Local Students Eligible for Simon Youth Foundation Scholarship Program

The application period for Simon Youth Foundation’s (SYF) Community Scholarship Program, for which area high school seniors are eligible, opened October 15. Students can find the application by logging on to SYF’s website at www.syf.org, or pick up a paper copy by visiting the Information Center at Liberty Village Premium Outlets.

Scholarships are awarded to one student at every Simon property across the country, and any student graduating in the class of 2010 who lives in or near a community with a Simon property is eligible. The program will award a scholarship of up to $1,500 to students who plan to enroll in an accredited college, university, vocational or technical school.

Recipients of the scholarships are chosen by Scholarship America, the third-party administrator of SYF’s scholarship program. Students are selected based on a variety of criteria, including financial need, academic performance, leadership skills and participation in school and community activities. Those students who are the first in their family to pursue a post secondary education will also be given close consideration.

The completed application, along with official school transcripts and parents’ most recently filed tax form, must be sent to Scholarship America by January 31, 2010.

“Helping youth across the country achieve their goals is a special endeavor,” said Dr. Richard Markoff, Executive Vice President, SYF. “Our Community Scholarship Program ensures that money is not the barrier keeping capable students from attending higher education.”

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Simon Youth Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public, non-profit organization established in 1998, fosters and improves educational opportunities, career development, and life skills for at-risk youth through focused programs and initiatives.  SYF accomplishes its mission through two initiatives: Education Resource Centers (ERCs), alternative schools that enable students to complete high school and its multidimensional scholarship program. The foundation has awarded more than $4.4 million in post-secondary scholarships and operates 21 alternative schools in 11 states.