By Shayan Abbasi
While applications for most scholarships don’t start for a few months, it is never too early to start researching! For many, a scholarship can be of the utmost importance, and it is unwise to start thinking about it last minute. There are several scholarship opportunities available to Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) students, including the AVID scholarship, Jessica Lynn Herman Memorial, and one from the Doyle Foundation.
The first scholarship is meant for students enrolled in the AVID program for at least three years. Established with the support of Orange County philanthropists and is affiliated with the Orange County Community Foundation, it awards up to six thousand dollars. However, it requires that students show a dedication to their communities, maintain at least a 2.8 GPA, and have obtained acceptance to a community college or a four year institution.
Aside from this, students must also answer a series of supplemental questions in which they answer relevant questions about themselves. Moreover, they should also include two letters of recommendation. These letters of rec can be from an “AVID teacher, academic subject area teacher, school counselor, coach, employer, or a community leader.” After the student’s application goes through the reviews process by an AVID teacher, everything is good to go. The application window opens on Sept. 30, 2022 and closes by Dec. 2, 2022.
Another scholarship opportunity well suited for Huntington Beach Union High School District(HBUHSD) students is the Jessica Lynn Herman Memorial. Meant to provide opportunities for graduating seniors from HBUHSD, it seeks a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a commitment to the community. This can consist of extracurriculars or daily acts of selflessness. Students must also be a mentor/tutor and exhibit qualities of self motivation.
Apart from this, students must also portray a passion for the humanities and the sciences. This can be done “through participation in extracurricular activities or academic motivation.” The student must also answer a series of supplemental questions about the student’s character,academic interests and what “efforts have you made to pursue those areas of interest?” The deadline for this application is Feb. 3, 2023.
Lastly, the Doyle Foundation is another great option for graduating seniors at FVHS. Established in the memory of philanthropist Frank Doyle, it issues a statement that states “[that there is] no minimum grade point average; there is no income cap… Both need based and merit scholarships are awarded.” Moreover, those interested in this program may “enroll in any field of study.”
With the application process opening on Nov. 1, 2022 for the 2023-24 school year, is a good time to do more research on the scholarship now. According to the foundation, documents that are required in order for consideration include “a personal essay, two letters of recommendation, school transcripts, 2022-23 Student Aid Report from the FAFSA, and the budget/cost of attendance for each school you list on the application.” This scholarship is available to all students planning to attend a four year college, trade school or a community college.
Assistance through scholarships can be a great way to pay for tuition, books, and other necessities for college. As application windows start to open, it can be extremely helpful to start doing background research on a few prospective ones. Another important thing to determine is whether or not you meet requirements for the scholarship, such as GPA, current school of attendance and degree of commitment to the community.
