NEWBERRY — The Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District is offering two scholarships to help offset the cost of tuition for Newberry County students.

The Ag Scholarship and the Let’s Keep Newberry County Beautiful Scholarship are for Newberry County high school seniors who have been accepted to college, or are a current college student. The money comes straight from the District.

This is the third year the scholarships have been awarded.

“With the Ag Scholarship, I have two of those to give out, for $1,000 each and the Let’s Keep Newberry County Beautiful Scholarship I also have two of those for $500 each,” said Danielle Himsey, district coordinator for the Newberry Soil and Water Conservation District.

To apply for the scholarships students must provide a cover page with their name, the date and program of study, a completed application, answers to the provided short answer questions, high school transcripts as of the most recent date, copy of college acceptance letter and three letters of recommendation (one personal and two school or professional).

“One personal can be anyone from a family friend to a distant family member. I would not get one from your mom and dad or little brother or sister. An aunt or uncle would work, if you have worked with them in some way,” Himsey said. “As for the two school or professional, this can be your college professor, mentor, guidance counselor, teacher, principal, boss.”

Himsey added that the reason she asks for high school transcripts is to make sure the students are serious about school.

The applications will be given to a four-person committee.

The Ag Scholarship

Applicants for the Ag Scholarship should be pursing a degree in something agriculture related or natural resources, such wildlife biology, forestry, agriculture education, etc.

Himsey said they would like the applicant to be geared in the agriculture or natural resources direction so when discussing their chosen major applicants should explain how they will use their degree for agriculture or natural resources.

“It’ll be up to the discretion of the committee. I have two people that are specifically educated in agriculture related fields,” Himsey said.

The short answer questions for this scholarship ask applicants if they ever worked in agriculture, which area of agriculture they intend to focus and their inspiration for choosing that program of study.

The essay should be 1,500 to 2,000 words and should explain further how the scholarship will help the applicant reach their educational goals, what experiences they have in their program of interest, what their short term (five years) and long term (10 year) goals are for their education and future employment, how and why they are committed to pursing this degree and how they intend to pay it forward if they receive this scholarship.

“I definitely recommend not writing your essay and short answer question just to get a scholarship. You can tell the difference between someone who is passionate about what they are saying versus someone writing it just to get through it,” Himsey said. “Write in depth, do not be vague.”

Himsey added that she has already been contacted by past winners about when they can apply for 2017 scholarship.

Let’s Keep Newberry County Beautiful Scholarship

This scholarship is designed to highlight Keep Newberry County Beautiful and typically goes to students pursing a degree in conservation, but it has been awarded to students not necessarily going into that field.

“Students should definitely apply if they are involved in the community. We encourage you to apply if you recycle, do anything with Keep Newberry County Beautiful, pick up litter, volunteer with Adopt a Highway,” Himsey said.

The scholarship committee will have two individuals who are associated with Keep Newberry County Beautiful.

Short answer questions ask if the applicant has ever worked with Keep Newberry County Beautiful programs, what interests them most about the program of study, what inspires them to want to help keep Newberry and the surrounding communities clean and if they recycle.

The essay should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words and should further explain how this scholarship will help the applicant reach their educational goals.

The applicant will have to give suggestions of what will make Newberry County clean an beautiful, as well as how recycling can help the county, what their short (five year) and long (10 year) goals are for educational and future employment and how they can apply this to Keep Newberry County Beautiful.

They will also need to include how and why they are committed to pursing this degree, and how they intend to pay it forward if they received the scholarship.

As with the Ag Scholarship, Himsey recommends all applicants write in depth and not be vague.

More information

Himsey said applicants who are unsure about their major should just put undecided and in the essay and short answer put what they are passionate about, and explain what they are leaning toward.

To get the word out about the scholarships, Himsey has contacted all the area high schools, as well as Newberry College and Piedmont Technical College. She also plans on giving applications to the Chamber of Commerce.

“The deadline to turn in the applications is March 17. The winners will be announced on March 31. I would like at least 10 applicants for each scholarship, that way there will be healthy competition,” Himsey said. “Late applications will not be accepted. They must be submitted, in person or by mail, by 4:30 p.m. on March 17. If they are mailed, they must be postmarked by March 17.”

Scholarship applications can be mailed, or dropped off at 719 Kendall Road in Newberry. For more information on the scholarships, or to get an application Himsey can be contacted at 803-597-3160.

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By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.