Arlington Rotary to provide $65,000 in scholarships

Applications are due March 1 for Arlington Rotary’s scholarships which are planned to total $65,000 this year.

Those who want to apply can do so at rotaryclubofarlington.com.

Scholarships are given to students in the Darrington, Lakewood and Arlington school districts.

Scholarship amounts range between $5,000 and $10,000 and they will be awarded at a scholarship dinner on April 9.

This is the second year in a row that the club has provided increased scholarships for the community.

Last year the club gave away $50,000 in scholarships and this year they will give $65,000, according to Narda Schulz, an Arlington Rotary member and part of the committee that awards the scholarships.

“Our goal is to continue to increase that amount,” said A.J. Chippendale, public relations director for the Arlington Rotary Club.

Before last year the Rotary club gave away about $15,000 each year, however the club decided to devote more of the Duck Dash funds to local scholarships.

Increasing local sponsorships from businesses has boosted the amount that the organization is able to give back.

“We’re pretty excited, especially with the partnerships that helped us sponsor the DuckDash,” said Chippendale.

The recent increase has helped the Rotary club give support to more students as they continue their education.

“I’ve been on the scholarship committee for about six years now,” said Schulz, who said that they typically handed out a limited amount of $2,500 scholarships.

Now the club has been able to give more scholarships for higher amounts.

“It felt really good to support a lot more students last year,” said Schulz.

The scholarships are given out by a committee of three Rotary members and four non-members.

“We look at all pieces of the puzzle. Academic performance, volunteerism - that’s what Rotary is about after all - personal struggles and financial need,” said Schulz.

“Then we narrow those candidates down to who we want to interview,” she said.

Last year they didn’t hold the interview because of the amount of candidates considered, but Schulz said they have a handle on the process now.

Chippendale said that the club wants to promote all kinds of education.

“The student doesn’t have to be going to college, they could be going to trade schools” she said.

She also said the club supports local kids because they are the future.

“It’s an area we want to focus on and encourage students to take those next steps after high school,” she said.

“We love seeing the students … it’s an area we want to focus on and encourage students to take those next steps after high school,” she said.