$737,000 awarded to graduates since 1998
The Foundation awards more than $100,000 in scholarships annually. Bennington seniors planning to attend both two-year and four-year colleges, OR enter the workforce or military are eligible to apply.
Application Information:
The Foundation utilizes a customized scholarship software platform, for students to apply for over 30 Foundation AND Community funded scholarships. The application is done completely online, which eliminates redundant tasks and paper applications. Our system is easy and user-friendly!
The online scholarship application portal will be available December 1st- February 1st. The deadline to submit online applications is 5pm on February 1st.
Student must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours OR demonstrate plan to enter the workforce directly following graduation to be eligible to receive scholarship funds.
Acceptance Process:
Scholarship recipients will be notified early April and invited to be recognized at the Foundation’s Annual Awards Ceremony held in April where they will receive their scholarship certificate(s).
Scholarship recipients must submit their fall class schedule, student ID and other identification info to the Foundation via online form that will be sent to you and linked below following the Awards Ceremony. Once verified, scholarship checks are sent directly to your post-secondary education institution in early August.
If a scholarship recipient does not claim his/her scholarship on or before January 1st of the following year, the scholarship is deemed forfeited.
Questions? Contact Scholarship Program Coordinator Megan Detjens at mdetjens@bennps.org.
Foundation Merit Scholarships
Foundation Merit Scholarships will be awarded to students who excel academically (by earning the criteria listed below): Students must submit a completed application to be eligible for a merit scholarship. Students are only eligible for one merit scholarship.
ACT/GPA Merits:
- ACT/GPA Platinum - $1,750 scholarships to applicants who earned a 28+ ACT & 3.9+ GPA.
- ACT/GPA Gold - $1,400 scholarships to applicants who earned a 27+ ACT & 3.8+ GPA.
- ACT/GPA Silver - $1,.250 scholarships to applicants who earned a 25+ ACT & 3.6+ GPA.
GPA Merits:
- GPA Platinum- $750 scholarships to applicants who earned a 3.5+ GPA
- GPA Gold - $500 scholarships to applicants who earned a 3.3-3.5 GPA
- GPA Silver - $250 scholarships to applicants who earned a 3.0-3.3 GPA
Foundation Supplemental Scholarships
The following Foundation scholarships are available for applicants with no GPA or ACT requirements. Students must submit an application to be eligible.
Workforce Scholarship: Up to four $500 scholarships awarded to students going directly into the workforce or military.
Foundation Career: Up to four $1,000 scholarships awarded to students attending a technical, two-year, or vocational post-secondary institution who exhibit good character and strong work ethic. No GPA or ACT requirement.
Lee & Kathy Bunz Endowed Scholarship: One $1,500 scholarship awarded to a high school senior student who exhibits strong character, while excelling in academics and activities that have a positive impact on the community. No GPA or ACT requirement.
ASK Employee Scholarships:
$500 scholarship to graduating seniors who have been employed by the All Star Kids Program for at least one school year and meet other criteria outlined in the employee handbook.
$750 scholarship to an employee who has been employed for two years and meets criteria outlined in the scholarship rubric.
2024 Foundation Scholarship Recipients:
Merit Platinum: Caden Anderson, Sydney Bird, Spencer Byars, Elijah College, Carter Diamond, Maxwell Elwood, Owen Ferdig, Logan Frost, Peyton Guenthner, Alexa Hall, Trevor Kuller, Kate Langford, Easton Lapel ,Linnea Larson, Claire Leight, Kyle Lueders, Madison Nocita, Rylee Reimer, Ethan Roth, Mary Simon, Beau Weddington, Avery Wells
Merit Gold: Teagan Abbott, Alli Bohn, Ryan Burton, Liam Coddington, Dylan Crnic, Layla Cromwell, Brie Ford, Maddie Hanson, Justine Huse, Scarlett Krecklow, Emily LaSure, Lanie McGavran, Mallory Minturn, Addison Thornburg, Madlyn Townsend
Merit Silver: Cailyn Brecht, Kesin Chipperfield, Ashley Dierks, Bayler Holdorf, McKenna Knapp, Blake Merchant, Peyton Sanmann, Ava Schultz, Addison Ziska
Merit Bronze: Kennedy Anderson, Kailee Bailey, Sam Crawford, Josie Eckleberry, Audrey Fuller, Carleigh Herman, Emma Houser, Gunnar Lym, Britt Mcllnay, James Miller, Sam Nickel, Jake Oliver, Mackenzie Spencer, Madelyn Uhlir, Evan Utech, Logan Vanecek, Tyler Wise, Landon Young
Merit GPA: Palwasha Amin, Quinton Archer, Isabelle Comfort, Carmella Cooper, Kate Deaver, Bryce Dunning, OliverEngelke, Jayden Fisher, Reese Frauendorfer, Rashid Hamid, Lauren Hoelscher, Isabella Hughes, Ava Keysor, Abbie Laible, Makenna Lichty, Imrane Mahamane Kosso, Aric Maroney, Taylor McFalls, Ava Schmaderer, Sophie Volk, Katelyn Wageman, Blaine Welch
Career: Tristen Buhrman, Jaxon Dumont, Braxton Peacher, Elayna Urbanec, Nolan Walsh, Alyvia Weisbrodt
Bunz Family Endowed $1,500 Scholarship: Ethan Roth
All Star Kids Employees: Ryan Taylor, Addison Thornburg, Ryley Juergensen, Melissa Lincoln, Blake Merchant, Avery Wells
2023 Local Organization Scholarship Recipients:
- Bennington American Legion Auxiliary: Lauren McGavran, Cini Stier, Braydon Sass
- Bennington Athletic League: Bayler Holdorf, Quinton Archer
- Bennington Basketball Association: Easton Lapel, Amelia Wempen
- Bennington Chamber of Commerce: Ethan Roth, Claire Leight
- Bennington Community Foundation: Carter Behnken
- Bennington Education Association: Addison Thornburg, Madlyn Townsend, Katelyn Wageman
- Bennington Elementary PTO: Mackenna Knapp, Quinton Archer, Avery Wells, Nolan Walsh, Kayna Kloke
- Bennington Jaycees: Braxton Peacher, Isabelle Comfort, Mallorie Knutson
- Bennington Art Club Liberal Arts: Nolan McCormick
- Bennington Lions Club: Layla Cromwell, Sophie Volk, Madison Whitmire, Brie Ford, Justine Huse
- Bennington Soccer Club: Teagan Abbott, Mallory Minturn
- Bennington Wrestling Club: Braxton Peacher, Logan Vanecek
- Bennington Youth Football: Quinton Archer, Evan Utech
- BHS Athletic Booster Club: Claire Leight, Bayler Holdorf, Carter Diamond, Kate Langford
- BHS Athletic Booster Club Heart of a Champion: Riley Kemmerer
- BHS Music Boosters: Alexa Hall, Maxwell Elwood, Kesin Chipperfield, Nolan McCormick
- Douglas County Farm Bureau: Carter Behnken
- GEARS: Tristen Buhrman
- Gene Baldwin Memorial: Gunnar Lym
- Heritage Elementary PTO: Kyle Lueders, Trevor Kuller,Carter Behnken, Justine Huse
- Jeff Glover Memorial:Reese Fraundorfer
- Pine Creek PTO: Elijah College, Alexa Hall
- Red Cross Blood Drive Scholarship: Scarlett Krecklow
- Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Post 266: Nolan Walsh, Carter Behnken Tristen Buhrman, Chase Koltes, Roman Gaston, Evan Utech
- TeamMates of Bennington: Hadley Kaczmarek
- West O Chamber: Kaari Dawson
To establish a scholarship or make a contribution to the Scholarship Program please contact us or click here to make a donation.