06/16/2006

St. Francis students find help for college

BY CHRISTINE FINGER

cfinger@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Amy Kendziorski and her fellow St. Francis High School graduates will head off to college with more than just a diploma.

The class of 2006, with just 65 students, garnered $2.8 million in college scholarship awards and offers from local and national sources.

Kendziorski, 18, will attend St. Mary's College at Notre Dame. She'll receive $22,000 in scholarships over four years from the college and $3,000 in other awards — money that will supplement earnings in a work study program.

"Every little bit I get helps a ton," she said.

Beth Maday, who is in her first year as guidance counselor at St. Francis, called the financial awards tally impressive. The school didn't track award totals for each graduating class in previous years, but this year she decided to add it up.

"We've always had strong scholarships," she said, citing St. Francis students' consistently high test scores. "Our students were very motivated."

Maday encourages students to start seeking scholarships at the beginning of their senior year, and sends home weekly lists of scholarship opportunities and their application deadlines. She said applying for a broad range of awards paid off.

for several students who received nationwide scholarships from companies like Best Buy and Target.

"They also do a lot on their own," she said. "There's a lot of work on the students' part. In the long run, it's very rewarding."

Many applications require students to submit essays, and some involve interviews — both skills that graduates will need in the future, Maday said.

Kendziorski, whose awards include a $1,000 scholarship from Best Buy, plans to major in social work or sociology. She found and submitted many applications online at FastWeb.com, where students can search for scholarships that match their interests and qualifications.

"It really paid off," she said.