VSAC Scholarship deadline Feb. 12; Ed Agency seeks Summer Meals sponsors

VSAC offers $5 million in scholarships; application deadline is Feb. 12

The deadline to apply for one of the 150 scholarships managed by Vermont Student Assistance Corp. closes on Wednesday, Feb. 12.   More than $5 million in awards are available to help Vermonters pay for their education and training after high school.

Last year, VSAC made almost 3,200 awards to Vermonters worth $5.4 million.

Scholarships — like grants — are financial aid that you do not need to pay back. VSAC scholarships are offered by many different groups, organizations, and even individuals. They are offered for all kinds of achievements—and to all kinds of students. And they’re usually competitive, with eligible applicants competing for a limited number of awards.

New scholarships for academic year 2020-21 include three directed to residents of Grafton, Athens and Bellows Falls:

• Up to $2,000 from the Dwight and Doris Hitchcock Memorial Scholarship to a graduating high school senior residing in the towns of Athens, Grafton or Bellows Falls seeking an associates or bachelor’s degree.
• Up to $1,000 from the Scott A. Lawrence Memorial Scholarship to a student residing in Westminster, Rockingham, Grafton or Bellows Falls who will graduate (or have graduated from) Bellows Falls Union High School.  Preference given to students majoring in business administration.
• Up to $2,000 from the Harold and Sally Mitchell Scholarship to a student residing in Athens, Grafton or Bellows Falls seeking a certification in a vocational or technical field.

Other new scholarships for academic year 2020-21 include:

• Up to six scholarships of up to $1,500 each from the Let’s Grow Kids Scholarship for Aspiring Early Educators Scholarships to current college or graduating high school seniors seeking an associate or bachelor’s degree in early childhood education or a related field.
• Up to two $1,500 scholarships from VSAC Board of Directors Scholarship to a first-generation college student seeking an associate or bachelor’s degree in business, accounting or finance.
• Up to $1,000 from the Raven Ridge Scholarship to a student seeking a bachelor’s degree in social work or early childhood education.
• Up to $1,000 for the Green Up Vermont Scholarship sponsored by Vermont Green Up to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated active participation in Vermont Green Up day.
• Up to $50,000 annually from the John Cooper Hubbard Scholarship to students seeking a degree or certification in nursing or medical studies.

Check out all the scholarships and apply online using the Unified Scholarship Application. Required documents such as transcripts, recommendation letters, essays or other information can be uploaded right on the VSAC website as well.

Still have questions? Watch how to apply for a scholarship and fill out the Vermont State Grant application on Facebook Live or on YouTube.  Or, visit VSAC’s scholarship page for more information. The scholarship booklets also were distributed to high schools, agencies, colleges and libraries in Vermont and some out-of-state high schools and colleges that border Vermont. For more information, call 888-253-4819 or email scholarships@vsac.org.

AOE seeks Summer Meals sponsors

The Vermont Agency of Education is soliciting sponsors for Vermont’s Summer Food Service Program. This program, also known as Summer Meals, is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the AOE Child Nutrition Programs team.

Funds are available and sponsors are needed to provide meals to eligible children at summer food program sites. Organizations interested in becoming sponsors are urged to review the AOE’s Summer Food Service Factsheet.

School food service programs, including summer meals, are important for Vermont agriculture because they are major consumers of local produce. Increasing access to summer meals programs benefits families in Vermont communities and our farm economy.

The AOE enters into agreements with sponsors to provide meals to eligible children in their area. Sponsors are reimbursed on a per-meal basis using USDA funds. Sponsors can be supervisory unions or school districts, private non-profit organizations, government entities, or non-profit residential camps. Sponsors operate sites where meals are provided. Examples of sites include schools, parks, housing complexes and libraries. Sponsors often have more than one site.

Sites established in low-income areas are “open” sites, where any child can eat a meal, no questions asked. Other types of sites must use individual child data to determine eligibility. Children who are members of 3SquaresVT or Reach Up households or meet the income eligibility guidelines are automatically eligible to receive free meals at these other sites.

For more information about the sponsorship program, contact Jamie Curley at jamie.curley@vermont.gov or (802) 828-2010.