Rockwell Elementary touts unique scholarship
Rockwell Elementary School’s primary function is to educate elementary age students, but it also has a program to help college students.
The school started to raise money for a college scholarship program in 1997. It was decided that students who completed fifth grade at Rockwell Elementary would be eligible to apply. Awarding the scholarship had to wait until 2005 until students who had attended the fifth grade reached college age, Principal Robert Owen said.
“I think that it is important for the students here to see the importance we put on education,” Owen said.
There have been three recipients, and a fourth scholarship will be given out in 2008. The first recipient was Laura Smith of Daphne, the second was Bragg Etheridge of Fairhope and Megan McCloskey of Daphne was the third scholarship recipient.
A committee is appointed each year that reviews the student applications and ranks them by points, and then the number of points are totaled. The student with the highest point level receives a $1,000 scholarship to any community college or four year college of their choice. Owen said students are scored on academic achievement, community service, school involvement, financial need, a teacher recommendation, and a recommendation from a noneducator is required.
The requirement for completion of fifth grade at Rockwell Elementary was chosen because the fifth graders helped raise money for the fund, Owen said.
“By having the students help raise money, it increased their awareness of higher education and helps them set their goals toward their future,” Owen said. “With college costs skyrocketing we want to help our own students afford to go to college one day.”
Owen said they focus not just on academics, but also on financial need. He stated that some students with high grade point averages get financial assistant, but that some really good students may not get any kind of financial assistance.
“We do a collection every year where we write to parents to send in change or anything they can donate for one week,” he said.
Rather than having teachers buy the principal a Christmas present, the teachers donate to the program, Cheryl Smith said. Smith is the mother of Laura Smith, the first scholarship recipient.
Owen also contributes profits from his own Christmas piano CD.
“This helps our students down the road. Instead of traditional Christmas gifts it comes back to benefit the students,” Smith said.
The PTA also helps with fund raising by having a “coin crazy” week to collect change from the students.
Smith is also a first grade teacher at Rockwell Elementary.
“I was surprised because there were several deserving candidates,” Smith said. “Laura did a lot of community service type activities, and I felt she was a well rounded recipient as were several others deserving of the honor.” She said her daughter was on the high school dance team and was a Girls’ Service Club member, a Dogwood Trail maid and a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club.
Laura, 18, and a junior at Troy University, is now majoring in elementary education and planning on getting her Master’s degree.
College school books were purchased with the money her daughter was awarded, Smith said, but the check goes directly to the college of your choice. Smith said she would encourage all students regardless of academic status to apply.
“They need to realize that everyone has an opportunity and are encouraged to apply,” since there are a lot of college fees, and any amount helps,she said.
She said that teachers at the elementary school enjoy helping their students.
“It’s why we are here and they (students) are the ones we should help,” she said. “I would encourage other elementary schools to do the same thing.”
To date, the scholarship program has brought in donations more than $1,000 a year. As a result, the school is considering either upping the amount awarded or handing out two scholarships.
Applications are given to the guidance counselors at Spanish Fort High School and Daphne. Applicants from other high schools who completed fifth grade at Rockwell Elementary have also participated.
The school often reminds students not to forget about the scholarship as they grow older.
