New scholarships for industry certifications

Kentucky School Advocate
September 2021

By Josh Shoulta
KSBA Director of Communications

KSBA has announced a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) scholarship program. Can you tell me more about it?

Through funds raised by the KSBA Educational Foundation, the Kentucky School Boards Association has launched a new scholarship program for high school students pursuing Career and Technical Education (CTE) Industry Certifications. This initiative represents an expansion of KSBA’s First Degree Scholarship Program which for more than a decade has awarded scholarships for the pursuit of a two- or four-year degree. Our new scholarship, the First Degree CTE Scholarship, applies to students who are still in high school and enrolled in a CTE program of study.

How much is the scholarship?

The CTE scholarships will cover costs associated with the assessments students are required to take prior to receiving Industry Certifications in many career pathways. Some assessments cost more than $500. Scholarship recipients will receive a one-time award (made payable to the district) equal to the total cost of their assessments. For a complete list of CTE Industry Certifications, visit the CTE page on the Kentucky Department of Education website.

How will the recipients be selected?

Local school boards (in collaboration with their districts’ administrators, guidance counselors and CTE coordinators) may nominate one male and/or one female student for regional scholarships. The names of the eligible nominees will be entered into a drawing along with nominees from other districts in the region. The KSBA Board of Directors will draw scholarship winners around its December meeting.

Is there criteria for nominees? Who is eligible?

Nominees must meet certain criteria to be entered into the scholarship drawing. For instance, a nominee must have a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.5 or higher and be enrolled in a CTE program at his/her high school, CTE center or Area Technology Center. As the “First Degree” name suggests, the nominee must come from an immediate family whose members (parents, guardians, siblings) have not previously earned a college degree. The nominee must be eligible to take his/her assessment for CTE Industry Certification during the first six months of the 2022 calendar year.

How many scholarships will be awarded?

KSBA will be providing financial support to at least one male and one female high school student in each of KSBA’s 12 regions –for a minimum of 24 awards. The total number of scholarships awarded per region will depend on requested need of those selected at the time of the drawing. Industry certification assessment fees vary, so while KSBA will draw at least two names in each region, there is a strong chance even more will be awarded. We will continue to draw for these scholarships in each region until the funds have been exhausted.

How can my district nominate students for the scholarship?

Nominations are now open for the 2022 First Degree CTE Scholarship program. Visit KSBAEF.org for more information and to begin the nomination process. The deadline is Nov. 29.

Visit KSBAEF.org to learn more about the important work of the KSBA Educational Foundation and to make a meaningful online gift. For more information, contact Josh Shoulta.