2008 INSTRUCTIONS
Scholarship awards are given annually to graduating high school seniors by the Lightsey family and past scholarship recipients. We are not a company or an organization. We are just people who live and grew up in the East End and are able to help others get started with their first year of college education.
Since 1984, we have awarded scholarships to students from Austin High School, Milby High School and Cesar Chavez High School in Houston, Texas. To accomodate charter schools, in 2008, we extended the eligibility to students in the Austin, Milby, and Chavez areas of Houston. Our recipients have careers as varied as court reporters, mechanics, teachers, software designers, counselors and lawyers. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for needy students, not strictly the academically superior students, to attend college. We regret that if you have received a scholarship of $4,000.00 or more, we will not be able to consider you.
A grade point average of at least 2.5 is required. The scholarship is for the first year of college. The Lightsey family and the scholarship committee expect the recipients to be an integral part of the scholarship program by staying in touch throughout their college career and beyond.
Applications are to be postmarked no later than last Monday of April (April 28, 2008). If your application is postmarked after that date, we will not be able to consider you. YOU are responsible for mailing your application on time.
Interviews are scheduled to take place at RIPLEY HOUSE, 4410 Navigation on the third Saturday in May (May 17, 2008). You must be available for an interview on this date to be considered for a scholarship.
Attach to your completed application the following items:
* Transcript: An official and complete grade transcript of all years of high school indicating your GPA. * Essay: A letter from you stating why you are applying for this scholarship. Provide any information you think might be helpful to the Scholarship Committee in understanding you, your goals and your needs. This letter should be at least a page in length but no longer than two pages.
* Letter of Recommendation: A letter of recommendation from one of your senior year teachers.
* Photo: A recent photograph of yourself.
We hope the following check-list will assist you:
1. Study the entire Application before you begin writing.
2. Your application must be complete. Consideration will not be given to applications with omissions. If you don't know the answer to a question on the application, say you don't know.
3. You must have a legible, active e-mail account. You will be notified via e-mail about your application.
4. Your letters of recommendation and your essay are very important. The awards committee needs to understand your ambitions.
5. Mail your completed application to:
Lightsey Family Scholarship Committee
520 Academy
Austin, TX 78704
Applications must be postmarked by the last Monday in April (April 28, 2008)