students with scholarships

By AMY LANSDON

News Editor

Feb. 8, 2001 10 PM

Because education is important to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, each year several scholarships are awarded to Pike County students for outstanding scholastic performance.

"We are glad to be able to recognize deserving students in the Troy and Pike County Schools," said Marsha Gaylard, president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. "Education is important and we are glad to be able to assist students who wish to further their education."

One of the scholarships sponsored by the Chamber and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee is the PRAISE (Program Recognizing Achievement in Secondary Education) Scholarship.

Principals and counselors in the Troy and Pike County Schools choose nominees for the PRAISE Scholarship. Qualifications to be nominated for the PRAISE scholarship are: Each nominee must be a resident of Pike County; each nominee must be a senior attending high school on a full-time basis or dual enrolled in college; each nominee must have obtained a minimum composite score of 24 from a single ACT; and the application must be received at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce by deadline.

Each high school shall determine one representative using the following criteria: Submit to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce PRAISE Scholarship Committee the name of the student who obtains the highest ACT score from a single test; in the event of a tie, the counselor shall determine the nominee by "obtaining the highest "stacked" ACT composite score; and in the event of a continued tie, the counselor shall determine the nominee by obtaining the highest numerical GPA as of the end of the first semester, senior year.

The PRAISE Scholarship nominees are recognized each year at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce PRAISE Banquet. Students recognized by individual schools are required to make a verbal presentation during the banquet that introduces his or her favorite teachers to the audience and details the impact the teacher had on the student’s individual education experience.

The PRAISE banquet will be held at 7 p.m. April 17 at Troy Elementary School. Tickets for the banquet will be on sale at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce office after Feb. 26.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce Lunsford/Ferguson Health Care Foundation Scholarship is available to Pike County residents who plan to pursue a career in a health-related field.

The scholarship will be awarded to a student who is pursuing technical education or professional education at the associate, baccalaureate or higher level. The amount of the 2001 scholarship is $1,000. The recipient must be a Pike County resident and preference will be given to graduates of Pike County and Troy City schools, public and private.

Applicants for the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Lunsford/Ferguson Health Care Foundation Scholarship must submit a 500-word essay relating to the topic, "Opportunities for Pursuing (a selected health career) in Pike County." Applicants must also provide letters of recommendation, a resumé, ACT or SAT scores, transcript, and a statement of acceptance from the post-secondary institution the applicant plans to attend.

Scholarship applications are available at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. Application deadline is at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, 2001.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce also offers the Farm/City Scholarship.

The Pike County Chamber of Commerce farm City Committee provides a new scholarship to a person who plans to enter a post-secondary institution. The scholarship will be awarded to a student who is pursuing technical education or professional education at the associate, baccalaureate or higher level.

The amount of the scholarship for 2001 is $500. The recipient must be a Pike County resident and preference will be given to graduates public and private schools in Pike County or Troy.

Applicants must provide a transcript, and a statement of acceptance from the post-secondary institution they plan to attend. Applications for the Farm City Scholarship are available at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. The deadline to turn in applications is April 5 at 3:30 p.m.

For more information about these and other scholarships offered through the Pike County Chamber of Commerce or to make a donation to the PRAISE Scholarship fund, contact the Chamber at 566-2294.