MV Rotary Motivational Scholarship Program
The motivational scholarship program was started by a group of Rotarians, in the early 90’s who wanted to encourage at-risk kids to stay in school throughout high school and begin college. The scholarships are awarded to students at their 8th grade graduation. Students are selected by teachers and counselors based on those with a financial need and are at-risk of dropping out of school. Additionally, selected students and their guardians are required to sign a contract stating they will stay out of trouble and be active members of the high school Rotary Interact Club.
The scholarship program initially awarded one female and one male student but has grown since inception and has awarded as many as 20 scholarships in past years. Another change, since inception, is a partnership with Northeast Texas Community College, which was instrumental in making additional scholarships available each year. The partnership agreement entails Rotary paying one year of student tuition and related expenses, then, if the student remains in good standing and maintains a minimum GPA, NTCC picks up the tab for year two.
Past recipients have gone on to attend medical programs to become doctors or nurses while others have obtained business degrees and work in the finance, etc. Some past recipients struggled and did not complete the program only to return to school later after they matured. It has been observed that even if a student didn’t complete the program, the program still provided opportunities leading most to improve their lives and financial position in a positive manner. Several of our students have returned to share their story at a Rotary meeting or other Rotary function.
