Five El Dorado High School seniors and one junior participated in a scholarship workshop on November 8 to gain experience in scholarship competitions and interviews.
Three alumni returned to help seniors prepare: Mahlon Hart (2020), Madeline Nichols (2022) and Pheydra Lynes (2023). USD 490 Board of Education President Roger Smith, Superintendent Jenifer Davis, and Partners in Education Development Director Rod Blackburn also volunteered to help facilitate the practice and conduct the interviews.
The format of the scholarship competition requires students to participate in three activities. The first one is a group consensus activity, then there is a “social break” before the panel interview.
The facilitators observe students throughout each of the activities and provide them feedback at the end about strengths and areas of potential improvement. The alumni share their experiences about the scholarship process and seniors have the opportunity to ask questions about applying, interviewing, or competing in scholarship competitions.
“The scholarship search starts in high school, but it doesn’t really end until after a student graduates from college,” EHS Counselor Megan Sturm said.
Much of what students learned during this workshop is applicable to more than just scholarships. Interviews, networking, and the ability to work as a team are also important employability and life skills.