The Buddy Program was started in 1997 and, as one of our founding programs, best illustrates the Eagle Foundation’s efforts to improve the lives of the students and families in our community, particularly middle and high school students who might benefit from a positive mentor relationship. The program’s goal is to provide one-on-one modeling of positive attitudes, work ethic and problem-solving for students who may not demonstrate these qualities in their daily lives.

Our program promotes the uniqueness of each individual and celebrates diversity, fostering an environment of tolerance and acceptance. One of the core objectives of our summer program and follow-up meetings is to establish, and maintain, a solid and positive connection between the students and their academic environment, with the ultimate hope that each graduating student will strive to advance his/her education beyond high school. The Buddy Program Academic Scholarship was created to assist graduating Buddy Program students with their desire for post-secondary academic advancement. This scholarship has been made possible through a generous gift by The Mechanicsburg Club to help further higher education.

 

Scholarship Award:

• One recipient is selected annually (in the event that no candidate meets the criteria for the award, no award will be made for that year)
  Two-year award, in the amount of $7,500 per year, for a total of $15,000 over a two-year period
• Awarded to a Cumberland Valley graduating senior who has been determined to have best met the selection criteria and is a Buddy Program graduate and  involved participant
• Announced at the annual Senior Awards Ceremony in May.
• Two $7,500 checks (in annual installments) will be written, by the Eagle Foundation, jointly to the academic institution and the successful student
• Checks will be sent to the student requesting endorsement, who will forward the check to the appropriate school/university’s financial aid office for credit to the student’s tuition account 
• Awarded recipient must maintain the equivalent of a “C”/70% average, or a minimum of a 2.0 GPA, in his/her first year of schooling in order to receive the second $7,500 installment of the award
• An official transcript of the student’s grades must be provided to the Eagle Foundation (no later than July 1) to verify  that the student is in good academic standing prior to the disbursement of funds for the second year 
• The recipient may request a deferral of the award for up to a maximum period of 2 (two) years from the date the award was originally presented. If the recipient does not return to school after successfully completing Year 1, he/she may request a deferral of the second disbursement for up to a maximum period of fifteen months from the date of completion of Year 1 (to attend either the original or a different, academic  institution). All requests for deferrals MUST be made in writing (or via electronic correspondence) and submitted  to the President and Executive Director of the Eagle Foundation within the stated time parameters.
• If the student is not academically successful after Year 1 and is unable to return for Year 2, the scholarship will be forfeited and no further monies disbursed
• This is an academic scholarship; as such, monies will be disbursed only for tuition and related expenses, and not solely for materials and/or supplies related to the recipient’s academic pursuits

Scholarship Recipient Criteria:

• The candidate must be a graduating senior of CVHS that has been accepted to an accredited institution of higher learning (which can be a two or four-year college, university, or trade school).  Such acceptance must be officially documented before any monies will be disbursed.
• The candidate must be a graduate of the Summer Buddy Program and should have attended a minimum of 50% of the follow-up meetings held throughout the school year(s). (Note: If extenuating circumstances exist(ed) that prevented the candidate from regularly attending the follow-up meetings, please explain in the space provided in Part 5/page 3 of the application).
• The following qualities will be strongly considered in determining the successful candidate:
  • Attitude
  • Dedication/perseverance
  • Ambition
  • Moral character
  • Commitment to the Buddy Program
  • Leadership
  • Likelihood of success in an institution of higher learning

• Please note that all information on the application is considered important and relevant; however, each component is not necessarily weighted equally in determining the successful candidate
• The Buddy Program Committee, the Executive Director of the Eagle Foundation, high school counselors, and the Director of the Buddy Program will be responsible for providing nominations for this award. The Buddy Program Director will provide recommendations to the Eagle Foundation’s Scholarship Committee, with the understanding that the final decision rests with the Eagle Foundation Board of Directors.

Application Information: 

• DEADLINE to submit all required information/documents: April 1
• Application form to be submitted through this portal 
• Additional Documents: Unofficial transcript (downloaded from Skyward)
• All information in this application will remain confidential
• Please note that all information is considered, but not necessarily weighted equally, with other scholarship criteria
• Questions: Contact bgabrielson@cvschools.org or call 717-697-8261 (Bobbi Jo Gabrielson)
  

 

 

 

In the box below, please comment on any of the following questions:

• How has the Buddy Program affected you throughout your involvement in the program?
• In what way(s) has the Buddy Program been most impactful?
• What life lessons have you learned while participating in the program?
• How has the Buddy Program made you a better person?
• What could you teach or impart to others based on your involvement in, and what you learned from, the program?
• How has the Buddy Program shaped your career objectives?