Weller Foundation Announces Scholarships

WOODBURY — The Weller Foundation, Incorporated, a nonprofit organization that was established in 1962 to provide financial assistance to educational, charitable, and civic organizations, has announced the following scholarship programs for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Full-time senior students enrolled at Newtown, Joel Barlow, Masuk, Shelton, and Trumbull High Schools can compete. Specific rules/requirements and scholarship application forms are available through each school’s guidance department.

Scholarship programs will not be offered unless a minimum of three qualified applicants apply. All award recipients will be honored at the foundation’s Annual Awards Banquet to be held May 9 at Fairfield University. All scholarships will be paid directly to the college or university for deposit into the student’s account and will be awarded without regard to the student’s existing financial status.

$12,000 Barton L. Weller Scholarship Program: Established in 1978, the purpose of this $12,000 scholarship is to encourage academic excellence in a substantial five-month independent research or study project. Seniors may submit a one- to two-page proposal outlining the student’s project in any field of study to be developed during the 2006-2007 academic year.

The deadline for submission is Friday, October 27. Up to five finalists will be selected from all entries and will be notified on November 10. On May 3 the finalists will be interviewed by the judges who will select the $12,000 scholarship recipient as well as one-time runners-up scholarships, ranging from $800 to $1,600, for completion and timely submission of their projects.

$6,000 Weller Medical/Health Sciences Scholarship: Established in 1995, the purpose of this $6,000 scholarship is to encourage and financially assist a senior who has chosen a course of study in the field of medical/health sciences. Health care careers acceptable for this program are nursing, therapy, medical technology, paramedics, and other licensed health care workers who provide one-on-one healthcare to people. Programs leading to MD or PhD degrees are not acceptable.

Qualified applicants from the five eligible high schools shall be competing for one award. Eligibility requirements include that applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 during the first three years of high school and an SAT score of 1460 or higher on the new SAT. Students are required to complete the scholarship application form prior to March 2. A committee of the foundation’s trustees will rule on eligibility and interview/judge the awards applicants on April 12.

$4,000 Weller Instrumental Music Scholarship: Established in 1993, the purpose of this $4,000 scholarship is to acknowledge and encourage a student to further his or her demonstrated talent and interest in instrumental music. Applicants must be accepted and subsequently enrolled at a four-year fully accredited college or university as a music major with concentration in instrumental music.

Qualified applicants from the five eligible high schools shall be competing for one award. Students must submit completed applications to their school’s Director of Instrumental Music by March 2. All applicants will be considered whether or not they participate in the high school music program. Finalists must audition on April 11 before a committee of judges.

$4,000 Weller Education Scholarship: Established in 2002, the purpose of this $4,000 scholarship is to recognize and financially assist a senior planning to pursue a teaching career in public or private elementary or secondary schools. Qualified applicants from the five eligible high schools shall be competing for one award.

Eligibility requirements include that applicants must have a GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0 or a class rank in the top 20 percent at the end of grade eleven and an SAT score of 1710 or higher on the new SAT. Students are required to complete the scholarship application form prior to March 2. A committee of the foundation’s trustees will rule on eligibility and interview/judge the award applicants on April 10.

$4,000 Weller Entrepreneurial (Junior Achievement) Scholarship: Established in 1989, the purpose of this $4,000 scholarship is to provide college tuition assistance to a senior involved with Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut who has demonstrated entrepreneurial characteristics and intends to establish his/her own business offering products or services.

Senior-year student members of a JA-structured company that assembles and sells, not simply distributes, products who are actively participating in a traditional after-school company program or have completed a JA company in-school program during the fall or spring semester of their senior year are eligible. Students participating solely in simulated programs such as JA Titan are not eligible.

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 during the first three cumulative years of high school. Specific scholarship rules and application forms may be obtained from JA advisors. Students are required to complete and submit the scholarship application form prior to March 2 to Junior Achievement. Qualified applicants will be notified and interviewed/judged on April 9. The award recipient will be honored at both the foundation’s Annual Awards Banquet and Junior Achievement’s Spirit of Achievement Recognition Breakfast in the spring.