Written by: Ralph K. Spencer, D’Evelyn Education Foundation Board of Directors I owe my readers an explanation of both the scholarship and award selection process, which differ considerably. As a reminder, please note that this year DEF will honor 27 seniors with $23,750 in scholarships and $3,500 in awards. The total of the four awards is $6,500, with the remaining $3,000 award given each year to a non-student D’Evelyn community member, typically a D’Evelyn teacher (see the fourth paragraph, below). Over the last 13 years, over $50,000 has been awarded to 24 D’Evelyn teachers and three staff members! All scholarship/award recipients are selected by the DEF Scholarship/Award Selection Committee (Selection Committee), a group of 5 people who have had no connection to D’Evelyn for at least the last 10 years. Scholarship winners are determined by the Selection Committee based upon how well their applications compare with others applying for the same scholarship (the Letter of Recommendation from Naviance provided by the Counseling Office, the additional essay, if required, their cumulative GPA in some instances, their completed classes for some scholarships, and how well they address the Selection Criteria included on each individual scholarship application, etc. (see the hyperlink, or the jaguar icon, in the fourth paragraph, below, to view these applications). The LeAnne Hollemans Roscow Award and the Andrew Jenicek Memorial Award utilize two, separate 3-teacher panels who select the top 3 candidates for each of these two awards. The three teachers who comprise each of these two panels are looking for seniors who display similar qualities, characteristics, personality traits, and overall approach to life as the individuals for whom these two awards are named. Each panel member independently prepares a brief paragraph describing their individual nominee and why he/she is deserving of this cash award. The panel members then come together and rank the nominees 1, 2, and 3, and turn their recommendations and paragraphs over to Counseling Office personnel who in turn give them to each member of the Selection Committee, along with copies of all the scholarship application packets. The Selection Committee will always select the #1 choice unless that student is selected to receive another scholarship or award. In that case, the Selection Committee would go to the #2 (or #3) candidate. The third award, and the only one that does not go to a student, is the $3,000 Jamin B. Wilson Excellence in Education Award given to a D’Evelyn community member who satisfies the three specific criteria found in the nomination form. The Selection Committee determines the winner of this award from nominations submitted by anyone in the D’Evelyn community familiar with the nominee. Students may nominate but are not eligible for this award. Nomination forms can be found in the Counseling Office or online (go to the jaguar icon on the front page of the D’Evelyn website and click on it to go to the Scholarships and Awards page or use the following hyperlink): https://develyneducationfoundation.weebly.com/scholarships.html. The fourth award, and brand new this year, is the Rally Award funded by a D’Evelyn family who wants to honor a D’Evelyn Senior who has worked extremely hard throughout high school to improve his/her cumulative GPA. This $1,000 award will go to that senior who has made the most significant improvement in their cumulative GPA between the end of their Freshman year and the end of the first semester of their Senior year. In case of a tie, an essay may be necessary to help the Selection Committee select a winner. I also owe my readers a brief explanation of the likelihood of a senior winning a scholarship or an award in 2021. In past years, about 25% of D’Evelyn Seniors apply for scholarships. This percentage usually results in about 35 students submitting one or more scholarship applications. When you consider that 27 students will be honored with 24 scholarships and three awards, the odds become very good, namely, 1 in every 1.3 students who applied for a scholarship, and three who may not have, will be surprised at the Senior Banquet! Not bad, especially when compared with Power Ball or Mega Millions! Until next week’s article, good luck seniors, and parents, and GO JAGS!!! PS: Yet another interesting tidbit - as promised in my Feb 7 article: Students MUST enroll in a two or four-year college/university within one year following graduation to keep their scholarship. Comments are closed.
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The D'Evelyn Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation. The Board of Directors oversees the finances, legal issues and long-term strategic plans of the organization Archives
May 2023
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