The nonprofit group 209 Together has officially changed its name to 209 Scholarship, in an effort to end any confusion between them and Proviso Together, the political organization that has supported candidates running for the Proviso Township High Schools 209 board of education.
The change also “further defines and clarifies our main mission: to support graduates of Proviso Township District 209 high schools through scholarships awarded to those continuing their education at a two- or four-year college as well as accredited trade schools,” reads a Facebook post regarding the name change. “We look forward to continuing to serve our Proviso graduates and look forward to announcing our 2021 scholarship winners this summer.”
The deadline for this year’s scholarship applications is April 12. Applications are open to graduating seniors in the district who are headed to university, community college or vocational schools.
Scholarships are available in two categories: Overcoming Adversity and Persistence Pays.
Applicants for the Overcoming Adversity scholarships should have a GPA of at least 2.0 with a demonstrated academic record of improvement in the student’s time in high school. Geared toward students who have overcome an adverse situation in life, the scholarship requires an essay or reference letters indicating how the applicant was affected by and overcame something difficult in his or her life.
The Persistence Pays scholarship is for students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher “who have demonstrated consistent academic excellence through their high school career.” The committee looks at excellence in extracurricular, home or community activities in addition to academics.
For more information on these scholarship opportunities, visit 209scholarship.com or facebook.com/209Scholarship.
