For Immediate Release:                                             Contact: Will Holford or Barbara Turner

Thursday, April 22, 2010                                                 (512) 332-7955 or (512) 332-7975

 

 

(Bastrop) –Bluebonnet awarded a combined $70,000 in scholarships to 35 graduating high school seniors. At a reception on April 21, in the Bluebonnet Headquarters Community Room, 15 academic scholarships and 20 trade and technical scholarships were awarded to successful applicants and their families.

“The future success and prosperity of our communities lie within the youth of today,” said Johnny Sanders, Bluebonnet’s manager of government affairs and economic development. “These kids are our future. It’s in our best interest to do what we can to support them as they further their careers and shape their lives.”

By offering the financial assistance of the $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors who are going to college and vocational programs, Bluebonnet hopes to encourage and support area students to set and attain goals that will last a lifetime.

“This year we received 124 scholarship applications from 22 of the 26 high schools in our service area,” Karen Urban, scholarship coordinator said. “Competition was fierce - many times it came down to just a few points difference in whether or not an applicant made the cut.”

Bluebonnet’s 12-member scholarship committee selected recipients based on academic achievement (GPA), class size and ranking, and a 10-point system to judge two essays, two letters of recommendation, and the completed application. Trade and technical scholarship selections were made by the same committee and was based on one essay, letters of recommendation and completed application. These criteria indicate past and potential academic performance and career goals consistent with Bluebonnet’s goal of supporting future generations advance to the best of their abilities. 

“Bluebonnet’s scholarship program helped a lot of kids,” Monte Mayer, father of academic scholarship winner Claire Mayer said. “My daughter got an academic scholarship, but I was really happy to see so many trade and technical scholarships awarded. Most of the time those kids are left out when it comes to recognition or financial support of scholarships, and they’re the ones that need that support the most.”