program runs annually and has a December 31, 2012, deadline.

Scholarships for African Americans Studying STEM — African Americans interested in studying for a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree in college, should visit www.usnews.com/news/blogs/stem-education/2011/12/29/scholarships-for-african-americans-studying-stem for a comprehensive list of organizations offering scholarships, such as Microsoft and Oracle.

Dow Jones News Fund — Dow Jones News Fund, Inc is a private foundation providing scholarships to students interested in careers in journalism. The Journalist’s Road to Success lists scholarship opportunities from newspapers, professional societies, and journalism related organizations for students majoring in journalism and mass communications. Refer to the website www.newsfund.org for details.