Washington Apple Industry Scholarships Available
January 15, 2014 The Washington Apple Education Foundation (WAEF) will award approximately $700,000 in new and renewing scholarships this spring. The deadline for new applicants to submit scholarship applications to WAEF is March 1. The WAEF scholarship application can be found at TheWashBoard.org.
Anticipated awards this year represent an increase over the prior year. Funding for the WAEF scholarship program is donated by industry members and those with ties to the tree fruit industry. New awards for 2014 include:
■ Herold & Vicki Peebles Scholarship: The scholarship is open to current and former graduates of Chelan and Manson high schools whose parent, guardian or applicant themselves is employed as a farmworker or entry level agriculture worker with a commercial grower or packer in Washington’s tree fruit industry. The award may be used at an accredited community college, university, trade or technical school located in Washington state.
■ Jerry Haak Memorial: This scholarship honors the memory of tree fruit industry leader Jerry Haak. Jerry was a passionate orchardist known for his innovative approach to farming and willingness to share new techniques and discoveries. Candidates for this scholarship are men and women raised in families involved in apple, cherry and/or pear orchards. Applicants should be preparing to work in the tree fruit industry by pursuing an agriculture related degree.
■ John Douglas Scholarship: Open to applicants raised in families engaged in Washington’s tree fruit industry who will attend or are currently attending a Washington state public two- or four-year college or university.
■ Nordic Bear: Open to children of employees of Northern Fruit affiliated orchards (Zorro Blanco, Sun Valley, Kodiak, Lobo Rojo, Flicker or Chelan Red). To be eligible a parent must have worked at the orchard at least 1,000 hours for two consecutive years. Scholarship awards may be used to pay educational expenses at a community college within Washington state or a four-year accredited college or university.
■ Orondo Cider Works Scholarship: Open to the children of Cider Works Farms orchard employees pursuing an education at accredited technical colleges, two-year community colleges and four-year colleges or universities in Washington state. The scholarship may renew for up to four years upon meeting renewal terms.
■ Scott Baker Memorial Technical School Scholarship: Scott Baker was a bright and creative man who could build anything from packing lines to buildings and aircraft. Gebbers Farms is honoring his memory by providing this scholarship for students who are passionate about technical pursuits and who want to attend trade school to be able to create, build, fix or even drive modern technology.
■ Shields Bag & Printing Scholarship: Open to students from the Yakima Valley. Applicants must have a minimum high school (and college, if applicable) GPA of 3.0 for scholarship consideration.
Qualified applicants for WAEF scholarships have a tie to the tree fruit industry. For a complete list of WAEF scholarships, please visit www.waef.org/scholarships and view “Award Descriptions.” Additional resources found under the scholarships tab on the WAEF website include scholarship tips and Common Questions & Answers for using TheWashBoard.org. Students are encouraged to contact the WAEF office with questions about qualifications or for application assistance. WAEF staff is reached at (509) 663-7713.
WAEF expects to extend scholarship assistance to approximately 200 students for the 2014-15 school year.
TheWashBoard.org was launched in January 2010 by the Washington Scholarship Coalition, a public/private partnership that includes nonprofit organizations, private foundations and state agencies committed to increasing access to scholarships and financial aid for Washington students. Registration and use of TheWashBoard.org services are free to both scholarship seekers and providers. Data is secured through the Washington Student Achievement Council, formerly the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, a state agency located in Olympia.
The Washington Apple Education Foundation is the charity of the tree fruit industry. Its mission is to impact lives through access to educational opportunities. For more information on the WAEF, please visit www.waef.org or contact (509) 663-7713.
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