On May 16, 2006, Maine College Circle, a Maine-based nonprofit, awarded "Future of Maine" college scholarships to fourteen Maine students in grades 3 – 6.
Bob Stuart, the Director of Maine College Circle, has supported college scholarship programs for young Maine students for the past eight years. This year he saw the scholarships extend to Maine 3rd through 6th graders statewide. In the years ahead, Maine College Circle aims to reach many more students statewide as a way for Maine businesses, communities, and individuals to support Maine's children and to build Maine's future.
"It is hard to overlook the great potential we have in this state when you read these applications. It is even harder not to be able to support many great applicants with great goals for college and beyond. As someone who has spent a lifetime in Maine, I see Maine turning elsewhere for our solutions to economic prosperity. It is much truer today than it was twenty years ago in Maine. Our best solutions are right here in Maine. We just have to have the commitment and foresight to help them grow.
"Reading these applications always reminds me of the values that are the strength of this state. If we can start with good Maine values and add a great education to them, we will build a great future. There is a lot to be done, and it starts in our elementary schools. These scholarships are a big boost to the aspirations of these students and it happens at just the right point in their life. In so many Maine communities I visit, education is THE solution."
One Maine guidance counselor writes, "The students of this school face a lot of challenges due to the remote location and the low socioeconomic level of the area. I feel it is necessary for you to understand the great effort it has taken for these students to complete these applications. For most of these students, college is an unknown. Most of these students do not see college as an option for them.
"Explaining the process to them and the reason for doing it was a difficult task. It is important that you know that a lot of these students come from challenging home situations. Even though it may not appear in all cases, this is their best effort. This has been a great learning experience for all of us."
Scholarship recipients receive a $100 college scholarship plus interest, and will be recognized by their scholarship sponsor and by the college they expressed interest in. They will also be invited to a day on a Maine college campus and they and their family will receive college advice up to enrollment in college.
The following Maine students were recipients of Future of Maine college scholarships.
Taylor B. (Key Bank scholarship) is a 4th grade student at Hope Elementary School where he earns straight A's. He likes to help friends and family with problems and hopes to be a psychologist after attending the University of Vermont, Saint Michael's College, or Bowdoin.
Carley B. (Maine Dental Association scholarship) is a hard-working 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School who takes good care of her teeth, likes dentists who aren't grouchy, and hopes to become a dentist of that kind after attending Tufts, Boston University, or Harvard.
Camille C. (Key Bank scholarship) is a 6th grader at Milo Elementary School and has been a creative cook since she was little. She wants to start a catering business after attending the University of Connecticut.
Linnea E. (Tremont Consolidated School/TSF scholarship), a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School, loves hunting stuff down and wants to be a detective. She likes reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and hopes to attend Brown University or the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Hannah G. (Key Bank scholarship), a 5th grader at Milo Elementary, enjoys reading and writing about animals and watching "Animal Planet." She wants to be a zoologist or an elementary school teacher after studying at the University of Maine in Orono, where her grandfather attended college.
Kendra H. (Springborn Staffing scholarship), a 5th grader at Milo Elementary is good at math and getting better every day. She likes math and machines and wants to start a business selling four-wheelers, snow sleds, go carts and dirt bikes after attending college at the University of Maine in Orono, Husson College, or Colby.
Lily H. (Tremont Consolidated School/TSF scholarship) is a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School and wants to be a veterinarian after attending the University of Maine in Orono or the University of Maine in Augusta. She works well with animals and people, doesn't mind staying up late at night to work with animals, and wants to go to college for a long time.
Jennifer K.(Jackson Laboratory scholarship) is a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School. She loves reading about animals, understands the body language of dogs, has trained her own dog to open the screen door, and wants to be an animal trainer after attending college at the University of Maine at Augusta, the University of New England, or Saint Joseph's College.
Nicole L. (Key Bank scholarship), a third grader at Southport Elementary, enjoys math, is working hard to memorize her times tables, and is considering being a math teacher, accountant, or banker after graduating from Harvard, MIT, Dartmouth, or Yale.
Shelby M. (Key Bank scholarship) is a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School. After 14 cats, 20 chickens, 2 horses, 4 rabbits, 4 sheep, and 6 dogs, Shelby is determined to be pet groomer after attending Boston University, University of Tampa, or Husson College.
Cameron M. (The Knowles Company scholarship) is a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School who wants to pursue a career flying helicopters in the Coast Guard after attending Embry-Riddle, Lynn University, or the University of North Dakota.
Charlotte N. (Fluid Imaging Technologies scholarship), a 5th grader at Edgecomb Eddy School is wild about math, science, and solving problems. She wants to become an engineer after studying at MIT or Dartmouth.
Kathy P. (The Knowles Company scholarship) is a 6th grader at Tremont Consolidated School who understands young children and they understand her. She hopes to become a pre-school teacher after attending Manhattan College or Mount Holyoke.
Nora W. (WBLM scholarship) is an accomplished violinist and cellist and a 6th grader at Hope Elementary School. Nora hopes to study music composition, music theory, conducting, and vocal arts at Juilliard, the Curtis Institute, or the University of Southern Maine.
Six students were also recognized as being very deserving of scholarships, and Maine College Circle has agreed to help find scholarships for them. Those students are Lillian C., grade 3 at Milo Elementary; K., grade 6 at Telstar Middle School; Justice B., grade 5 at Milo Elementary; Aaron G., grade 3 at Milo Elementary; Shelby P., grade 6 at Milo Elementary; and Tristen B., grade 4 at Milo Elementary.
All applicants were encouraged to reapply.
Scholarship applications are reviewed four times each year. More information is available on this website or by contacting Maine College Circle at bstuart@mainecollegecircle.org.
Future of Maine College Scholarship Update
On May 24, 2006 the Ski Maine Association and the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association announced that they have awarded Future of Maine College Scholarships to two 3rd graders in Milo, Maine.
Lillian C., the recipient of the Ski Maine Association scholarship, helps her parents run their general store. Lillian is currently in charge of the Coca Cola vending machine and its inventory, along with many other responsibilities. Lillian hopes to study math, finance, and accounting at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Aaron G., the recipient of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association scholarship, enjoys science and looking at germs under a microscope, and plans to study biology, chemistry, math, computers, and physics at the University of Maine.
Lillian and Aaron were two of six applicants designated as a priority to be awarded a scholarship. Like the other recent recipients, they will receive $100 plus interest college scholarships, support from their sponsor, communication from their college of interest, an invitation to a college campus visit, and college advice in the years ahead.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a scholarship for one of the remaining four priority applicants should contact Bob Stuart at Maine College Circle.
On May 24, 2006 the Ski Maine Association and the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association announced that they have awarded Future of Maine College Scholarships to two 3rd graders in Milo, Maine.
Lillian C., the recipient of the Ski Maine Association scholarship, helps her parents run their general store. Lillian is currently in charge of the Coca Cola vending machine and its inventory, along with many other responsibilities. Lillian hopes to study math, finance, and accounting at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Aaron G., the recipient of the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association scholarship, enjoys science and looking at germs under a microscope, and plans to study biology, chemistry, math, computers, and physics at the University of Maine.
Lillian and Aaron were two of six applicants designated as a priority to be awarded a scholarship. Like the other recent recipients, they will receive $100 plus interest college scholarships, support from their sponsor, communication from their college of interest, an invitation to a college campus visit, and college advice in the years ahead.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a scholarship for one of the remaining four priority applicants should contact Bob Stuart at Maine College Circle.
Future of Maine Spring ’06 Announcement