A number of local scholarships are available to assist graduating high school seniors with the cost of college. Today we highlight scholarships offered by Berkot’s Super Foods, Cordogan Clark, Coal City Miners Youth Football, Grundy County Marine Corps League, Joliet Junior College, St. Juvin Post 1336 Veterans of Foreign Wars, Financial Plus Credit Union, Streator Onized Credit Union, GFWC-IL Coal City Junior Woman’s Club, Women of the Moose, and the Roy & Mardell Carter Music Foundation.
A new scholarship is being made available to Coal City High School seniors. Berkot’s Super Foods Charity Foundation Scholarship was established to recognize local students who have exemplified outstanding achievements in academics, extra curricular activities, employment, and community involvement. The $1,000 scholarship will go to an individual who is enrolling full-time at a four year college/university or community/junior college. Applications are due April 1.
Cordogan Clark, the Unit 1 School District’s architectural firm presentes a Built Environment Scholarship. The awards are presented to graduating seniors who enroll full-time in a two or four year institution. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of their scholastic achievement—3.2 gpa or higher, letters of recommendation, career interest in the built environment and an essay on how the built environment has positively impacted their education. Applications for the Cordogan Clark Scholarship are due by March 21.
The Grundy County Marine Corps League offers an annual scholarship to graduating seniors. The financial award is presented to students with a documented history of community service and academic achievement. The funds are to be used to attend a college, university, technical or trade school. Applicants must include an essay on the topic of, “How does volunteering help develop leadership skills.” Completed applications are due no later than April 1.
Each year a graduating senior enrolling at Joliet Junior College is presented with a JJC Foundation Scholarship. The college also offers a variety of scholarships to new and returning students in the areas of academic standing, leadership, financial need, ethnic origin and specialized talents among others. Information on applying for JJC Foundation Scholarship is located at jjc.edu/getting-started/pay-college/scholarships
St. Juvin Post 1336 Veterans of Foreign Wars offers scholarships to Coaler graduates and alumni entering the healthcare field including emergency services such as paramedic and firefighter. Scholarships are awarded based upon demonstrated academic achievement and community service. The veterans organization also provides scholarships to qualified veterans who honorably served in the military. The financial awards are $1,000. Applications are due April 1.
Streator Onized Credit Union [SOCU] offers scholarships up to $1,000. Applicants must be a member in good standing with SOCU, be enrolled or enrolling as a full-time student at an accredited college, university or trade school and have a 2.0 grade point average [gpa] or higher. Applications must be postmarked by April 1.
If you played football or cheered for the Coal City Miners Youth Tackle Football team, you are eligible to apply for its college scholarship. The youth sports organization will award two $500 scholarships, one to a former Miners football player and the other a former cheerleader. Selection will be based on past participation in the organization, academic standing, involvement in school activities and recommendation from a school official—teacher, counselor, principal. Applications must be received by April 2.
Established in 1988, the GFWC-IL Coal City Junior Woman’s Club Scholarship has annually provided financial assistance to graduating seniors at Coal City High School. The awards are made possible through various fundraising projects sponsored by the community service organization The organization offers one $500 scholarship to a student entering an accredited college or technical/trade school. The recipient must show scholastic ability, be of good moral character, have leadership qualities and community service involvement. Applications are due April 2.
Financial Plus Credit Union is offering 10 $500 scholarships and 10 $250 Bucks for Books awards across its five locations including Diamond. Applicants must be a Financial Plus member who will be attending a junior college, four year university or trade school as a full-time student during the 2025-2026 academic year Applications can be obtained from the Diamond branch or from the financial institutions website at www.financialplus.org. Applications are due April 4.
Women of the Moose—Wilmington 781 offers a scholarship to a graduating senior planning to further their education and who is affiliated with the organization—the son, daughter or grandchild of a member of the Wilmington Moose or Women of the Moose. Students must complete an application form and submit a personal essay explaining their future goals. Applications are due March 21.
The Roy & Mardell Carter Music Foundation is offering a $500 scholarship to a student from the local area who is majoring in music. Students majoring in theatre or minoring in music will also be considered for the Roy & Mardell Carter Music Scholarship administered by the Community Foundation of Grundy County. Applications are due no later than April 1.
Additional information and applications for these and other local scholarships are available on the Coal City School District website at www.coalcityschools.org. Visit the student link on the high school page and click on the link within the student services tab.