Local students receive scholarships

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

BENTON COUNTY - Gravette, Gentry and Decatur students were among more than 30,000 Arkansas students that received Arkansas Academic Scholarships this fall from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, according to a release from the Department.

Benton County students received 873 of the scholarships, ranking the county second in the state behind Pulaski County where 1,575 students received stipends. Washington County was third with 762, Sebastian with 645 was fourth and Faulkner ranked fifth with 588 students.

Graduates from Gravette, Gentry and Decatur, the schools primarily served by the Eagle Observer, received a share of the county total, according to Elyse Price, Program Coordinator of the Scholarship program.

Price said that of the nine Decatur students who applied, eight have accepted the award. At Gentry 37 students applied with 28 accepting scholarships. A total of 61 Gravette students submitted applications with 34 accepting.

Counselors at the three schools provided the following information. The totals are not based on identical criteria so the figures are like comparing apples to oranges.

At Decatur High School Counselor Nancy Cotters said that 16 students metthe criteria to apply and nine students made applications, eight of which were accepted, according to ADHE.

Gentry Counselor Kathy Pipkin did not list the number of students who qualified but, according to state record, 37 applied with 28 scholarships accepted.

Shannon Mitchell, Counselor at Gravette High, said that 54 scholarships were awarded to the 61 who made official application. Of these, 34 students accepted the stipends.

School News, Pages 11 on 11/24/2010