SOLON — The cost of a college education isn’t getting any cheaper. As high school seniors (and their parents) slog through the college admissions process, the question of how to pay for it often weighs heavily on their minds. Scholarships are one way to at least help to defray the cost, with many options available. Many are merit based or dependent on socio-economic factors. However, there is a local option available to any Solon High School graduate.
Since 1992 Solon Dollars for Scholars has awarded 1,900 scholarships to high school seniors totaling $1,086,525. Dollars for Scholars is a nation-wide scholarship program, which eventually became Scholarship America. Solon’s own Dick Schwab was on the board of Scholarship America and wanted to start a local chapter. He reached out to Lillian Davis, who agreed to help start the chapter. Dollars for Scholars is a non-profit 501c3 organization that accepts donations and holds two fundraisers annually – a Gala/Auction in the fall and a youth basketball tournament in February.
This year’s Gala/Auction raised over $100,000 and had a record number of attendees, said President Amanda Stahle. Next year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, while the basketball tournament is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. For more information on the Solon Shootout basketball tourney contact [email protected].
Those donations do make a difference. The class of 2022 saw 91 applicants receive $600 apiece, a total of $54,600. First year awards (for high school seniors) are awarded to every senior who completes the application process.
“Upon their acceptance of the award, and after a copy of their proof of enrollment is received, we issue a scholarship check written to their college or university,” Stahle explained. “We will begin taking applications for the 2023 first-year scholarships on January 1 through our website.” The deadline for applying is typically the Friday before Spring Break, she said. The number of scholarships awarded each year is determined solely by the number of applications received. Currently the amount per scholarship is $600. “A First Year Sponsored Scholarship can be established by a sponsor bestowing $10,000 to Solon Dollars for Scholars,” she added.
In addition, the group created a second layer of scholarships, called Continuing Education Scholarships (CES), for those already in college in 2005. These scholarships are more competitive and as such have a larger award amount.
“They are awarded to college students entering their second, third, and fourth years and are between $1,000 and $2,000 each,” she said. “Each applicant completes a short essay as part of the application, and then has a short interview with our scholarship committee. Awards are based on a variety of criteria including focus/drive, academic success, and character strength.” Applications for the CES awards are also done through the Solon Dollars for Scholars website, similar to the first-year scholarships and the application process opens in May (after the first-year scholarship process is completed) and closes July 1. Interviews are held later in July.
The number of awarded scholarships (CES) varies year to year based on available funds. CES Named Scholarships can be established by a sponsor donating $25,000 or greater for a one-year scholarship, $50,000 for a two-year scholarship, and $100,000 for a three-year scholarship. To date, 379 CES awards have been provided totaling $545,000. Combined with the first-year scholarships and Solon Dollars for Scholars has awarded over $1.6 million in scholarship funds in the last 30 years.
Current officers are: President Amanda Stahle, VP Alan Harrington (this will become vacant Jan. 1), Treasurer Steve Foster, and Secretary Lori Stebral. Current board members are Brian Brandt, Angie Capper (will become a vacant board seat Jan. 1), Kori Cusick, Terri Jedlicka, Jake Munson, and Tracy Thomson. If you are interested in joining the board contact Dollars for Scholars at [email protected]. The board meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the high school media center.
Solon Dollars for Scholars is on Facebook at Solon Dollars for Scholars and on Twitter @SolonDFS.
The group’s website is https://solon.dollarsforscholars.org.
Local auctioneer Brett Wears conducted a live auction during the annual Solon Dollars for Scholars Gala Nov. 5 at the Celebration Barn. The event, which saw a record number of attendees, raised over $100,000 for scholarships for Solon High School graduates pursuing a college or university degree. Next year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, October 28. A youth basketball tournament will be held Sunday, Feb. 26, and financial donations are accepted throughout the year.