By Rose S. Prinzi
As most of our local students who are seniors enter their last semester of high school, their focus is exploring their future opportunities. Many of these students are preparing to continue their education in some capacity. They are visiting colleges, submitting college applications, filling out FAFSA forms and discussing their futures with family and friends.
For those students seeking to major in education, however, the Southern Chautauqua County Retired Teachers’ Association offers a special scholarship through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The SCCRTA established the Southern Chautauqua County Retired Teachers’ Association Scholarship Fund in 2001. It is an endowment fund designed to assist area students pursuing a teaching degree. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed a total of $19,000 to over thirty-five area students.
It is interesting to note that the endowment of the SCCRTA Scholarship Fund became possible through the estate of Lillian Brink. Ms. Brink was a dedicated educator of business-related courses at Jamestown High School. She also was devoted to Chautauqua Institution where she made her home for the last ten years of her life. In her will, Ms. Brink gave her condo at the Chautauqua Institution to the SCCRTA. The establishment of this fund came through the rental revenue received from this condo. Today, that revenue continues to maintain this scholarship.
To keep the spirit of this fund alive and in honor of all Southern Chautauqua County Teachers, committed SCCRTA members continue to donate to this fund. As a result, this fund now serves to assist the educational endeavors of future teachers.
High school seniors attending Bemus Point, Cassadaga Valley, Chautauqua Lake, Clymer, Falconer, Frewsburg, Jamestown, Panama, Sherman or Southwestern Central High Schools who plan to major in elementary or secondary education are eligible for this scholarship.
The application is available on-line at www.crcfonline.org or at the Foundation office at 418 Spring Street, Jamestown. The deadline to submit this scholarship application is March 1st.
To complete the application, students will be required to compose a 200-word essay titled, “My Reason for Entering the Field of Education.” Students are to submit their completed applications to their high school guidance department.
Upon receipt of the applications, a joint committee comprised of SCCRTA members and Community Foundation representatives will review the submissions and make their selection. Successful applicants will receive an invitation to attend the SCCRTA May luncheon meeting.
The Southern Chautauqua County Retired Teachers’ Association Scholarship kicks off the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation’s scholarship season. There are many scholarship opportunities available at the Foundation. Our general scholarship on-line application will be available on March 1st at the Community Foundation’s website. The deadline to submit our general on-line scholarship application is June 1st.
To learn more about the many scholarship opportunities available at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, contact the staff at 661-3390 or go to the scholarship section on the website at www.crcfonline.org.