Anyone involved in the scholarships thru family (possibly even through friends) shouldn’t have qualified for the scholarship, don’t you think?
A top student who loves to read and never played HS sports at any level. (This describes both myself and my daughter in HS.)
@CTTC , this organization specified that the scholarships were for family members who’s parents or grandparents were members of the association , and also those who lived in a particular zip code and maintained a GPA of 3.00 or higher
I’ve enjoyed reading the responses from everyone about what they would want. No right or wrong answer, all just personal preference.
@romanigypsyeyes I love this! A very timely reply. Just last night, my husband and I were at the local juvenile detention facility - our church hosts a monthly party for all the kids who have birthdays (no preaching involved, ha - we just want them to have fun). One of the kids was a young man my husband had been mentoring for over a year. He was about to get out last October when he acted up (we wonder if he purposely sabotaged himself if he was anxious about getting discharged). The offense was serious enough (non-violent, though) that the facility wouldn’t let my husband come in again. 
They’ve given the 19-year-old FIVE more years!! It’s just heartbreaking, because he is very, very bright - gives my husband a run for his money in chess, which is saying something. Anyway, I wish there were a way we could get him into college eventually. It’s sad to see wasted potential.
@lje62 “this organization specified that the scholarships were for family members who’s parents or grandparents were members of the association , and also those who lived in a particular zip code and maintained a GPA of 3.00 or higher.”
Thanks for clarifying. I don’t understand the nepotism complaint, then. (“We cut our ties with them 2 years ago because we just weren’t on the same page and the nepotism was just horrible.”)
Could you explain? (Not trying to be snarky; just trying to understand how the scholarships were funneled in the business association’s scholarship program.)
I like a combination of these two - for a late bloomer who never put him or herself in the spotlight:
[quote]
- For the kid with lots of potential who was a late bloomer
- For that quiet kid who never got recommended because the loudmouths got all the attention
I would provide scholarship money based on need to all students who go on to school. Maintenance of money based on passing grades to students on track to graduate and have not been convicted of an academic or other infraction at school and has minimal involvement such as one violation of underage drinking, due, public nuisance with the police.
There are plenty of $$ to fund undergrad studies. What is lacking is funding for programs like MPH. That would be my focus.
@MaineLonghorn stories like that break my heart. 
My daughter’s small school recently started “requiring” service hours. In reality it may end up that just those with xx hours get a special honor cord. So far, almost all the students get their hours working events at the school, like basketball games. While helpful, that wasn’t the intent. I’d like to do a scholarship/award for the student who actually goes out in the community and does service.
When I was in grad school I had a friend in the same program pass away very suddenly. He was a B/C student who was very hard working and really good at his job but struggled with the academics. I lobbied hard for the scholarship set up in his name to be aimed at B/C students or even just allow them to be eligible but no dice. It got added to the list of named scholarships that went to students with 3.0 and above. It was really frustrating to me.
@CTTC , there was one scholarship from the organization that was given out yearly that was not raised by the event we organized and created . It was for about $4G. Out of the two years prior to our daughter graduating , it was given to the treasurer’s grandson . This particular young man had been expelled from school over an actual death threat against his former girlfriend and brought a serious weapon to school …hardly worthy of a merit scholarship , the next year it was predictably given to the son of the association president. We were upset that our daughter wasn’t considered because she did more volunteerism for the events and also had a solid history with community service as well as a high GPA. Instead it was given to the son of a friend of the treasurer’s grandson ( the same one who granted the scholarship to his weapon yielding grandson ) This young man never volunteered for the event , which was supposed to be mandatory for even applying .
The same people did not give a scholarship to a young man who did more volunteering than any other applicant , for years. This young man was also battling cancer and still managed to work his butt off , both academically and also for the event.
There was very specific criteria for applying for scholarship from the association and I sat in a room and watched them hand out money to people that literally didn’t help with anything at all. They broke the rules they set up themselves so we cut out ties with them
I think a scholarship for a kid whose parents were involved in high school volunteering would be nice. I’m thinking a lot of us particpated in grade school PTO’s but the interest slows down as the kids age. Yet, I know some parents who have worked tirelessly coordinating things for their kids athletics or EC’s. I even know a mom whose kid graduated two years ago and she still runs the basketball concessions at our high school!
I would create a scholarship for high school students to use for taking local or online college courses, if they have “topped out” of any subject at high school.
I know that some states pay for this already; ours does not. My scholarship would be awarded on educational need (the kids who have very few appropriate classes left to take at the high school win).
De facto, at least 40% of the scholarships awarded at my kids’ HS went to children of active PTO members…hmmm…
I would have a scholarship for the kid who did the most caretaking in a non official capacity. Some young folks spend upteen hours helping care for younger siblings, care for and maintain houses and yards for ailing grandparents, help neighbors who are in need, or help classmates who are hurting, physically or emotionally. This sort of altruism is not officially rewarded or counted in hours needed as official volunteer work, but shows a giving heart and sense of responsibility that deserves recognition.
I happen to be on a committee that awards scholarships at my school. Our peticular school scholarships are awarded, not applied for. We have found that the more stringent the requirements for the scholarships the more difficult it is to find students to meet them.
I work at a state school in NY in the School of Business. It has less than a thousand majors. We have 7 scholarships that have enough money to award 3 or 4 students each. But some of them have strict requirements. We must meet the donors requirements,
Often the requirement is community service, financial need and a high GPA. It is actually hard to figure out financial need and service when students aren’t applying.
I know this is a fantacy thread. But if you ever do get to live it, I just wanted you to be aware of the behind the scenes. Probably totally different in the future when it will all be done via computer. But at the moment, it is still done in a meeting with real humans discussing it.
I cannot tell you guys how much I wish these scholarships existed when I was in high school. Many of these are wonderful and very sorely needed.
@lje62 Yes, now I see. Thanks for explaining! I no longer give to my alma mater (college), because I don’t like their priorities on admissions or how they give scholarship money. They have big alumni campaigns for scholarship funds. (I could give to other areas of the university, but I’ll let the 1% folks do that!)
@great lakes mom
. While I love this idea in principle, I think there would be much fabrication going on about how much caretaking was actually being done.