Two Randolph area families have created endowments to help local high school graduates go on to college.
According to school officials, the two families approached them independently about ten months ago with the idea of creating separate endowments.
Both families wish to remain anonymous, and while school officials aren’t divulging the size of each endowment, the two together total $2.35 million.
The scholarships will be available to Randolph Union High School graduates who are legal residents of Randolph, Brookfield or Braintree.
Orange Southwest Superintendent Brent Kay says each endowment is different, but both represent a commitment by the families to help students with the cost of a college education.
“They’re substantial scholarships. They could range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars,” says Kay.
One of the endowments provides financial assistance for one year of college, the other, larger endowment, is designed to defray college expenses for up to four years.
While the awards are based on need they will also be determined by a students’ involvement in the community.
The scholarships from the endowments are designed to help students attend a Vermont state college or the University of Vermont, but Kay says there are exceptions for those who want to enroll in programs not offered by one of those schools.
He says scholarships from both endowments will be available to Randolph Union High School graduates beginning in the next school year.
"I believe this is a game-changer for a lot of kids, because I've watched since the Great Recession an increasing number of kids who simply say, 'I cannot do this,' and parents who are increasingly having difficulties justifying the cost of $50-60,000 a year." - Orange Southwest Superintendent Brent Kay
“I believe this is a game-changer for a lot of kids because I’ve watched since the Great Recession an increasing number of kids who simply say, ‘I cannot do this,’ and parents who are increasingly having difficulties justifying the cost of $50-60,000 a year,” says Kay.
Smaller, locally based scholarships for high school graduates are not unusual and even endowments the size of those for Randolph High School students are not unheard of.
For example, there is a total of $8 million in endowments from several sources that helps fund scholarships for graduates of Spaulding High School in Barre.
