It’s a new year, and if you have a child graduating in the spring, it’s definitely time to start thinking about scholarships! Scholarships can make such a big difference for families in need, and there are more available than you might think. While we hope this list is helpful, it is not a comprehensive guide, and it’s always a great idea to talk to your school’s guidance counselor for more information if possible. Additionally, if you know of a scholarship we are leaving off of this list, please send us an email to tiftonmoms@gmail.com , so we can include it!
Jan & Julian Hester Scholarship
South Georgia Banking Company here in Tifton accepts applications for the Julian & Jan Hester Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by the Community Bankers Assocation of Georgia, every year. With this scholarship, students have a chance to win a $500 cash scholarship from SGBC before moving on to the CBA selection process. The CBA awards $1,000 annually to four high school seniors who plan to attend a Georgia College, University, or Technical School in the fall following their graduation. You can learn more about this scholarship and find the student application here. However, if you want to compete in the SGBC round first, make sure you turn it in at an SGBC location. The applications are usually due sometime in April, and SGBC usually posts about the scholarship and deadline on their Facebook page.
Gray Ghost Comics Chris Jewell Memorial Scholarship
Gray Ghost Comics in downtown Tifton has an annual scholarship of $500 for high school seniors. You can learn more here. This application period is in the fall and has already closed for this year. While this scholarship has already closed for this academic year, I included it for future reference.
Tiftarea Board of Realtors & Tiftarea MLS
The Tiftarea Board of Realtors and Tiftarea MLS awards four $1,000 scholarships to four graduating seniors each year. You can learn more about these scholarships here. While applications have not opened yet, they should soon, so stay tuned on the Tiftarea Board of Realtors Facebook page.
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Colquitt EMC
If your household is a Colquitt EMC member, your child may be eligible for a scholarship through Colquitt EMC. Applications are due by June 15 for graduating seniors who have been accepted into a college or technical college with campus/degree offerings in Colquitt EMC’s service territory. You can learn more and find the online application here.
Georgia Power
Through the American Association of Blacks in Energy, Georgia Power offers scholarships to high school seniors planning to pursue careers in education or careers in the energy industry. You can learn more and find the application here.
Angel Lee Scholarship
The Angel Lee Memorial Scholarship offers $500 intended for books to graduates from Tift County High School who plan on attending Valdosta State University. While applications have not opened yet, you can find out when they open by following the Angel Lee Scholarship Facebook page.
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Anthony G. Bateman Youth Center Scholarship
The Anthony G. Bateman Youth Center has awarded $1,000 to one Tift County High School Senior in the past. While it’s not clear what the requirements for this scholarship are or who is legible, you can contact the youth center at 229-391-3868 to learn more.
Ilse Boyette Book Scholarship (Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation)
The Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation offers the Ilse Boyette Book Scholarship each year to two individuals. The scholarship is $500 intended to be used for books, and it is awarded each summer. Recipients must be an employee or immediate family member of an employee at Southwell. You can learn more here.
Kiwanis Club of Tifton
Kiwanis Club of Tifton usually awards scholarships to local students in the spring. You can learn more about the scholarships and who is eligible by calling 229-388-2142.
VFW
The VFW offers a few different scholarship options (as well as a cool contest for middle schoolers), and they say specifically that they include home-schooled students. You can learn more about the different options here.
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Rotary Club of Tifton
The Rotary Club of Tifton also awards scholarships to local students each year. You can learn more about the requirements for these scholarships and how to apply by reaching out through their website here.
Tifton Junior Women’s Club
The Tifton Junior Women’s Club awards several scholarships to local ladies graduating. While the students have been graduating seniors from Tift County High School in the past, it’s not clear if you have to a student of Tift County High to participate. If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach out via email at tiftonjwc@gmail.com
Tifton Elk’s Lodge
The Tifton Elk’s Lodge, like many other Elk’s Lodges around the country, awards a scholarship each year. To learn more about the requirements and eligibility, you can email them at tiftonelks@gmail.com or give them a call at 229-382-4787.
Walter Brown Scholarship Program
The Walter-Brown Foundation provides scholarships to students in Georgia and South Carolina on a need and merit basis to attend four year colleges and universities in the U.S. The application is open now and due by February 8th. You can learn more or find the application here.
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PM Legacy Scholarship
The PM Legacy Scholarship is another scholarship opportunity beyond just the local options. They award $2,000 to up to 45 students each year for human service students who reside or attend school in Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Georgia, or who are attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Applications are currently open and will close on February 28th. You can learn more or find the application here.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Another option that goes beyond just our area is the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship. They offer scholarships to high school seniors with financial need who will attend four year colleges and universities. While the application is closed for this academic year, I’m including it for those parents who may have a student who’s in 11th grade or below. You can learn more about the program here.
Gaskins Environmental Scholarship
High school seniors graduating from a high school in South Georgia who plan on majoring in Environemental Science (including Biology, Forestry Wildlife, or Botany). The application deadline is April 1st. This scholarship can be accessed through an online portal, which you can find or learn more about here.
James D. Eunice Legacy Scholarship
The James D. Eunice Legacy Scholarship is available to students in South Georgia within the service area of the Community Foundation of South Georgia. To learn more about the scholarship and requirements as well as to access the online portal for applications, visit this website.
Jack Gibbs Memorial Scholarship
The Jack Gibbs Memorial Scholarhsip is a scholarship available to a graduating senior from Tift County High who is also a member of the Tift County High School Basketball Team. The application deadline is April 1st, and you can learn more here.
REACH Scholarship
While this doesn’t help parents of children who are seniors this year, if your child in in 8th grade, they can begin participating in the REACH program at their school (if they are eligible). REACH scholars receive a scholarship at graduation. To learn more about the REACH program and who is eligible, visit this website.
ABAC Scholarships
If your child is planning on attending ABAC, there are a lot of scholarship available there, primarily through the ABAC Foundation. To learn more about these scholarships, who is eligible, and how to apply, visit the ABAC website here.
Additional Resources
If you are still looking for scholarship opportunities, there are additional resources available, including:
- If your child attends Tift County High School, they typically release a scholarship guide in the spring that is available through their Google Classroom.
- The Georgia Futures website has a scholarship search function that you can use to find additional scholarships.
- If your child is planning on attending a college other than ABAC, check to see if that college has scholarship opportunities on their website.
Tifton Moms is a resource dedicated to the moms and families of Tifton, Georgia and beyond to help them find the information they need about events in Tifton and Southwest Georgia, resources in Tifton and beyond, educational tips, and so much more. We are passionate about all things parenting and our community, and we want to connect you to relevant resources, local businesses, can’t miss events, and each other! Find more helpful articles at https://tiftonmoms.com/blog/.
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