Scholarships available to sons and daughters
of Vermont-NEA members

The sons and daughters of Vermont-NEA members -- students in their last year of high school, undergraduates, and graduate students -- are eligible to apply for Vermont-NEA/Maida F. Townsend scholarships. The $1000 scholarships, established in 1991, are awarded annually at the Vermont-NEA Representative Assembly.

The scholarship awards are based on merit, not financial need. Students majoring in any discipline are eligible to apply, but preference may be given to those majoring in education, or having that intention. Awards are made directly to the students. Students may reapply for the award, but may receive an award only once.

How to Apply

The scholarship application cover letter should include answers to these questions:
What makes you unique?
What are your educational goals?
What are your plans for continuing education?

The scholarship application requires the submission of transcripts and two letters of recommendation. Current high school students must have one recommendation from a guidance counselor or administrator, and one from a teacher. College students must have one recommendation from a professor in his/her field of concentration and one from another professor.

Applicants also must submit a list of co-curricular and community activities and a transcript from the institution the applicant is currently attending. For students attending schools with unusual grading practices, an explanation of the grading system should accompany the transcript.

Each applicant must submit an essay under 400 words. Applications with essays that exceed the 400 word limit will be disqualified. The theme is decided by the scholarship committee on an annual basis and announced in the fall. The 2008 essay question is: "What values are most important to you, and how have they shaped the individual you are today?"

An official Cover Sheet must be filled out and must accompany all scholarship application material. Click here to see a copy of the Cover Sheet which you can print out and use. Or contact Vermont-NEA for a copy of the Cover Sheet -- Phone: 1-800-649-6375, Email: sperkins@vtnea.org

The Judges

The scholarship fund is governed by a board of trustees, which is the same as the entire Vermont-NEA Board of Directors. The Vermont-NEA president appoints two board members and an at-large-member to the committee annually. A chairperson is appointed for a two year term. These are the members of the 2008 Scholarship Committee: Ann Lavery (co-chair), Corrie Palmer, and Rich Wise (co-chair).

Deadline

Applications with an official Cover Sheet must be received at Vermont-NEA Headquarters by the end of the business day on February 1. The address: Vermont-NEA, 10 Wheelock Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05602-3737

Past Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to these fine students who have been winners of Vermont-NEA / Maida F. Townsend Scholarship Awards:

2007

• Ailis Cournane of Concordia University, Montreal
• Shaun Farrell of North Country UHS
• Katrina Hardt of Sterling College
• Evan Masseau of Champlain Valley UHS
• Kylie McLane of South Burlington HS

2006

• Jennifer Goyne of Richford High School
• Leah Nero of Brattleboro and Yale
• Benjamin Rome of Essex High School
• Janet Soltau of South Burlington High School
• Genevieve St.Hilaire of Bellows Free Academy-Fairfax
  

2005

• Alyssa Bennett of Skidmore College
• Emily Chamberlain of Otter Valley Uhion High School
• Elsa Sargent of Dartmouth College
• Rebecca VanHorn of Proctor High School
• Clement Wright of Burr and Burton Academy

2004

• Michael Harger of Proctor Jr./Sr. High School
• Charlotte Hirschberger of Otter Valley Union High School
• Aaron Lackowski of Mt. Mansfield Union High School
• Caitlyn Long of Middlebury College
• Schuyler Sturm of Lyndon Institute

2003

• Kelsey Ballard of Woodstock Union High School
• Maria Benoit of Vergennes Union High School
• Carlin Hebert of Mt. Anthony Union High School
• Andrea Jette of Missisquoi Valley Union High School
• Kristin Weibust of Skidmore College

2002

• Kit Basom of Lake Region Union High School
• Abby M. Gelinas of Winooski High School
• Daniel Kahn of Union-32 Junior/Senior High School
• Heather Martel of Richford Junior/Senior High School
• Kaitlyn O'Donnell of Randolph Union High School
• Richard Waite of Hamilton College

2001

• Taryn McLaughlin of Rutland High School
• Nicholas Miller of South Burlington High School
• Eben Sargent of North Country Union High School
• Samantha Treu of Green Mountain Union High School

2000

• Reeve Basom of Lake Region Union High School
• Amy Cluff of Middlebury College
• Marian Miller of Hamilton College
• Katherine M. Symancyk of Hartford High School
• Nicholas Weiss of Union-32 Jr-Sr High School

1999

• Katie Burnell of the College of St. Joseph
• Heather Hawkes of Woodstock Union High School
• Andrew Kish of the University of Pennsylvania
• Michael Stahler of Lyndon Institute

1998

• Sarah Bennett of Boston University
• Abigail Chaloux of Mt. Anthony Union High School
• Michael Logan Florucci of Vergennes Union High School
• Jesse Kimler of Middlebury Union High School
• Thomas Collier Smith of Rutland High School
• Courtney Ann Stewart of Randolph Union High School

1997

• Cara Thomson Costello of Rutland High School
• Jackson T. Evans of Northfield High School
• Kristine Joppe-Mercure of South Burlington High School
• Tedin Nelida Lange of Hanover High School
• Emily Eileen Shanks of Williams College.

1996

• Jill Allen of Essex Junction High School
• Jessica Cook of Randolph Union High School
• Celina Croteau of Lyndon Institute
• James B. Pfadenhauer of Bellows Falls Union High School
• Jodie Rudisill of College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
• Rebecca S. Walton of South Burlington High School

1995

• Molly Kate Baum of Twinfield Union School
• Alison Rebecca Florucci of Vergennes Union High School
• Jenny V. Olson of Bryn Mawr College
• Dara Wax of Wilmington Middle-High School
• Lynnette Whitney of Montpelier High School

1994

• Seth Armitage of North Country Union High School
• Meg Jennette of Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans
• Jessica Jette of Missisquoi Valley Union Hgh School
• Peter Tessier of Lyndon Institute
• Zachary Rowles of Bates College
• Jennifer Ward of Greenwich Central School, Greenwich, New York
• Heather Woodfield of Tisch School of the Arts, New York University

1993

• Sara Buchdahl
• Carmelle Cote
• Justin Courcelle
• Julia Anne Ely
• Robert Plunkett of Mount Anthony Union High School
• Robert Rhoad
• Jessica Walton

1992

• Amy Lynn Dorta of Mt. Mansfield Union High School
• Greg Crowther of Williams College
• Wendy Brewster of Castleton State College
• Erik Fitzpatrick of Vermont Law School
• Christopher Roy of the University of Vermont
• Sam Hooker
• Becky Irwin

1991

• Christine Maloney
• Caryn Voland
• Chrisa Greaney
• Tina Edson
• Wendy Giguere of Montpelier High School

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