MVYouth has announced its recent round of scholarships, awarding roughly $990,000 in college, healthcare and education, and workforce development scholarships to 12 high school seniors on the Vineyard.
The funding will help students fill the gaps to pay for the entirety of a four-year college program.
In its 10th year, the fund has provided more than 100 Island students with over $7.2 million in educational scholarships.
Eleven of the 12 students selected are currently seniors at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and one is a graduate from 2021. Falmouth Academy and Charter School students are also eligible for the funding.
Executive director Lindsey Scott said that the funding provided by MVYouth makes a significant impact for students and their families.
“Paying the exorbitant cost of higher education is out of reach for most families. We are thrilled to provide such life-changing opportunities for young people,” Scott is quoted in a release.
The organization will hold a ceremony over the summer for the recipients, past recipients, and donors.
MVYouth’s college scholarships offer four years of last-dollar funding to exceptional high school seniors who qualify for financial support. The seven recipients this year: Emma Burt will attend Smith College; Nicholas Carpenter will attend Northeastern University; Josh Lake will attend Providence College; Georgia Magden will attend the University of Mississippi; Rebecca Mandelli will attend Providence College; Jahzarah McIntosh will attend the University of Michigan; and Nikeya Tankard will attend Connecticut College.
MVYouth’s healthcare and education scholarships offer four years of last-dollar funding to high school seniors pursuing degrees in health care and education, and who qualify for financial support. There are three recipients this year: Kimberly Marques will attend Rhode Island College to pursue a nursing career, Olivia MacPherson will attend Bridgewater State University to pursue a career in early childhood education, and Norah Prestley will attend the University of Saint Joseph’s to pursue a nursing career.
MVYouth’s workforce development scholarships provide last-dollar funding to young people ages 18 to 25 who qualify for financial support to pursue technical training and professional development in one- and two-year programs. Automotive mechanics, aviation, building trades, cosmetology, culinary arts, healthcare, horticulture, interpreting, landscaping, marine trades, and wind technology are among the career fields prioritized by the program. Two recipients were selected this year: Greg Clark will attend New England Institute of Technology to pursue training in marine technology; Gerry Kane will attend New England Institute of Technology to pursue training in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology.
The students are selected by MVYouth’s advisory board. Members assess criteria including academic performance, character, activities, community service, employment experience, and career goals. All semifinalists are interviewed, and each student’s funding gap is calculated before the finalists are selected. Awards are calculated to fill the financial gap remaining after families contribute and after schools offer institutional aid.
Funding through the scholarship can range as high as $40,000 a year for students, and is dependent on financial aid, the cost of the school, and what type of other aid they have received.
Scott says that nearly all of the funding for MVYouth comes from its founders, who pledge to provide $100,000 over four years to the scholarship fund, or $25,000 a year. Scott says they’ve been supported by more than 100 different founders, who are mostly seasonal residents, since launching 10 years ago.
“It’s a really amazing group of generous people who have made this pledge to us,” she said. “And many of these founders have renewed that pledge two or three times, and they are still supporting us.”
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