Uncommon Friends Foundation accepting scholarship applications
Applications for the 2009 Uncommon Friends Foundation scholarships, honoring deserving individuals who have a financial need and the potential to succeed in school, are due today.
Recipients of the scholarships will be announced June 4 at the “Uncommon Evening,” being held at the Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.
The foundation has provided scholarships to more than 225 individuals who have demonstrated the personal traits of the five unique men and their wives James D. Newton wrote about in his book, “Uncommon Friends.” They were Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Dr. Alexis Carrel and Charles Lindbergh.
Scholarship categories include:
– The Special Recognition scholarship is awarded to an individual who has financial need, the desire and potential to succeed in school, and possesses positive character traits.
– High Tech Center scholarships provide assistance with tuition, books and supplies for one term at High Tech Center. There are no age requirements for this scholarship.
– Florida Prepaid College Foundation scholarships provide two years of college tuition to ninth-grade students who contract to succeed in high school, stay free of drugs and crime, and fulfill other scholarship conditions.
– The Boy Scouts of America scholarship helps pay for books for the first semester of college.
– The Edison College Single Parent scholarship provides assistance to single parents who have overcome extraordinary obstacles in furthering their education and in gaining skills to enter the work force.
– The FGCU Future Teacher scholarship is awarded to an education student at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The Uncommon Friends Foundation, established in 1993, is a character education foundation whose mission is to instill ethics, moral values and a sense of purpose in tomorrow’s leaders.
The nonprofit foundation is a joint venture among Lee County, the city of Fort Myers, and The School District of Lee County.
Application forms may be obtained by calling 337-9505, requested via e-mail at charactered@uncommonfriends.org or by checking the Web site at: www.uncommonfriends.org.