Stanwich Merit Scholarship Award

Purpose

The Stanwich School Merit Scholarship Award, to be gifted annually, aims to attract qualified Grade 10 candidates drawn from a pool consisting of both current and incoming Stanwich School students. This outstanding student will be given all the opportunities that Stanwich School has to offer, regardless of his or her ability to afford tuition. The award recipient will be characterized as a student who will help to establish new traditions, serve as a leader among peers, strive for academic excellence, engage fully in the service programs, and embrace the Stanwich School mission to “make God’s world a better place.”

This prestigious award will support a student for his or her three years in the Stanwich School Senior House regardless of need; it is a merit-based award. Beyond covering full tuition, additional fees and expenses are the sole responsibility of the family; accordingly, families should apply for financial aid as applicable.

Criteria

The Stanwich School Merit Scholarship is a competitive merit-based program that recognizes one exceptional Grade 10 student based on the following criteria: academic achievement, Stanwich School Merit Scholarship essay responses, extra-curricular achievement and engagement, service, character, leadership, and standardized test results (ISEE, SSAT, or PSAT). Essay responses should be no longer than 300 words each.

Process

The Stanwich School Merit Scholarship Selection Committee will review all Scholarship applicants to determine the recipient. Each student wishing to be considered for the Merit Scholarship Award must complete the general Stanwich application and answer two of the Merit Scholarship essay questions. As part of the process, the finalists will visit Stanwich in February to meet with members of the Scholarship Selection Committee. Pat Young, Headmistress, will award the scholarship to the selected recipient.

Scholarship Renewal

Each year the scholarship recipient will sit for an annual review with the Headmistress and members of the Scholarship Selection Committee to determine merit status and scholarship renewal eligibility for the following year. In and out of the classroom the recipient is expected to maintain high standards of conduct and high levels of engagement throughout his or her Senior House tenure.

Essay Questions

Please select and respond to two of the following prompts:

How do you envision the Stanwich Seven (commitment, compassion, wisdom, courage, honesty, forgiveness, and joy) influencing your Senior House experience in terms of what you take away and what you give in return?

There is a saying, “Let your life speak.” Describe the environment in which you were raised — your family, home, neighborhood, or community — how it influenced the person you are today and how you will tap into that experience at Stanwich to “make God’s world a better place.”

Finish one of the following thoughts: a) The last time I … b) The first time I … c) Never again will I … d) Forever more will I … e) This I believe …

Code of Conduct and Signature of Authenticity

At The Stanwich School, the Code of Conduct is the cornerstone of the school and governs our community. Your handwritten signature at the bottom of each essay affirms that the essay responses are your own work, authentic in both style and content.

Important Dates

Application deadline: December 15, 2010

Due date for completed Scholarship essays: January 14, 2011

Letters of notification: February 25, 2011

To Apply

Please contact May Rawls, Director of Admissions for Grades 4 - 12, to request a formal application.

mrawls@stanwichschool.org or 203-542-0055