2023 David Baillie Memorial Scholarship ($2,000)

The Ocala Lions Club provides sight, hearing, glaucoma, and diabetes screening by financially supporting eye exams and glasses for the needy, eye surgeries, hearing aids, and so much more. The David Baillie scholarship was established in memory of David Baillie, Jr., a long-time member of the Lions Club and a big supporter of the Southeastern Youth Fair.

Applicants for this scholarship must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in either agriculture, through the study of the biological or physical sciences, or veterinary medicine; at a college or university they choose.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the field of agriculture through involvement in Future Farmers of America, 4H, The Southeastern Youth Fair, or through proven experience such as actual work in agricultural or animal care activities as well as the study of the biological or physical sciences at the high school level.

Some examples of work experience could include, on a family farm, at a veterinarian’s office, volunteering at an animal shelter or for an animal rescue organization.

DWC MC Scholarship 

The scholarship committee will award two $1000 scholarships to deserving MCPS seniors.

This scholarship is intended for MCPS seniors planning to attend a state/community college, trade or vocational school.

In order to complete this application, you will need the following files ready for upload:

• Academic Grade/Test Report Form. The form includes a space to verify total number of volunteer hours. Do not submit without at least 30+ hours. (The form can be downloaded from the main PEFMC scholarship page.)
• 2 Letters of Recommendation. Both letters should be signed, dated and include the person’s name, title and
  contact information. The letter cannot be from a relative:
  • One from a current teacher, guidance counselor, administrator or similar school official that can attest to
    your academic and school achievements.
  • The second should be from a community or organizational leader that can attest to your volunteer involvement.

Students must submit a typed essay of 500 words or less on the following topic:

• Discuss the meaning and importance of making informed choices in your life and where do you see yourself in 5 years.

This scholarship is for 2023 graduating seniors graduating from Forest High School. The scholarship is worth $750. The students will be required to submit at least one letter of recommendation. This scholarship is given in honor of the Forest High Class of ’72.

Ft. McCoy Elementary School is dedicated to their student’s success.  This scholarship is available for students who have attended Ft. McCoy School for the entirety of Kindergarten to fifth grade, or the entirety of sixth through eighth grade.  Ft. McCoy School is proud to give back and offer the opportunity to help in furthering education of their students.

Requirements to apply:

• Attended Ft. McCoy Elementary K-5 or Ft. McCoy Middle School 6-8
• Graduate of Marion County High School
• Completed a minimum of 20 hours of community service done during Junior and Senior years.  (verification of community service will be provided via the Scholarship Grade/Test Report)
• Applicant must be attending a 2 year college, 4 year college or Technical college
• Scholarship money will be paid directly to the institution
• Student must maintain a full time enrollment status with the institution for a full academic year
• Student needs to be willing to attend an in person interview
• Student should complete an essay following the essay guidelines
• Must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher
• A Scholarship Grade/Test Report (can be downloaded on the main Scholarship page)
• 2 letters of recommendation (1 from school personnel and 1 from a community leader)

Fred J. Smiley Scholarship Fund Criteria:

1. Must be an African American Male High School Senior and reside in Marion County

2. Submit a signed grade report- 2.5 GPA or higher

3. Submit three reference letters (2 must be from school personnel)

4. Type a 500 word essay on the following topic ““If you were to look back on your high school years,
what advice would you give to someone beginning their high school career”?

Grace Force / Marion Soil & Water Conservation District
Scholarship Program

The Mission of the Marion SWCD is to protect, conserve and improve the quality of soil and water in Marion County through planning, technical assistance and education.

The vision of the Marion SWCD is to:

• be viewed as a leader in soil and water conservation efforts.
• be a prominent resource in urban and rural areas.
• be a resource for natural resource and conservation related information.
• have a record of measurable and demonstrated results.

In order to be considered for this scholarship, students should complete an essay considering the following topics and criteria. Essays will be uploaded to the scholarship application:

The essay will consist of a cover page which will include the title of the essay and the name and telephone number of the writer, the body of the essay, an appendix of citations relating to any
comments quoted from any source and a bibliography of the reference materials used by the presenter in researching the topic and writing the essay.

The committee would prefer the writer use 12-point Century Gothic or similar font with double spacing between the lines.

After review of applications, the scholarship committee will select students to be interviewed.

This year’s essay theme is “One Water.”

Jim and Joanne Yancey dedicated their lives to help make their community a better place to live and work. Jim was a 7 time letterman at the University of Florida as a member of the football and golf teams. He is inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. Additionally, he was a class A PGA Professional and a certified Greens Superintendent. He was the Head Golf Professional at Ocala Golf Club for over 25 years where he was known for his Junior Golf Programs and for teaching multiple PGA Tour Players.

Joanne was a member of the Garden Club in Ocala for over 40 years. Her passion for beautifying her yard and her community go hand-in-hand. She was devoted to the City of Ocala for over 40 years, serving in multiple capacities including the Building and Zoning Board. Her dedication to high school sports and amateur golf was well-known, particularly for organizing the Henry Camp Invitational Golf Tournament every spring since 1970.

This $500 scholarship is to be awarded to a senior who is seeking an education in Sports Management, Agriculture or is pursuing competitive golf in college. The candidate must be a leader in their school and community.

Joshua Rossignol was an awesome young man who was kind-hearted, hilarious, passionate, generous, and overall just loved life. He was so warm and kind that he made you feel like you had known him forever, even if you had just met him. He could also make anyone laugh, even in the toughest of situations.  Josh was a talented and passionate cook and it had always been his dream to become a chef and open his own restaurant.  He was pursuing his degree in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University when he passed away at the age of 21.  In his honor, his family and friends created the Joshua Rossignol Memorial Scholarship to help others achieve their dreams of becoming a chef. This year a $1500 scholarship will be awarded to a Marion County senior seeking an education in the culinary arts who has demonstrated leadership in their school and community.

Lamar Luffman Sr. was an active member of the Agricultural Community in North Marion County. He was brought up in a family where working hard on the farm was a way of life.  After graduating Anthony High School in 1957 he worked for the local telephone company but continued to stay close to his farming roots.  He worked with the Anthony Elementary PTA and later was elected to the Marion County Council PTA.  His passion for children ultimately led him to a position on the Marion County School board where he served in that capacity for over 16 years.  He was always a champion for the children and his love of Agricultural programs inspired many in Marion County.  The Lamar Luffman Memorial Scholarship was established by his family to celebrate Lamar’s passion & contributions.

Applicants for this scholarship must be attending North Marion High School and pursuing an undergraduate degree in either agriculture, through the study of the biological or physical sciences, or veterinary medicine; at a college or university they choose.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the field of agriculture through involvement in Future Farmers of America, 4H, The Southeastern Youth Fair, or through proven experience such as actual work in agricultural or animal care activities as well as the study of the biological or physical sciences at the high school level.

Marilyn Hughes, a life-long educator began her teaching career in 1963. She taught at schools in Florida and California until 1985 when she joined the staff at Stanton Weirsdale Elementary. There she held positions as a teacher, Elementary Learning Specialist, Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant Principal. She served as Assistant Principal until her passing in 2016.

Mrs. Hughes earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Florida A&M University. In 1983 she received her Master’s Degree in Reading Education from California State University. Her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership comes from Nova Southeastern University.

Marilyn Hughes made a difference in the lives of many after teaching and serving as an educator for over half a century.  The Marilyn Hughes Memorial Scholarship has been established to honor the life of Mrs. Hughes and to continue her legacy of excellence in education.  This annual scholarship for $200 will benefit a high school senior who attended Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary school for at least one complete school year, a school where Mrs. Hughes was an integral part of the faculty for over thirty years.

John McLaughlin spent his life fine-tuning his love and talent for music. Music was John’s passion. John always said, ‘If you do something that you love you never have to work a day in your life,’ and he lived his life to the fullest. John was an incredible musician who entertained people through Florida for more than five decades. Every song was a story and every story was accompanied by a song.

The McLaughlin Musical Scholarship will help continue to spread John’s love and passion for music by awarding a $500 scholarship to a graduating student who plans to Major or Minor in Music.

Niko Malidelis was a senior at North Marion High School, preparing to enter the Fire College after graduation when a tragic automobile accident cut his young life short. His family reached out to their network of friends to help establish the Niko Malidelis Fire College Scholarship. This $300 scholarship will be offered to seniors who will become a fireman and demonstrate economic need and initiative.

Papa John’s has 6 core values:

Focus: keep the main thing the main thing.

Accountability: do what you say you are going to do when you say you’re going to do it.

Superiority: we expect excellence in everything we do, PAPA- people are priority always.

Attitude: if you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.

Constant Improvement: we never stop trying to surpass our previous best.

With that in mind, we are looking for two (2) seniors who wish to further their education, are driven to pursue their dreams, and have the ability to overcome adversity. These are students involved in their school, athletics, and are giving back to the community. Papa John’s believes that people are our greatest assets.

The two (2) $750 Papa John’s scholarships are available to graduating seniors at each of the Marion County Public High Schools.

Suncoast Credit Union Scholarships (2) $2,000

Suncoast Credit Union Foundation is a proud supporter of public education. Since 1990, the Foundation has provided more than 600 scholarships totaling nearly $1 million to students pursuing higher education. Scholarships are available to high school seniors who live in the counties served by Suncoast Credit Union and who demonstrate a need for financial assistance, possess leadership abilities and achieve high academic performance.

This year, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation is partnering with the Public Education Foundation of Marion County to offer (2) $2,000 scholarship awards to high school graduates in the Class of 2023.  Class of 2023 high school graduates in Suncoast Credit Union’s 21-county service territory have the opportunity to apply for financial support to continue their education, thanks to a $116,000 investment in scholarships by the Tampa-based credit union’s Foundation.

Requirements: 

• Must be a high school senior at time of application.
• Must reside in the United States.
• This award is for international and U.S. students.
• Must plan to attend accredited 4-year, 2-year, trade/vocational school in the State of Florida.
• Must demonstrate financial need.
• Must be a resident of one of the following counties in Florida: Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, & Sumter.
• Must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and received the Electronic Student Aid Report (SAR).
• Students who are Directors, employees, or family members of Directors or employees of Suncoast Credit Union, MEMBERS Title Company, MEMBERS Insurance Center, LLC or MEMBERS     Trust Company are not eligible for this Scholarship.

Additional rules and requirements can be found on the Suncoast Credit Union Scholarship Application.

This scholarship was established in honor and memory of Trudy Boone by her family. Trudy was an elementary educator and continued to mentor students long after she retired from teaching. She and her husband were owners of Foxfire realty where she worked as a real estate agent and trainer. This $2000 scholarship is to be awarded to a worthy graduating senior that previously attended 8th Street Elementary or Ward Highlands Elementary. Additional scholarship requirements are included in the scholarship application linked below.

A good teacher is vital to the growth of a student’s education. Yet, the contributions of an educator often go unrecognized.  The Todd Carstenn Influential Educator Scholarship offers the chance for a Marion County Public School senior to highlight an educator (or educators) who have made significant impact on their life.

One MCPS high school senior will be awarded a $500 scholarship for their post-secondary education.

Applicant must:

• Submit a completed application (link below) to the Public Education Foundation of Marion County
• Provide the official, signed, grade/test report. (Downloadable form found on the main scholarship page)
• Provide a copy of the applicant’s Student Aid Report from the FAFSA
• Complete an Essay (See below for essay requirements)

Please write a 500 word essay on the following topic: The Impact of an Influential Educator

• The essay should reference how an influential educator can impact students’ lives.
• The essay should include words of gratitude to a specific influential educator.
• The essay will consist of a cover page, to include:
  • the name and telephone number of the student
  • the name and school location of the influential educator written about in the essay
• The scholarship committee plans to share the essays with the student’s influential educator named in their application.
• The committee prefers the writer use 12-point Century Gothic font, or similar font with double spacing between the lines.

In August 2020, Danielle Hawa Tarigha published her first book, Uplift and Empower: A Guide to Understanding Extreme Poverty and Poverty Alleviation. 

Increasing access to higher education is a core pillar of poverty alleviation work at a community level and aligns with the ideas she shares in the book. To uplift and empower her community, Danielle launched a scholarship fund to support Marion County Public School seniors.

Thanks to the generosity of her support network, the fund will again offer four $500 scholarships to MCPS high school seniors. Two for seniors at Vanguard High School, and two for seniors from other MCPS high schools.

Application Requirements

• Must be a senior in a Marion County Public school at the time of application.
• Must plan to attend an accredited 2-year college, 4-year college, certificate program, or vocational/technical college.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to improving the Ocala community and share examples of active engagement in the community through clubs, sports, volunteering, work, or similar activities.
• Submit a complete application.
• Provide a copy of a resume detailing volunteer experience, extracurricular involvement, and work experience. (If you include an honors and awards section, highlight your honors and awards related to community engagement.)
• Complete two (2) 250 – 500 word essays (see details below). Both essays must be printed, typed, and in 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond font. They will be uploaded to the scholarship application.
• There are no penalties for writing beyond the suggested word count.

Submit two 250-500 word essays on the following topics: 

1.) How do you Uplift and Empower your community?

The first essay is an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their community engagement efforts. Money doesn’t have to be the beginning and end of your engagement with poverty alleviation. Your time, your knowledge, and your skills are valuable too.

Through this essay, demonstrate how you dedicated your time, knowledge and skills to improving your community. Explain why the work you have done is important to you.

Please note: your work experience is as relevant to this question as your volunteering efforts. Focus on communicating how you have been able to contributed positively to your community through clubs, sports, volunteering, work experience or similar activities.

2.)What resources are you using to pay for college?

The second essay is an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their financial need, share any other scholarships they have won or applied for (along with their amounts), and highlight any special circumstances in their financial situation.

Through this essay, share your financial plan for college and clarify why you need financial support.

If you have questions about the scholarship you can reach out to Danielle directly at: upliftandempowerscholarship@gmail.com. 

Walter Wade was a Navy veteran who served our country for 20 years (1973-1993). He loved the Navy and his duty posts included, San Diego, Honolulu, San Francisco, Seattle, Orlando, Long Beach, Commander Sixth Fleet in Italy and Sardinia during the Gulf War, and finally teaching ROTC at the University of Mississippi. He achieved the rank of Quartermaster Senior Chief Petty Officer. He entered the Navy with an Associate in Arts degree from Centralia College, WA, and then took advantage of evening extension classes offered to active military through Columbia College, MO and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Government. When he retired from the Navy, he continued traveling on cruises all over the world because he truly loved being at sea, and he worked as a volunteer at St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, WA for 10 years as a gift shop assistant responsible for receiving and inventory. He moved to Ocala in 2013 and enjoyed the community and the weather immensely. Even though he had no children of his own, he was always an advocate for young people continuing their education beyond high school no matter how many years it took to graduate.

Walter loved cooking, reading, interior design, attending the symphony, dance performances, and visiting museums around the world. The Walter William Wade Memorial scholarship is dedicated to the arts and to our military men and women who have proudly served our country.

Criteria: This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to 1 Marion County high school senior who meets the following criteria:

1. Applicants must be pursuing a Bachelors Degree in any of the following specialties:

• MUSIC
• DANCE
• ART
• THEATRE
• MUSEUM STUDIES
• CULINARY
• INTERIOR DESIGN

2. At least one parent OR grandparent who has served a minimum of four years active duty in any of the U.S. military branches.
Applicants are required to submit a 300 word essay, three letters of recommendation from teachers and a DD Form 214 certifying their parent’s or grandparents military discharge.

A committee of North Marion High School Alumni has established a scholarship fund to benefit 12th grade students from North Marion High School as they graduate high school and continue their education at a college, university or vocation/technical school. Scholarship winners will be determined based on their academic performance, school and community activities, character and the need for assistance.

North Marion High holds an awards night each year where deserving graduates are awarded scholarships from families and groups. After last year’s awards, a group of North Marion alumni got together to discuss the establishment of an endowment scholarship to be known as the Winners Circle Scholarship.  The idea led to the formation of a committee of North Marion alumni to organize efforts in generating revenue to establish an endowment scholarship fund which will benefit graduates of North Marion High School as they continue their education at accredited college, university or vocational/technical school. The idea is to deposit contributions into the endowment account that will generate maximum interest income each year. The annual income will be used to award scholarship money each year.

The endowment fund has been established with legal counsel, professional financial advice and annual audit all provided through the Public Education Foundation of Marion County. Contributions are tax deductible and receive a tax substantiation letter.

This first year has seen great support from alumni and friends of North Marion, including many past faculty members. Due to the number of Winners Circle members, contributors to the Winners Circle Scholarship Fund, the first scholarship was awarded to a member of the Class of 2020.  This first scholarship was for $1000.00. The goal of the committee is to increase the amount and number of scholarships each year. As you consider making a contribution to the Winners Circle Scholarship Fund, remember that your generous contribution will earn interest year after year, thus providing scholarship money for years in the future. Annual contributions are welcome. Contributions in memory of someone in the North Marion family are welcome. Corporate sponsors supporting future North Marion graduates are welcome.

The committee has set a goal to reach $30,000.00 this year which will in turn award the $1000.00 scholarship using interest money earned. Next year, the goal is to double the Winners Circle Endowment Fund.  The fund will continue to grow as graduating class members will make future contributions and join the Winners Circle.

Contributions to the Winners Circle Scholarship Fund should be sent via check made payable to: Public Education Foundation of Marion County, 1239 NW 4^th Street Ocala, FL 34475 – Please note in the memo line – Winners Circle Scholarship

To make online contributions online, go to the donate page and select Winners Circle in the menu of options.

The Committee Members:

George Keep—Class of 1958—Liaison with Educational Foundation.

Jim Stroup————Class of 1959            Sonja (Mullins) Christmas–Class of 1987

Ronnie Simmons—-Class of 1972              Melissa (Desaint) Kinard—-Class of 1991

Dan Davis ————Class of 1973             Dale Hall———-Class of 1998

Laura Johnson——-Class of 1980             Matt Johnson—-Class of 1998

Penny(Johnson)Howard—Class of 1981   Tim Yarn———-Class of 1999

Kimberly Calvin——-Class of 1983            Lacey(Howard) McGovern–Class of 2004

Gay (Hurst) Street—-Class of 1983           Jamie Gilmore—Class of—-Class of 2012

Jackeria Beard—Class of  2019

The Teacher To Be Scholarship program was established thanks to the generosity of the late Mack Dunwoody, a local champion for public education and advocate for supporting district employees on their path to becoming Marion County Public Schools teachers. The Teacher To Be Scholarship application will be open for the 2022 school year starting August 30th and has been extended to October 7th, 2022. (please disregard the September deadline noted in the original flyer)

Please complete your application online HERE

Take Stock in Children Scholarship Applications are now available.

The selections process continues into the spring, and all students will be notified by staff or letter by March 2023 as to their application status.  It is a competitive process, and students are selected by committees comprised of educators, civic leaders, and business sponsors from their own communities.

Selections Process: We select Marion County Public School students during their 8th grade year.  Students must be eligible for free or reduced lunch.

• To be eligible to apply, the student/family MUST meet the following criteria:
  • 2.5 unweighted Grade Point Average (C+ average or above in all classes)
  • Families MUST meet the free/reduced lunch income eligibility guidelines
    • To check your eligibility for the 2022-2023 school year, please review the TSIC Eligibilty Flyer.
    • Families must provide income tax documentation. If income taxes cannot be provided, please refer to the eligibility flyer for more information.
• If the student & their family meet the eligibility requirements, please note the following:
  • October 14th, 2022  – TSIC Scholarship Applications are available
  • Completed TSIC Scholarship Applications are DUE to your school’s TSIC Coordinator in November on the date assigned by your school.
• • Applications must be completed and submitted to your school’s guidance office to the Take Stock point of contact, with attached proof of income (copy of 2021 income taxes or other approved proof of financial qualification)
  • If the family did not file income taxes for 2021, please refer to the eligibility flyer, the instructions in the application or email Diana.Scroggie@marion.k12.fl.us to discuss the circumstances.
  • If your family chooses to download the fillable PDF application from our website, it must be returned to your school’s TSIC coordinator in guidance, NOT the Public Education Foundation.

IF YOUR STUDENT APPLIED FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED THROUGH THEIR SCHOOL BY MARCH 31ST IF THEY ARE CHOSEN FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP OR NOT.

*Eligibility does not guarantee a student will be accepted. A limited number of students are accepted.

Upon selection, scholars and their parents/guardians sign a contract agreeing to stay in school, maintain good grades, exhibit good behavior, remain crime-and drug-free, meet with their mentors once a week and attend Take Stock workshops and events. Students are held accountable; if they violate their contracts, they will lose their scholarships.

College & Vocational Scholarships Provide Hope for a Better Future
All scholars who successfully complete the program requirements receive a two year Florida Public College tuition scholarship through the Florida Prepaid Foundation’s Project STARS program after graduating from high school.

Take Stock in Children Provides a Road to Success
Take Stock in Children makes a multi-year commitment to children, providing an inclusive array of services from the time they enter the program through their graduation from college or vocational school.

College Success Coach & Case Manager
Each scholar in the program is assigned a College Success Coach who meets with the student and monitors his/her academic success.  The Success Coaches also work closely with mentors and school personnel to ensure that each child achieves success.

Parental Involvement Increases the Chances of Success
Parents are responsible for supporting and encouraging their child’s academic success by 1) developing positive relationships with teachers, mentors, school administrators, and Take Stock in Children staff, and 2) playing active roles in the educational, cultural, and school-based activities of their child.