From our mailbag: 2013 Horatio Alger Recipient

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"We are pleased to announce to you the 2013 Horatio Alger National and State Scholarship recipients! Just wanted to also share with you that we ask the scholarship recipients to indicate how they heard about the scholarship programs and this year we had one recipient who indicated she heard about the scholarship through the National Foster Parent Association. She is a Delaware Scholar." 

Sincerely, 

Lindsay Paul
Educational Programs Coordinator
Horatio Alger Association

There are a few more scholarships available for students in Idaho, Louisiana, Montana and Tennessee (deadline April 15). Visit the Horatio Alger website for more information.

NFPA Youth Scholarship winners announced

The National Foster Parent Association is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2012 NFPA Youth Scholarship Award.

Cynthia G. -- Colorado
Maile M. -- Connecticut
Carissee P. -- Maryland
Alena K. -- Nebraska
Collette N. -- Massachusetts

The NFPA Youth Scholarship Award is offered to foster youth, adopted youth or biological youth of NFPA members who wish to further their education beyond high school, including college or university studies, vocational/technical school or junior college.

The awards are funded by proceeds from NFPA's conference silent auction. This year's silent auction will fund 2013's awards and is being held June 15-18 in Oak Brook, Illinois.

NFPA partners with University of Phoenix to provide full-tuition scholarships

Through a partnership between the University of Phoenix and the National Foster Parent Association, 15 full-tuition scholarships will be offered to eligible NFPA members. Each scholarship will allow a prospective student the opportunity to complete an undergraduate or master's degree program at the University of Phoenix. Recipients may choose to attend a University of Phoenix on-ground campus or may attend University of Phoenix online.

Applicants must be one of the following:

• A current foster youth (graduated from high school before June 2011);
• An alumnus of foster care; or
• A foster parent who is either currently fostering a child or has fostered a child within the past two years; is and will remain licensed by the foster care system in their state; and will continue to foster children throughout the duration of the degree program. Must be a regular member of NFPA and provide NFPA number. If not a current member, please join NFPA.

The University of Phoenix Scholarship is offered on a competitive basis and membership in NFPA is not a guarantee of receiving the scholarship.  Begin your application here and view other eligibility requirements you will need to meet.

2012 Scholarship Calendar
Open Application -- April 24, 2012
Application Deadline -- June 5, 2012
Selection Committee -- June 12 through July 3, 2012
Recipient Eligibility Check -- July 5-11, 2012
Scholarship Award -- July 12, 2012

If you have any questions, please contact the University of Phoenix directly at: scholarships@phoenix.edu.

Make sure your state or city is represented at the NFPA conference!

Each year the National Foster Parent Association presents scholarships to foster, adoptive and bio youth of our members and the silent auction is our main fundraiser for this endeavor. Please consider donating items, such as a state basket or gift cards, to be auctioned during the conference. If your association would rather donate funds, that would be great as well. NFPA will purchase the items to make a basket or a gift card to represent your state or area.

Need some ideas? If you're from Florida, a basket of Florida-grown oranges or grapefruit would be great. Live in Wisconsin? How about a cheese and sausage basket? We all know Texas makes the best chili so a chili starter kit might be nice. Hmm, maybe we should stop there since all of our ideas are centered around food!

Agencies are welcome to send a basket too. Our goal is to have every state represented during the auction ... please help us make that happen. Proceeds from this auction will go toward the 2013 NFPA Youth Scholarship Fund.

You can send silent auction items and/or donations to the NFPA office at:

National Foster Parent Association
Attn: Silent Auction
2021 East Hennepin Ave., Suite 320
Minneapolis, MN 55413

We must have the items by Friday, June 8 for inclusion in the silent auction. If you'd rather bring the items with you to Oak Brook, we'll accept them then too.

Contact Sarah Schafer at 800.557.5238 or sschafer(at)nfpaonline.org for more information.

Thanks and we can't wait to see you all in June!

Tuition help available for women 35 years of age and older

The Jeannette Rankin Foundation provides opportunities for women ages 35 and older to receive financial assistance in attending college through its Women's Scholarship Fund.

Since 1978, the fund has awarded scholarships to help more than 500 women.

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• A woman, age 35 or older
• A U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
• Enrolled in, or accepted to, a regionally or ACIS accredited school
• Pursuing a technical or vocational education, an associate's degree or a first bachelor's degree
• Low income (guidelines are included on the website)

Deadline for applying is March 1, 2012.

Visit the Jeannette Rankin Foundation's website for more information on other criteria and to download an application.

Scholarship announced for health-related field

NursingHomeAbuse.net just launched a $5,000 scholarship, exclusively for U.S. students pursuing a degree that will help combat nursing home abuse. The scholarship will cover non-tuition related expenses such as rent, childcare, textbooks, utilities and groceries for the 2012-2013 academic year. The application window is January 15 through February 15.

For scholarship details or more general information, visit the website, call 832.499.0470 or email shannon@nursinghomeabuse.net.

International Student Foundation seeking applicants

The International Student Foundation, a nonprofit that provides scholarships, mentoring and leadership training for select foster care and orphaned students, is accepting applications for scholarships to college for the Fall 2012 – Spring 2013 academic year.

If you are a young adult who has either aged-out already, or who will age-out soon and wants to pursue a higher-level education, contact Renee LeClair at renee@isfsite.org.

Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2012.

Call 972.267.8188 or visit the website at www.isfsite.org.