BRATTLEBORO-The Brattleboro Rotary Club recently awarded a total of $19,000 in scholarships to five local high school students who will be attending college this fall. The scholarships are funded by the Rotary's Gateway Foundation.
This year's recipients include Benjamin Bibimba of Brattleboro, who will attend Vermont State University, Randolph; Charles Kinnersley of Brattleboro, who will attend Leeds Beckett University; Olivia Maillet of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, who will attend Colby-Sawyer College; Christopher Phelps of Hinsdale, who will attend the University of Southern Maine; and Jada Wood of Newfane, who will attend Community College of Vermont. Each student received $3,800.
The Brattleboro Rotary Club established The Gateway Foundation in 1986 to create a fund to support scholarships awarded annually to local students pursuing college. The Foundation, which is a nonprofit and tax-exempt organization, has awarded over $600,000 in scholarships to area students. It is funded by Rotary Club as well as individual contributions.
Applications are accepted each spring from graduating seniors at Brattleboro Union, Hinsdale, and Leland & Gray High Schools. Criteria for the awards are academic achievement, financial need, and community service, all of which are weighed evenly.
Founded in 1950, the Brattleboro Rotary Club is an active community service club of 60 members. It engages in community and human service projects locally and internationally. The club has weekly lunch meetings on Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in Brattleboro. The public is welcome to attend meetings by contacting a Rotary member.
For more information about the Brattleboro Rotary Club and its Gateway Foundation, contact Scholarship Committee Chair John C. Mabie at 802-257-5292, or visit BrattleboroRotaryClub.org.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.