Salem Scholarship Application Now Available

The City of Salem’s Scholarship and Education Committee has released the scholarship application form for students graduating from Salem High School, Salem Academy Charter School, or other high schools, and entering college or university in the fall. The one-page application form is available now at http://www.salem.com/scholarship. Application packets are due back to the committee by May 15.

In June of 1987, Salem Mayor Tony Salvo and Superintendent of Schools Hank O'Donnell advanced a proposal to adopt Chapter 194 of the Acts of 1986, a measure that enabled cities and towns to set up a scholarship account for graduating seniors, funded through voluntary donations made by local residents on their tax bills. The City of Salem's Scholarship and Education Committee oversees both the Scholarship Fund, to provide educational financial aid to deserving city residents and the Education Fund, to provide supplemental educational funding for local educational needs or to provide funding for existing adult literacy programs.

The committee is comprised of residents appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, as well as a designee of the Superintendent. Its members monitor the funds' balances, engage in efforts to increase donations to the funds, and evaluate applications for awards from the funds. Since 2003 the committee has awarded over $80,000 in scholarships to Salem students graduating from Salem High School, Salem Academy Charter School, and other schools. Scholarship amounts vary from year to year, based on the number of applications.

Click here to listen to an audio version of this announcement.