The Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation is now accepting applications for its $1,000 college, career and nursing applications exclusively online.
Scholarships are open to students in the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES region – including the school districts of Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Poland, Richfield Springs and West Canada Valley.
To fill out and submit applications, visit www.herkimer-boces.org/scholarshipfoundation. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.
For information, contact Herkimer BOCES School to Careers secretary Kelly Mills at 315-867-2000 or kmills@herkimer-boces.org.
Starting last year, the value of the foundation’s College Awards, Career Awards and LPN Awards was increased to $1,000.
The College Awards are open to students who are majoring in vocational education at Herkimer BOCES or in their high schools in the Herkimer BOCES region and plan to go to college the next school year. Students can earn a $1,000 scholarship for their first year of college and then earn additional funding for their second year if certain criteria are met.
The scholarship foundation also offers a Career Award for students who gain employment in a Career and Technical Education field prior to or soon after graduation and incur expenses as a result of that employment. This award allows the reimbursement of up to $1,000 for trade-specific expenses such as employment clothing, personal protective equipment, tools, supplies, certifications, credentials and/or licenses.
The $1,000 LPN Award is open to students in the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program.
Aside from the scholarships that students apply for, there are special incentive awards available for those high school students pursuing careers in certain areas. These special funds are administered by the Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation and are in addition to the scholarships offered through the general fund.
The special incentive awards are:
-The Paul A. Bouck Memorial Fund provides a scholarship to a student who is entering a field of study that relates to agriculture, a rural-related field or other related areas.
-The Robert A. Moore Memorial Scholarship provides a scholarship to a student who has completed the Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts program and plans to further their training in the field of radio and television broadcasting.
-The Special Nursing Fund provides a scholarship to a nursing student in need of financial assistance.
-The Mower Family Farm Fund provides a scholarship to a student who will be pursuing occupations in the field of agriculture.
-The William E. Whitehill Jr. Scholarship provides a scholarship to a student in the Technical Education Center who demonstrates the most improvement while in the program.
-The Chris Brockway Memorial Scholarship Award provides a scholarship to a student who completes the Criminal Justice program.
-The Papaleo/Dady Family Scholarship provides a scholarship to a student who successfully completes a two-year technical education program at BOCES with a minimum grade-point average of 85%.
-The Harry J. Enea Sr. Memorial Scholarship provides a scholarship to a student who will be pursuing entrepreneurship and/or small business.
-The Chester A. Scerra Memorial Scholarship provides a scholarship to a student pursuing an education in the field of culinary arts.
-The William E. Busacker Scholarship Award provides a scholarship to a student who has demonstrated leadership in causes that promote change to the status-quo, compassion for the less-fortunate, animal rights or other issues.
-The Hummel Family Scholarship Award provides a scholarship to a student who demonstrated community-minded focus throughout the student’s high school career.
Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation 2024 award winners who attended the 33rd annual awards ceremony pose together on May 22, 2024, at the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer with Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees President Sharon Baisley and Board of Trustees member Sarah Crowe. From left: Crowe, Little Falls student Julie Velazquez, Central Valley student Emma Archer, Central Valley student Paige Austin, Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program student Crystal Spisak, Frankfort-Schuyler student Madison Kelly, Frankfort-Schuyler student Isabella Nitti, Herkimer student Aubrey Lewis, Central Valley student Isabella Lawrence and Baisley. Applications are now available for the foundation’s 2025 scholarships at www.herkimer-boces.org/scholarshipfoundation.