September 30, 2016
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT: Lee-Jackson Educational Foundation Scholarship Program
The 2016-2017 Lee-Jackson Educational Foundation Scholarship Program is now available for Virginia students. The objective of the program is to acquaint young people with the historical legacy of two of Virginia's most outstanding military figures, General Robert E. Lee and General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.
Eighteen scholarships will be awarded to Virginia high school juniors and seniors submitting outstanding original, analytical essays on any aspect positive or negative of the career, character, or legacy of General Robert E. Lee and/or General "Stonewall" Jackson. Scholarship funding is available as follows:
- $2,000 for the first place essay, and $1,000 for the second place essay, submitted in each of the state's eight public high school regions.
- $2,000 for the first place essay, and $1,000 for the second place essay, submitted by private and/or home-schooled students. Participating private and home-schooled students will be judged together as a ninth region for the purpose of making scholarship awards.
- An additional award of $8,000 will go to the single essay that is judged to be the most outstanding in the state. Therefore, the winning essay will be awarded a total of $10,000.
- A $1,000 award will be given to a school in each of the nine judging regions in the name of the high school teacher or advisor who sponsors the most participating students in that region. Advisors must sponsor a minimum of 50 participating students to be eligible for this award.
The application and reporting forms are located on the Lee-Jackson Educational Foundation Web site at http://www.lee-jackson.org/
. The deadline for students to submit applications and essays to their high school principals is February 3, 2017. Each high school principal will submit all students' applications and essays to the division superintendent. Each superintendent will select the five best essays and forward the applications, essays, and the completed Division Superintendent Summary Form to the designated chair of the regional screening committee listed on page 11 of the application. The application processing cycle and deadlines are listed in the application packet. Winners will be announced May 15, 2017. The VDOE does not administer this scholarship; therefore, no information should be returned to the Department.
Principals of all public and nonpublic high schools are requested to assist in making students aware of this scholarship opportunity.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Stephanie Leech, Scholarship Program Coordinator for the Lee-Jackson Educational Foundation, at Leejacksonfoundation@yahoo.com, or the chair of your regional screening committee.
SRS/JAW/rt