Scholarship Information
Scholarship Application.
(The application is in PDF format and is best viewed using the Free Adobe Reader.)
Southwest Trail Riders Association (SWTRA) is proud to award $1,000 scholarships to eligible students who are residents of the Houston area of Harris and surrounding counties. This is a unique opportunity to emphasize what the SWTRA is all about. It is also a way of giving back to the communities that supports us. Additionally, this scholarship allows us the opportunity to live up to our goal of “Supporting Youth and Education”.
Harris County- Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Channelview ISD, Crosby ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, Goose Creek ISD, Houston ISD, Huffman ISD, Humble ISD, Katy ISD, Klein ISD, La Porte ISD, North Forest ISD, Pasadena ISD, Sheldon ISD, Spring ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and Tomball ISD; Brazoria County- Alvin ISD, Angleton ISD, Brazosport ISD, Columbia-Brazoria ISD, Danbury ISD, Pearland ISD, and Sweeny; Chambers County –Anahuac ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, and East Chambers; Fort Bend County- Ford Bend ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, Needville and Stafford ISD; Galveston County- Clear Creek ISD, Dickinson ISD, Friendswood ISD, Galveston ISD, Highland ISD, Hitchcock ISD, La Marque ISD, Santa Fe ISD, and Texas City; Liberty County- Cleveland ISD, Dayton ISD, Hardin ISD, Hull-Daisetta ISD, Liberty and Tarkington ISD; Montgomery County- Conroe ISD, Magnolia ISD, Montgomery ISD, New Caney ISD, Splendora ISD, and Willis ISD; and Waller County- Hempstead ISD, Royal and Waller ISD.APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applications may be obtained from the members of SWTRA, online at our website, www.southwesttrailridersassoc.org or from area high schools upon request.
Applications should be printed or typewritten, be completed in full and be accompanied by the required documentation. Three letters of recommendations must accompany the application. The name and social security number of the applicant must appear on each letter. These letters should be written by responsible members of the community (i.e. teachers, ministers, mentors, high school counselors or principal.). The applicant should seek to acquire at-least one letter from each category. Each application must also be accompanied by an essay of not less than 250 words expressing how the applicant plan to use the scholarship proceeds, a statement of the applicant’s career goals and how the community would benefit from the applicant acquiring a college education. The applicant must demonstrate financial need by providing acceptable proof of income on the application and attaching the most recent copy of his/her IRS tax return and the tax returns of their parents or legal guardians. Completed applications MUST be mailed to: Southwest Trail Riders Association, Scholarship Program, P.O Box 301069, Houston, Texas, 77230-1069. Applications must be postmarked on or before May 1, 2010. Applications received after the May 1 st deadline will not be considered.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply for this scholarship, an applicant must meet the criteria of citizenship, residence, academic standing, recommendation form his/her high school counselor and other community leaders, demonstration of leadership, character and financial need.
Citizenship: Applicant must be a citizen of the United States or born in the United States and be a resident of the State of Texas or residence of one of the eligible counties. If place of birth is other than the United States, appropriate proof of citizenship must be furnished with the application.
Residency: The applicant must be a graduating senior or have been a qualified mid-term graduate of one of the accredited high schools and reside in one of the eligible counties.
Academic Standing: The applicant must have earned a grade point average of 2.4 on a 4-point scale at the completion of his/her first semester of the senior year or at the time of the applicant’s mid-term graduation. This GPA is to be verified as part of the official transcript or by an accompanying certification from the appropriate school official.
Graduation: The applicant must graduate at the end of the summer semester immediately following the awarding of the scholarship or have been a mid-term graduate at the conclusion of the semester immediately preceding the awarding of the scholarship.
College Entrance Examination: No application will be accepted without SAT or ACT and TAKS scores. The applicant must have taken either examination as well as TAKS and furnish proof of test scores. These scores must be indicated on the application and verified either on the applicant’s transcript or with a separate record of the scores attached to the application. The information should reflect the date the test was taken.
Collegiate Acceptance/Enrollment: The applicant must enroll in the first fall term following the awarding of the scholarship. If the applicant fails to enroll, the scholarship may be forfeited. If available at the time of submitting the application, a copy of the acceptance letter from the college should be attached. Applicant must indicate choice of major and career planned.
Activities: Leadership potential and character of the applicant should be demonstrated through an applicant’s responses to the categories on the application detailing school, extracurricular and community activities and achievements. Personal references should provide additional information as well.
Essay: Each applicant must provide a typed written essay of not less than 250 words doubled spaced. In this essay, the applicant should provide any information, which he/she feels is pertinent to the applicant receiving proper consideration. Applicant’s name address and high school must be typed on the heading to the essay in the upper right hand corner of page one.
References: Reference letters may be typed or handwritten, however, must be legible. Each letter must include the name, address and daytime phone number of the person providing the reference. The reference letters must be attached to the application.
NOTIFICATION OF RECIPIENTS
Recipients of the scholarship will be notified individually by SWTRA. Letters will be mailed to the recipient with copies forwarded to the school Principal and counselor.Notification of awards will be made prior to the end of the spring semester in which the scholarship is to be awarded. The scholarship will be awarded at the school’s graduation or award ceremony. Recipient will be encouraged to attend the event.
PAYMENT OF AWARD
It is the responsibility of each scholarship recipient to notify the SWTRA by August 16, 2010 of the name and address of the college/university, which the recipient will be attending in the fall semester. Payment of the scholarship will be made to the college/university in the name of the recipient. One half of the scholarship will be payable for the fall semester with the remaining balance for the spring semesters. Student’s not attending either semester must contact a SWTRA representative.
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Scholarship Application.
(The application is in PDF format and is best viewed using the Free Adobe Reader.)