Townships offer scholarship program

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The Minnesota Association of Townships is again offering a township scholarship program for high school juniors in Minnesota.

Up to six $1,000 scholarships will be awarded. This includes two additional $1,000 scholarships donated in 2008 by Berkley Risk Administrators.

The Minnesota Association of Townships is a non-profit corporation representing Minnesota townships while promoting an understanding of the heritage, future and being a voice for its roughly 9,000 officers.

It regularly conducts research and educational programs designed to foster efficient and economical town governmental services and acts as a liaison between township officers and other local government officials to encourage sustained cooperation.

The Minnesota Association of Townships Scholarship Program is designed to heighten awareness among young people about Minnesota’s grassroots township government.

The program encourages every high school in the state to offer this opportunity for juniors to participate in this scholarship program.

Eligibility

All students currently enrolled in the 11th grade and attending a Minnesota public, private, or parochial high school or a home study program and who plan to further their education at a college, university, or vocational school are eligible for this program.

They cannot be the child, stepchild, grandchild or step-grandchild, brother, stepbrother, sister or stepsister of a MAT director or staff member.

Requirements

Applicants must complete an application form and submit it along with a written essay discussing this year’s topic, which is: What is the one issue that is always voted on at every annual township meeting in Minnesota; and why does this issue make townships distinctly different than any other units of local government?

Essays must be between 450 and 500 words, and must be typed with double spacing.

Applicants should not name themselves, their school, their town or city, or their local officials in the essay.

See the application for research tips.

Along with the completed application and written essay, students must submit:

•Current high school transcript.

•Letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or counselor.

All items must be submitted in one envelope and mailed to: Minnesota Association of Townships Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 267, St. Michael, MN 55376, postmarked by May 1, 2009.

Selection

Each essay will be judged by an independent panel based upon originality, knowledge of subject matter in relationship to the title, and supporting statements, as well as correct spelling and punctuation.

The judging will be completed by October 1, 2009 at which time up to six $1,000 scholarships will be awarded.

Winners will be notified in writing in mid-October 2009 and will be invited to attend the Minnesota Association of Townships annual meeting to be held on November 19-21, 2009 in Rochester.

Scholarship awards will be paid to the appropriate financial aid office upon receipt of verification of enrollment at a college, university, or technical school.

The Minnesota Association of Townships is a non-profit corporation representing Minnesota townships.

Tags: minnesota, association, of, townships, scholarship, program