The time is winding down for the annual Algona Community School Foundation Scholarships! Scholarships are a great way to earn money for your future education. Everyone likes free money, and it will be worth it in the end. The more money you earn now through scholarships, the less possible debt you will have. Ruby Mitchell says, “I am so grateful that Algona has such a great scholarship program so I won’t be living in a box in my future.”
There are seven different scholarships that seniors are eligible for through the Algona Community School Foundation: ACSF, Hoenk, Honsbruch, Mahana, Reed, Sefrit, and Thompson. AHS alumni are also able to reapply. The requirements for the scholarships are two references, a personal essay, a resume, your unofficial transcript, and, for some, a student aid report with EFC.
There are four steps in the application process. To find the application, go to Google Classroom, choose class of 2021, and find the scholarship post that contains the link. There is also a link on the Algona Community School website, under the high school tab. You first have to decide which scholarships you are eligible for. After that, you have to complete the online application form. Step three is to complete all the necessary requirements.
One requirement is that you need to have two references. A reference should be someone who can attest to your character. Good people to ask are teachers, employers, or family friends. If you haven’t asked someone, you need to do that ASAP! The more time you give a reference, the better. This year the requirement is a bit different because you don’t need an actual letter, instead you send your reference a link to fill out about you. You can check the link on the scholarship page to see if your references have submitted the form for you.
Another requirement is a personal resume. If you have made one from a previous class, now is a great time to find it and make any adjustments needed. If you don’t have one, you need to make one. There are many great resources to help you with your resume. Watching YouTube videos, searching online, and asking your parents are just a few examples! A key is that resumes are supposed to look professional, clean, and be no longer than one page.
The last requirements are a personal essay, unofficial transcript, and your financial aid report. Last year in Mrs. Zanneli’s class, everyone wrote a scholarship essay. Instead of writing an entirely new essay, just tweak and adjust this one! You can find your unofficial transcript on Infinite Campus. If you qualify for either the Mahana or the Thompson scholarships, you will need to turn in a copy of your student aid and EFC report.
Finally, step four is turning everything in. Everything, besides your references, needs to be emailed in a PDF copy to scholarships@algona.k12.ia.us If you have everything turned in correctly, you will get an email stating that your application is under review. If you don’t receive an email, it is considered incomplete.
Everything is due by April 7th, 2021! Make sure to turn everything in on time, and you will be in great shape. Best of luck, may the odds be ever in your favor!