Wabash County students in the Early Award Scholarship Program were honored at a series of recent high school basketball game halftimes for the scholarships they have earned so far this year. They received sunglasses, since their future is so bright! Altogether, this cohort of 4th-8th graders has more than $510,000 in their Community Foundation Early Award Scholarship Funds, with an average individual balance of $480. With the support of our whole community, these students will continue to “earn while they learn.” See below for a few photos, and visit our Facebook page to see more.
After you enroll at a qualifying post-secondary school, you may present an official tuition bill to the Community Foundation and request a grant from your Early Award Scholarship Fund. Click here for instructions on how to submit a request. If you need help logging in, call us at 260-982-4824 or email EarlyAward@cfwabash.org.
4th-8th Grade Students
The Early Award Scholarship Program provides financial awards for in-school achievements in math, reading, and language arts; for completion of college-preparation activities; and for deposits to students’ CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Accounts.
The scholarships and savings matches are deposited quarterly into each student’s Community Foundation Early Award Scholarship Fund. For maximum effect on the child’s identity and on their family’s expectations, achievements are recognized in the newspaper, on social media, and at school sporting events. Families receive a Progress Report and Scholarship Fund Statement each quarter showing the scholarships awarded to each student’s Early Award Scholarship Fund and the associated investment activity.
Participating Wabash County students can earn up to $1,000 in scholarships through completion of the Program in grades 4-8. Click here to see how each scholarship is earned at each grade level. Now in its 7th year, the Community Foundation has opened funds for more than 2,500 Wabash County students. The combined assets of these funds total more than $1 million.
High School Graduates
After graduating from high school and enrolling at a qualifying post-secondary education institution, students may present a tuition bill to the Community Foundation and request a grant from their Early Award Scholarship Fund directly to that school. Click here Instructions for requesting grant from EAS Fund for instructions on how to submit a request.
K-3 Children
From kindergarten through 3rd grade, children and families begin to think about the future and build educational assets through Promise Indiana, a children’s savings account program operated by the Wabash County YMCA. Each fall, this program provides in-school career discovery activities and a campus field trip, and a $25 savings match challenge for students who enroll a Promise-linked CollegeChoice 529 Direct Savings Account. These experiences prepare students and families to participate in the Community Foundation’s Early Award Scholarships beginning in 4th grade.
Parents of children as young as kindergarten are encouraged to complete both steps 1 and 2 in advance of their eligibility to earn Early Award Scholarships in 4th grade.
Step 1
Step 2
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