Schools offer scholarship

If the personal satisfaction of serving the community wasn't enough, perhaps the $1,000 scholarship will suffice. Thanks to the City of Bloomington's Volunteer Network, ten $1,000 Presidential Freedom Scholarships are currently available to junior and senior students from local high schools who have completed at least 100 hours of community service within the past 12 months.\n"It's not academic or income-based, it's community service-based," BVN Director Beth Savich said.\nMore specifically, the annual scholarships are available to two students from each high school in Monroe County. Savich said the recipients are chosen by a small panel of community members who must consider both the number of hours an applicant has served, as well as responses to three short essay questions over their experiences.\nWinners will receive not only the $1,000 scholarship, but also an award certificate, a lapel pin and a congratulatory letter from President George W. Bush.\nThough this is only the third year Bloomington has offered them, the scholarships have actually been available in other places for quite some time. \n"They are available in every high school in every community in the country," Savich said. "It's a huge program."\nThe catch is while the Corporation for National Service provides half of the scholarship money, local communities must raise the other half. This is the main reason that prevents some communities from offering the scholarships, Savich said.\n"The hitch is the local community match part -- a lot of them just can't find the money," she said.\nThree years ago Bloomington was, in most regards, one of those communities. When the BVN began looking for sponsors to provide the money, however, the reaction was very positive. \n"People are more than willing, you just have to ask them," Savich said.\nEver since, the program has done considerably well. The BVN Web site alone provides hundreds of different volunteer opportunities, most of which are welcome to teen participation. In fact, the Web site currently lists 15 different scholarships specifically based on community service and volunteering. As a result, the number of applicants for the scholarships has been consistent.\nSavich estimated 25 students applied for last year's 10 scholarships and expects that number to remain about the same. \nAt Bloomington High School North, only one person has applied so far, but guidance counselor Kathy Rillow remained hopeful. \n"It's only Wednesday," she said. \nThe deadline for all applicants is Friday. Potential donors or anyone interesting in volunteering should contact the Bloomington Volunteer Network at 349-3464 or visit its Web site at www.bloomington.in.gov/volunteer/.