WiRSA Senior Scholarship Details

In recognition of the tremendous efforts put forth by Wisconsin’s rural schools to provide their students with quality education in an ever-changing environment, it is with pleasure that the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WiRSA) offers an annual scholarship program.

To qualify, participating schools must be current paid members of WiRSA.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to one graduating high school senior from each of the four membership regions of Wisconsin as specified in the organization’s bylaws. An additional at-Large scholarship will be given to the next highest-scoring applicant. Each recipient will receive a one-time cash scholarship of $750 to be used by the student to help defray the costs of post-secondary education and related expenses. A written essay is required for the application that expands on the following information:

• What are the benefits of attending a rural school

• What are your college and career goals

• What is the value of growing up in a rural community and what personal values you have gained from your experience

WiRSA Scholarship Guidelines:

• To qualify, participating schools must be current paid members of WiRSA.

• The scholarship will be awarded annually to one graduating high school senior from each of the four membership regions of Wisconsin as specified in the organization’s bylaws. An additional at-Large scholarship will be given to the next highest-scoring applicant.

• There will be no discrimination made as to this scholarship based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, either by WiRSA or participating member schools.

• Each recipient will receive a one-time cash scholarship of $750 to be used by the student to help defray the costs of post-secondary education and related expenses.

• The funds will be distributed directly to the recipient upon submittal of a first-semester transcript and second-semester class schedule.

• Each school is responsible for distributing to its students information pertaining to the scholarship application, rules, and guidelines.

• Each school must screen and evaluate its own applicants, based upon criteria set forth on the WiRSA Scholarship Application Form, and then choose a single semi-finalist to be sent to WiRSA through a Google Form for consideration (each school may submit only one entry for consideration).

• Final school candidates must complete the Google form on our WiRSA website to no later than Feb. 20 of each year in order to be considered.

• WiRSA will appoint a scholarship committee consisting of members of its board of directors to determine the winners of the scholarship and one alternate for each region.

• If a student from a WiRSA board member’s school district is a semi-finalist for the scholarship, that board member will be excluded from any and all aspects of the judging process.

• The superintendents of the school districts attended by each of the regional winners will be notified in writing of the award being made to their students.

• The scholarship will be announced by April 15 of each year.

• Whenever possible, a representative from WiRSA will attend the school awards ceremony to award the scholarship to the winner in each region.

• All applications and essays shall be submitted to the executive director of WiRSA through the Google Form on the WiRSA website.