As college tuition costs rise, continuing the upward trend from the past two decades, scholarships become even more essential to families of all statuses. The Frisco Education Foundation Scholarship Program, with applications closing Thursday at 4 p.m., works to mitigate this trend by offering scholarship opportunities to all Frisco ISD seniors. 

“Many scholarships are stackable, so if you get $500 here and $1,000 here, it can really help to offset the cost of post-secondary education,” A-E counselor Kelli Chandler said via email. “FISD serves so many wonderful students who work diligently to pursue their goals, volunteer to better their community, work part-time jobs to help supplement family incomes, and more. FEF Scholarships are a great opportunity for these students to be recognized for their efforts.”

For those planning to go out of state for college, such as senior Emma Hale, The Frisco Education Foundation provides a vital funding opportunity. 

“I really like the FEF scholarship, especially because I know a lot of other districts in our area don’t get this opportunity,” Hale said. “I applied to save as much money as I can, since going out of state is extremely expensive.”

Not only does the program offer awards, but the foundation also acts as a catalyst for other donors to award scholarships to FISD seniors for specific corporations, organizations, or causes.

“I am hoping to be considered for the scholarship that was founded in honor of my mother, Amy Wilson,” senior Natalie Wilson said. “She received the Anderson Elementry PTA Lifetime Award last year, and whoever wins the scholarship this year will have it named after them.”

With a wide variety of scholarships, there are ample opportunities for funding.

“I absolutely encourage every senior at LHS to apply for the FEF Scholarships,” Chandler said. “The FEF Scholarship system is like a large umbrella that has many different types of scholarships underneath its coverage. Some are need-based, some merit-based, some based on organization membership, and some are in-memoriam scholarships where the family determines the criteria and more.”