A dive into opportunity: scholarships at Aragon

Senior Katherine Shield sighs deeply and lays her head on her tired hands. Finished with the application form for a scholarship that combines her academic and extra-curricular achievements, all she has to do now is write an essay naming a significant moment in her life and describing how it has changed her. She can think of a number of events that are meaningful to her, yet the words simply refuse to pop into her mind. The trouble seems to be narrowing down all of those moments into one that stands up above the rest. Suddenly, she comes across a realization, “You know that saying ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’? [Well] I can’t be defined by one moment because my life is not one moment. I’m not dance or soccer or girl scouts or robotics or the theatre or what I do with my family. I’m all of those things,” says Shield.

Though scholarships provide great financial opportunities, they can often act as an emotional process for students as they put their full efforts into their applications. However, many of the students at Aragon do not even know about the broad range of scholarships offered to Aragon students. Whether based on academics or creative arts, scholarships that apply to different activities exist by the dozens.

One of the most common scholarships offered at Aragon doesn’t, in fact, offer much money. The California Federation Scholarship rewards those who are academically qualified with recognition for being solid students. If a student further qualifies, they can then apply for scholarships with a cash value.

“I didn’t know much about CSF at first,” says sophomore Grace Chan. “My parents just told me to apply for it and I basically followed what my friends did after that. But after learning a little bit about it, I felt pretty proud that I was able to apply because I was getting rewarded for my hard work.”

Also well-known, the Rotary scholarship follows students from middle school into their high school years, working with them to set academic goals and rewarding them with financial benefits every year that these goals are achieved. “I applied for the Rotary scholarship in the 8th grade because I didn’t know what I wanted to do for college at the time, and it provided a sense of security. I didn’t end up winning, but just the experience of applying was beneficial” says senior Cinderella Langilangi.

Scholarships sponsored directly by Aragon include the AVID scholarships and those offered by the PTSO such as the Summer Opportunities scholarship. Students taking part in various summer programs can apply for this scholarship in order to receive some financial help. “I had a really amazing experience just learning to put yourself out there and to have more self-confidence. It gave me a lot of courage to try new things, and [it felt good] to do something meaningful,” says junior Simone Jacobs, one of the recipients of the scholarship last year who used her winnings for a program called Amigos de las Americas. Participants of this program travel to various Spanish-speaking countries where they take part in community service projects and work as teachers.

Scholarships aimed specifically at personal interests often supply great opportunities since they add a fun aspect to the application process. Aragon alumni Julia Borden, who applied for the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) Scholarship in high school says, “I’d been an ACE student presenter and active student leader for about 8 months to a year before I applied for the scholarship [and] I was also very involved with other youth climate change initiatives, so a scholarship geared toward one’s environmental actions fit perfectly.”

“The scholarship was meaningful because it honored all of my hard work and achievements as a youth climate advocate,” says Borden. “Throughout high school, this was the one issue I felt strongest about and that I’d put the most time and effort into, so it [was] nice to be recognized.”

With no limit on the number of scholarships each individual can apply for, “the more you apply for, the better,” says scholarship and financial aid advisor Nancy Walsh. “Some of them do require a lot work, but it’s worth it if you win. If you’re very diligent and determined, there’s a very good possibility [that you can even pay off four years of college].

Jacobs agrees, “it’s definitely a great idea and a very useful experience applying for scholarships during your high school years [because it] prepares you for when you’re applying for colleges. And instead of immediately just assuming you have to pay for something, it’s good to look at outside resources.”

Finding the right scholarship may seem intimidating with so many of them available. However, it is as simple as talking to Ms. Walsh in the office, or even searching them online. And even if the scholarship ends up going to someone else, “it teaches you how to do things on your own, and as you do them they’ll probably get easier,” says Walsh. “What do you have to lose? You won’t win everything you apply for (I didn’t), but you lose more by not trying,” adds Borden.