Donald J. Pickering Scholarship

Donald J. Pickering Scholarship

The Donald J. and Marcia Pickering Scholarship will be distributed by the KC Blind All-Stars Foundation every summer in memory of Don Pickering. Mr. Pickering dedicated 38 years of his life to the education of students with disabilities, including those who were blind, throughout the Midwest. He was instrumental in forming the Nebraska State School for the Blind (now the Nebraska Center for the Education of Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired) prior to his tenure as Principal of the Kansas State School for the Blind, where he began as a vocational training administrator. He proudly served as Principal at KSSB for 12 years until his retirement in 1995.

Mr. Pickering, supported by his beloved wife Marcia, began his career as a shop teacher for the visually impaired where, in these early days of his career, he took great satisfaction in teaching his wood shop students to use power tools. He enjoyed helping students create a tangible product they could be proud of to aid in fostering their self-esteem and self-worth. He believed in the importance of setting goals for oneself and working diligently to achieve them. Mr. Pickering was pragmatic and compassionate, and he cherished the opportunity to teach his students that, no matter their circumstances, it was crucial to take pride in what you do. He was passionate in his commitment to the betterment of his students and believed that anything worth doing takes patience and perseverance.

The scholarship will be awarded to a student who is blind or visually impaired to assist in expenses for technical education or skill-based training after graduation from high school or completion of the Transition Program at the Kansas State School for the Blind. This gift is meant for goal-oriented students who take pride in their work. It intends to provide a foundation for students who require skills training to build their careers and will use this scholarship opportunity to foster a life they can be proud of.

Scholarship criteria

1. Enrolled in or entering a formal course of study by September of the application year.
2. The vocational training program must be licensed and accredited
3. Must be sponsored by a teacher, counselor, professor, or other professional involved with the applicant in an official capacity. (The sponsor form is located at www.kcblindallstars.org. The sponsor must complete the form online.
4. Must complete all required components of the application and provide all required documentation
5. The student does NOT need to be a KSSB student but must be a student who is blind or visually impaired and residing in Kansas.

Please read and follow the instructions carefully before submitting your application. All winners will be notified on or before August 1st 2024.

If selected, you will be asked for documentation to support the data you provide. Likewise, all correspondence and award agreements will be generated from the personal information submitted below. So, please use proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation.

May 2025 high school graduates are eligible for consideration for summer scholarships in addition to Fall-Spring awards. Accepting a summer award obligates you to attend in the following fall and spring.

Please share a brief essay to tell us something about yourself, which could include any or all of the following: 

• Information on your personal history; focus on family, community life, and experience in school.
• Challenges you have faced to due your visual impairment / blindness, and how you have dealt with them.
• Your work or volunteer experience.
• Your college goals and choice of major.
• Your career goals and how your education will enable you to achieve them.
• Why this scholarship is important to you. 

Your essay should be 300-500 words. 

By typing your name in the space below, you are certifying that all information is correct and that you are the person completing this application. When you press the submit button, you will receive an email confirmation that your application was received. Please print it for your records and retain it as verification of your application.