For over 30 years, the Seidler foundation has been providing scholarships to 11th grade students at Jefferson. This year, they expanded to Kennedy, Jefferson and Washington for a new 12th grade scholarship.
The Seidler foundation was founded by the Seidler family, most prominently by Mrs. Evelyn Seidler, a teacher at Jefferson High School in the 1970’s.
The scholarship includes $5,500 a year for the first two years a student attends Kirkwood and $11,000 if the awardee continues on to a college or university. Students also receive a laptop as part of the scholarship.
“What sets Seidler apart is that they also have a College Navigator position and Student Ambassador position at Kirkwood,” Kennedy Scholarship coordinator Tony Nicol said. “It helps Seidler Scholars connect with all of the tremendous support that Kirkwood offers.”
This year, 65 students in the district were awarded the 12th grade scholarship, and 39 students were awarded the 11th grade scholarship. For the first time ever, 22 Kennedy students were included in that group. That’s over $200,000 in scholarship money over four years if every student continues on after Kirkwood.
“I chose Kirkwood because of its affordability, proximity to my home, and the degrees provided about a year before I heard about the scholarship program,” Senior awardee Sam Sanders-Licher said.
Sanders-Licher applied for other scholarships, but appreciated the entire Seidler application process.
“The process for applying was relatively straightforward and organized… you had to put in information regarding volunteer and work experience, your financial aid status, write two essays, and with the counseling provided by the Seidler foundation, anyone who fits the criteria could apply.”Students wanting to apply for the scholarship or find out more information can visit the Seidler Foundation online at https://seidlerfoundation.org.
