Sixteen scholarships are now offered through the Moline Foundation. Applicants should apply online at www.molinefoundation.org. All scholarships must be submitted by midnight on March 15, 2015. All reference letters need to be mailed with a postmark on or before March 15, 2015. Reference letters should be mailed to: The Moline Foundation, 817 11th Avenue, Moline IL 61265. The following is a list of scholarships, criteria and deadlines:

1. Srikanth Yerra Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 non-renewable

Must live within Moline School District No. 40 boundaries

Graduate of Class of 2015 or Community College student

preparing to transfer to a 4 year college

Minimum 3.5 grade point

Based on financial need, potential for future personal achievement

Submit: Transcript, 2 letters of reference, brief essay about yourself (200 words)

 

2. Lee McAllister Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 non-renewable

Graduate from Moline High School Class of 2015, plan to major in education

Minimum 2.75 grade point

Based on financial need, potential for future personal achievement, abilities, school & community activities and strong academic record

Submit: Transcript, 2 letters of reference, brief essay (200 words on "Why are you entering the field of education?")

 

3. Moline High School Class of '59 Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Amount and number of awards determined annually

Graduate from Moline High School Class of 2015

Minimum 2.8 grade point

Based on service-oriented activity in place of worship, school, or

community

Submit: Transcript, brief statement (1-2 paragraphs) "What do you anticipate your life to be like in 50 years?"

 

4 & 5. Clement T. Hanson Scholarship and William Butterworth Foundation Scholarship ** - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Three $1,500 four year scholarships renewable based on continued financial need and scholastic achievement (Total: $6,000)

Four $2,000 four year scholarships renewable based on continued financial need

and scholastic achievement (Total: $8,000)

Must live within Moline School District No. 40 boundaries

Graduate from Class of 2015 or Community College student

preparing to transfer to 4 year university

Minimum 2.5 grade point

Based on financial need, potential for future personal achievement and personal interview

Submit: Transcript, 2 letters of reference, brief essay about yourself (200 words or less)

** Two scholarships share same application. Emphasize arts and music involvement if you wish to be considered for the William Butterworth Foundation Scholarship.

 

6. Dolores A. Hulse-DiIulio Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 (eligible to reapply annually and compete with incoming freshmen candidates and other previous scholarship recipients)

Must be a female and graduate of Class of 2015 at Moline High School

Must intend to pursue a bachelor's degree on a full-time basis in the fields of chemistry, physics, engineering, or pre-medicine.

Must attend a public university or college located in Illinois

Applicant must be in upper one-fourth of class

Based on desire to achieve, abilities, strong academic record, potential for future personal achievement, and two letters of reference

Submit: Transcript, 2 letters of reference, brief essay (200 words or less) "Why are you entering your chosen field of study?"

 

7. Maggie Webb Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Amount and number of awards to be determined annually

Must be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2015

Minimum 2.8 grade point

Based on community involvement (with at least one service oriented activity in place of worship, school or community) and essay

Submit: Transcript, Essay (200 words) "If you were to leave this earth tomorrow, what would be your legacy?"

 

8. Lee Womack Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Amount and number of awards to be determined annually

Must be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2015 with planned major in Education. Special preference will be given to applicants planning to major in Special Education

Minimum 3.0 grade point

Based on community involvement (with at least one service-oriented activity in place of worship, school or community), and letter

Submit: Transcript, Letter (state why you want to obtain an Education degree and your goals and how you feel this would be an asset to you and the community), two letters of reference

 

9. Stan Woods Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 scholarship annually non-renewable

Must be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2015

Minimum 3.0 grade point

Based on community involvement and leadership, academic achievement and essay ("Explain what you have done to make your community a better place to live and give an example or one or more of specific projects that have benefited from your involvement.")

Submit: Transcript, essay, and two letters of reference

 

10. D.A.R.E. Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2015

Must be graduating senior and living in the boundaries of Moline School District No. 40

Applicant must be a former student of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program

Minimum 3.0 grade point

Based on academic merit, good citizenship, attendance, active involvement in school and community, and essay (200 words or less) "About good choices you have made in your life. Choose an activity you have been involved in and describe how it has impacted your life."

Submit: Transcript, essay, and two letters of reference

 

11. Hazel Van Arsdale Memorial Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 scholarship will be awarded in 2015

Must be graduating senior and living in the boundaries of Moline School District No. 40

Must have been involved in at least one service oriented or musical activity

Minimum 3.0 grade point

Based on financial need, potential for future personal achievement and brief essay "Explain your personal educational goals and why music has been important to you growing up."

Submit: Transcript, two letters of reference and brief essay.

 

12. Sherrard Academic Foundation Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Three $1,000 scholarships plus two $750 scholarships to graduating seniors from Sherrard High School will be awarded through the Sherrard Academic Foundation Fund.

One $1,000 scholarship funded by the Farmer's State Bank of Western Illinois will be awarded to a student attending a four-year, two-year or vocational school.

Two $1,000 Sherrard Academic Foundation scholarships and two $750 Holdsworth scholarships will be awarded to students attending a community college, vocational or technical school.

Minimum 2.0 grade point

Submit: Transcript, two letters of reference, essay (200 words) "What are your personal educational goals?" and describe your need for financial assistance.

 

13 . Moline High School Class of '65 Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 Scholarship will be awarded in 2015

Graduate from Moline High School Class of 2015

Minimum 2.5 grade point

Applicant must have been involved in at least one service-oriented activity or organization in his or her school, community or place of worship.

Submit: Transcript, Essay in 200 words or less on "How do you intend to become self- sufficient and contribute to society?" and two letters of reference

 

14 . Chris "Spey" VanSpeybroeck Memorial Fund Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

Two $1,000 Scholarships will be awarded in 2015

Graduate of Class of 2015 from Moline High School, Alleman High School, Rock Island High School or United Township High School

Minimum 2.8 grade point

Applicant must have been involved in at least one service-oriented activity or organization in his or her school, community or place of worship.

Submit: Transcript, Essay in 200 words or less on "The Importance of Family and Friends" and two letters of reference

 

15 . Ina Dunccan Banks Memorial Fund Scholarship - Due Sunday, March 15, 2015

$1,000 Scholarship will be awarded in 2015

Applicant should be a female, undergraduate student who wishes to continue her education to pursue challenging and diverse career opportunities

Applicant must have successfully completed at least two years of undergraduate work and should be entering her junior or senior year of college

Applicant must be a resident of Rock Island County, Illinois who is attending or plans to attend a 4-year college or university

Applicant must show high academic achievement, community service involvement, and to some extent, financial need

Submit: Transcript, Essay in 200 words or less on "What is your chosen career field?" or "What challenges you about attending college?" and two letters of reference

 

All application are online on the Moline Foundation website. Please check the Moline Foundation website: www.molinefoundation.org or contact Linda Daily at (309)764-4193 if you have further questions.

The Moline Foundation, founded in 1953, is a community foundation which provides grants to health, human services, education, community development, the arts and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of Moline and the surrounding area. The Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts for all citizens in a seven county region including Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Warren, Henderson and McDonough in Illinois and Scott County in Iowa.

The Moline Foundation

817 11th Avenue (Deere-Wiman House)

Moline, IL 61265

309-736-3800

www.molinefoundation.org

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OXFORD, OH (01/29/2015)(readMedia)-- Chloe M Reed of Pleasant Valley (52767) was named to the Miami University fall 2014 president's list.

Miami University students who are ranked in the top three percent of undergraduate students within each division for first semester 2014-15 have been named to the president's list recognizing academic excellence.

Miami University is a public university located in southwestern Ohio, offering more than 120 degree programs in humanities, science, engineering, business, education and fine arts.

You can view Miami's other achievements at commencement, dean's and president's lists.

SIOUX CITY, IA (01/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Several area residents graduated from Morningside College with Master of Arts in Teaching degrees in December. These graduates are invited to participate in the college's 117th commencement ceremony this May.

Denise Hythecker of Davenport, Iowa.

Mary Scott of Moline, Ill..

Morningside College is a small, private college in Sioux City, Iowa, that offers bachelor's degrees in a variety of disciplines, and graduate programs in education and nursing. For more information about Morningside College, visit the college's website at www.morningside.edu.

ALLIANCE, OH (01/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Courtney Wachal of Bettendorf, IA, was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2014 semester at the University of Mount Union.

To be eligible for Dean's List, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours of traditionally graded coursework while achieving a grade point average of 3.550 or better with no grade below a B.

University of Mount Union The University of Mount Union, founded in 1846, is a four-year, private institution grounded in the liberal arts tradition. The University is located in Alliance, OH, 80 miles of both Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Mount Union offers an array of broad-based and career-specific undergraduate and graduate programs to its 2,200 students who experience outstanding opportunities for success after graduation. Among members of the 2012 graduating class, 98% of those self-reporting started a degree-required career or were accepted to graduate school, all in an average of 20 days after graduation. The University is committed to providing a student-centered approach and an exceptional educational experience. For more information, visit mountunion.edu

WAVERLY, IA (01/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Wartburg College has recognized 521 students who made the 2014 Fall Term Dean's List. Those honored include :

Taryn Eggers of Bettendorf

Markel Mommsen of Bettendorf

Alison Schuetz of Bettendorf

Elizabeth Trizzino of Bettendorf

Rachael Wauer of Bettendorf

Mallory Weaver of Bettendorf

Abby Zimmerman of Bettendorf

Cody Birely of Davenport

Elizabeth Mallon of Davenport

Anthony Skinner of Davenport

Mallory Weaver of Davenport

Brooke Chapman of De Witt

Emily Kremer of De Witt

Andrea Weiss of De Witt

Gretchen Henningsen of DeWitt

Kaitlyn Ketelsen of DeWitt

Allison Coe of Dixon

Brady Frieden of Donahue

Lindsay Heinen of Eldridge

Eric Huber of Eldridge

Sarah Schwarz of Eldridge

Benjamin Polley of Muscatine

Paris White of Muscatine

Paris White of Muscatine

Brooke Moeller of New Liberty

Emma Evans-Peck of Geneseo

Tyler Turner of Reynolds

Anthony Skinner of Rock Island

The list cites students who earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above in at least five course credits during the term. Four of the five course credits must be graded with a traditional letter grade.

Wartburg students take four courses during Fall Term, which runs from September to December.

Wartburg, a four-year liberal arts college internationally recognized for community engagement, enrolls 1,661 students. Wartburg is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and named after the castle in Germany where Martin Luther took refuge disguised as a knight during the stormy days of the Reformation, while translating the Bible from Greek into German.

Literacy Initiative Showcases Statewide Efforts and New Online Resources

DES MOINES, IA - The Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) leadership team will visit the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 28th to highlight the extensive work being done to combat literacy issues faced by one-out-of-four children in Iowa. Legislators and members of their staff are invited to learn more about the statewide initiative and the newly launched collection of free literacy resources available at www.IowaReadingResearch.org. The breakfast will be held from 7:30-9:30am in the Legislative Dining Room (G15).

In 2012, Iowa lawmakers adopted an early literacy initiative to help ensure children read by the end of the third grade. That included the formation of the Iowa Reading Research Center. The IRRC collaborates across educational systems to support universal screening assessments to identify children who need help in reading, progress monitoring assessments to ensure they stay on track, and evidenced based interventions and strategies to assist with instruction. With the help of national experts, Iowa's Early Warning System has been created. In collaboration with the Department of Education and Iowa AEAs, the IRRC has been training current and future educators on the system. Over 90% of Iowa's elementary schools use the Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST), Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) and the Iowa TIER data system. 

Every college and university that has an elementary program has attended statewide trainings - including Iowa's three regent universities. Until now, there has never been this level of cohesive partnership between colleges and universities. The record-setting 100% involvement will go a long way towards fully training Iowa's future educators on the new standards and tools being put into place to improve reading levels amongst our state's pre-kindergarten through elementary students.

IRRC staff will discuss these accomplishments with legislators and outline their collaborative efforts that fall under the following categories:

IOWA'S EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR LITERACY - Promoting Best Practices in Literacy
The IRRC promotes best practices in literacy by collaborating across educational systems to support universal screening, progress monitoring and evidence-based interventions and strategies.

INTENSIVE SUMMER READING PROGRAM - Paving The Way For A Bright Future
The IRRC collaborates with statewide and national experts to develop criteria and guidelines educators will use to assist students in becoming proficient readers.

HIGH QUALITY LITERACY RESOURCES - Supporting Students, Families And Educators
IowaReadingResearch.org offers free online literacy resources available to the public for classroom learning and at-home for children ranging in age from birth to 6th grade.

In February, the IRRC will mail an informational package to elementary schools highlighting the organization's efforts and free online offerings. It will include descriptive collateral for PTAs and take-home book marks for children and their families.

IRRC was formed during the 2012 legislative session through an appropriation to build a virtual repository of literacy resources for Iowa. Parent and teacher resources in Iowa were fragmented, inconsistent and not always screened for relevancy and accuracy. The newly unveiled IRRC website utilizes a team of educators, education-based IT staff and literacy staff to lead the collection effort and screening process for this repository. Learn more at www.IowaReadingResearch.org.

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The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation has awarded a capital grant in the amount of $25,000 to Rivermont Collegiate for masonry preservation, maintenance, and repairs to the historic Joseph Bettendorf Mansion. The grant will be used to begin essential repairs to exterior bricks, mortar, and joints on the 100-year old structure.

Built in 1815, the Bettendorf Mansion is one of only two remaining structures within the city of Bettendorf listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is of significant historical value to the entire community and region.

Rivermont Collegiate moved to the Bettendorf estate from the original campus in Davenport in 1973. The Mansion houses the Middle and Upper school classrooms, a science lab, a computer lab, and administrative offices. The Bettendorf Mansion also hosts numerous weddings and community events throughout the year.

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STEVENS POINT, Wis. (January 27, 2015) - The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point honored more than 2,740 undergraduate students for attaining high grade point averages during the fall semester of the 2014-2015 academic year.

Austin Paytash of Moline has received Highest Honors!

Full-time undergraduates who earned grade points of 3.90 to 4.0 (4.0 equals straight A) are given the highest honors designation. High honor citations go to those with grade point averages from 3.75 to 3.89 and honor recognition is accorded to those with grade point averages from 3.50 to 3.74.

Personalized certificates of scholastic achievement are being sent to those who earned highest honors distinction.

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Schools across the state are invited to participate in Prepare for the Basics.

DES MOINES, IA (01/27/2015)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald is offering free pencils to schools across Iowa for use in Kindergarten Round-Up through the Prepare for the Basics program. "Our schools know inviting families to visit their school before a new school year begins will help kindergarteners prepare for their big transition," Fitzgerald said. "We offer the pencils as a small gesture of support for our schools." In addition to the pencil, this free program will provide information about College Savings Iowa, the state-sponsored 529 plan created to help Iowa families meet the increasing costs of higher education.

College Savings Iowa lets anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - invest for college. Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to $3,163 in contributions per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income in 2015.* Investors can withdraw their investment tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and room and board at any eligible college, university, community college or accredited technical training school in the United States or abroad.** For more information about College Savings Iowa, visit CollegeSavingsIowa.com or call 888-672-9116.

Elementary Principals interested in taking part in the Prepare for the Basics program are urged to register online by visiting IowaTreasurer.gov. To guarantee timely arrival, materials should be requested at least two weeks in advance. They will be delivered directly to the participating schools. Supplies are limited, so early registration is advised.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

**The earnings portion of nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as the responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116, or visit collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa state treasurer's office. The treasurer of the state of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the treasurer with marketing and distributing the plan. Ascensus Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

PELLA, IA (01/26/2015)(readMedia)-- The following students were named to the fall 2014 Central College dean's list:

Angela Allgood of Muscatine is the daughter of Jeff and Janet Allgood.

Daniel Dankert of Davenport is the son of Larry and Diane Dankert.

Miranda Ebeling of Muscatine is the daughter of Scott and Carol Ebeling.

Joseph Heath of Taylor Ridge is the son of Ronald and Lynn Heath.

Alicia Huegel of Bettendorf is the daughter of Tony and Debra Huegel.

Melissa Ketcham of Muscatine is the daughter of Raymond Ketcham.

Sydney Lunardi of Bettendorf is the daughter of Bruce and Marlene Lunardi.

Sarah Montgomery of Bettendorf is the daughter of Patrick and Jill Montgomery.

Lauren Parsons of Davenport is the daughter of Jerry Parsons and Lynn Welzenbach.

The honor is awarded to full-time students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale while taking 12 or more graded credit hours for the semester.

Founded in 1853, Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college known for its academic rigor and strength in global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), sustainability education, athletics success and tradition, and leadership and service. Central continues to value its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America that began in 1916. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Iowa Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just two minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.

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