The Simon Family Foundation’s “Simon Scholars Program” was created to help economically disadvantaged students who face difficult life circumstances advance themselves through a college education. It is an especially unique scholarship program in that it begins in the summer before a student’s junior year in high school. The Simon Scholars Program offers its participants tools, mentoring and support that create successful college applicants with the ultimate goal of developing confident individuals who remain highly competitive throughout their college years and beyond.
The Simon Family Foundation understands that it takes much more than financial support to change lives. Thus, the Foundation has developed and become known for its intensive, hands-on college preparatory support program. Beyond granting a $16,000 college scholarship, we offer our recipients a host of resources aimed at whole-person development while in high school, including leadership and life-skills training, college coaching/application assistance, a notebook computer, SAT/ACT preparation courses and exposure to the arts.
An important aspect of the Simon Scholars Program is the creation of strong peer support networks within each of our participating regions. Through involvement in our many programs, our Scholars are presented with opportunities to create meaningful lifetime friendships with students who are similar in their aspirations to achieve, but who reveal a multitude of different backgrounds, cultures and talents. This exposure to a diversity of individuals promotes a broadened life perspective and an enhanced worldview for our Scholars. In addition, we have found that these relationships with other high-achieving individuals provide strong support and positive influences for our students as they overcome obstacles together.
Students selected for our Simon Scholars Program will receive the following while participating in various required activities:
Students that successfully complete their high school graduation and are in good standing with the Simon Family Foundation will then continue into college with their Simon Scholars College Scholarship. These $16,000 college scholarships (up to $4,000 per year) will be awarded as “needs-“based” scholarships. “Needs-based” scholarships are defined as being “last dollar in” after all other financial assistance has been computed.
Upon selection as a Simon Scholar, each student is afforded the opportunity to enjoy a special relationship with the Simon Family Foundation, its Board members, staff and affiliates for the purpose of helping to assure academic and life success with the highest standards of integrity, exemplary performance and continuing access to special resources, both financial and personal. In addition, being a Simon Scholar means that they have become part of a select group of students both at their high school and in the community and that they have been identified as having high potential according to important criteria that are vital to both academic and life successes.
Provided with an exceptional investment of time, funds and mentoring from the Foundation, our scholarship recipients are held to a higher standard, and are expected to rise to the occasion of being named a “Simon Scholar”. As a condition of the scholarship, the Foundation requires that its students exhibit solid academic performance, high moral standards/conduct, and meaningful community service while serving as role models for their peers and other youth.
