SARATOGA SPRINGS ROTARY CLUB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

With financial support from the SARATOGA SPRINGS ROTARY EDUCATION FOUNDATION, the ROTARY CLUB of SARATOGA SPRINGS annually awards approximately one dozen scholarships, ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 over four years, with a combined value of approximately $85,000, to college and trade school-bound students.

In awarding scholarships, we are not seeking students with perfect credentials, but we are seeking people with potential to do well academically, to thrive in the world of work, and to be of service to their communities in the Rotary tradition of Service above Self. We seek to make awards to people for whom scholarship funds will have the greatest impact.

**All Applications must be submitted no later than April 1**

ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for a Saratoga Springs Rotary Club Scholarship an applicant must:

• Be a high school senior living in the Saratoga Springs City School District; OR
• Be a high school senior graduating from any public or private high school within the geographical boundaries of the Saratoga Springs City School District, or a person who lives within the school district who is completing a high school equivalency credential; AND
• Plan to pursue a degree or certification program at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or a vocational educational institution.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Applications are evaluated based on a combination of the following criteria:

• Financial Need
• Community Service
• Extracurricular and Work Activities
• Academic Record and Potential for Growth
• Some scholarships are specific to a particular area of study, such as, architecture, culinary arts, graphic arts and computer science, hospitality, law and performing arts

Questions about the application process or anything related to the application? Contact scholarships@saratogaspringsscholarships.org.

About Rotary

Rotary International is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 34,000 Rotary clubs located around the globe. The Rotary Motto is “Service Above Self.” Local Rotary clubs develop service projects that address many of today’s most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence.

Since its founding in 1924, The Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs has served the local community in many ways. In addition to engaging in service activities, the club has made charitable donations and major gifts to numerous not-for-profit organizations in the area, such as The Children’s Museum at Saratoga, YMCA, Yaddo, Franklin Community Center, Saratoga EOC, Saratoga Hospital, Saratoga Center for the Family, and Saratoga Arts, to name just a few. The Club’s annual Home & Lifestyle Show has been its major fundraising activity since 1973. Proceeds from this event support the Club’s donations to local organizations, youth scholarships, and international activities. More information about the club is available at www.saratogaspringsrotary.org.

In 1997, to address the ever-increasing costs of college and post-secondary vocational education, the Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs formed The Saratoga Springs Rotary Education Foundation, a separately governed tax-exempt organization with 501(c (3) status, to permit fundraising activities that could support larger scholarships. Since then, scholarship funding from the Home & Lifestyle Show has been supplemented by private and corporate donations, and by another annual fundraiser, the Awards Dinner, held annually in June. These fundraising activities support the mission of the foundation: The Saratoga Springs Rotary Education Foundation invests in the potential of students through scholarships, further enriching the Saratoga Community. Additional information about the Foundation can be found at: https://rotaryscholarships.org

IMPORTANT DATES to REMEMBER

• APRIL 1st Deadline for Completed Application Submission
• MAY Finalists will be invited to a personal interview with the Scholarship Committee
• JUNE Scholarship recipients are invited to attend the Rotary Education Foundation Dinner where
  Scholarship Awards will be announced

APPLICATION CHECKLIST-All items are required

1. Rotary Scholarship Application Form
2. Description/List of Activities and Accomplishments. Please upload a word document. List up to 5 applicable
   activities/accomplishments in each of the following categories. List those most important to you first.
   • • Community Service – Describe any social service or volunteer experience you have
       had, and the amount of time spent on such experience.
     • Work Experience – Describe any jobs held during your high school career and the
       number of hours per week spent at work.
     • Extracurricular Activities – Describe extracurricular or out-of-school activities you have
       been involved in, how long you have been involved in each, and how much time you
       spend on each in a typical week (please choose a maximum of 5 music, sports, student
       clubs, or other organizations).
3. Essay – Your application should include a short, original essay, of no longer than 250
   words, on the following topic: Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self.” Describe how you have
   demonstrated commitment to this ideal.
4. FAFSA results(SAR) if applicable
5. Financial Aid Award Letters from College(s)
6. Copy of High School or High School Equivalency Transcript

The committee reserves the right to not review incomplete applications

IMPORTANT NOTES All selection decisions are final and are not subject to appeal. Applications and supporting documents become the sole property of the Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs and cannot be returned. We regret that we can only notify finalists of their award status.

The Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs Rotary and the Saratoga Springs Rotary Education Foundation, Inc. reserve the unqualified right and discretion to withhold some or all of an award and/or delay an award due to insufficient academic performance, as determined by the Foundation.