Sonlight Scholarships application
Applicants are called for this year Sonlight Scholarships application to help them in school funding.
U.S. and international homeschooled high school seniors who plan to enroll in college in the upcoming fall semester are eligible for this award. Applicants must have purchased and used five full Sonlight Curriculum Core programs.
Contents
About Sonlight Scholarships and Eligibility
To be eligible for a scholarship, each candidate is required to have purchased and used five full Sonlight Curriculum Core programs (may include Core or multi-subject packages or, from previous years, CorePlus™, CoreUltra™, “Basic,” “First-Time” or Newcomer packages), all purchased in 2000 or later.
The student is encouraged to contact Sonlight in September or after to verify eligibility. The scholarship committee will review all applications, decide on qualifications and merit, and inform the winner(s) by Feb. 17.
There are many graduate and undergraduate degree scholarships for international students that you can apply for. Some of these Scholarships opportunities are in USA, Australia, Canada and other know countries.
Application requirements for the Sonlight Scholarship are:
- Essay
- Recommendation letter
- Application form
- Proof of core packages purchased
- ACT/SAT scores
- 2nd Essay or Project
Criteria for Giving Awards
Gnomon International Students scholarships
(Green or Blue) You may apply to meet either set, but not both.
1. Green Criteria: Sonlight award up to four scholarships where mission mindedness, acts of kindness, spiritual mindedness, and other factors count more highly than academics. Two $2,500/year and two $1,000/year four-year scholarships may be awarded in this category based upon the following weighted criteria, in order of the greater weight to the lesser weight:
- mission mindedness or acts of kindness
- spiritual mindedness
- creativity
- leadership
- academic performance
- heart for learning
- activities and interests
2. Blue Criteria: Sonlight will award up to nine scholarships in which academics are the greatest weight in our selection. For at least two of these scholarships, we will give added weight to applications from applicants with math or science backgrounds. One $5,000/year, two $2,500/year, and six $1,000/year four-year scholarships may be awarded in this category based upon the following weighted criteria, in order of the greater weight to the lesser weight:
- academic performance
- spiritual mindedness
- leadership
- creativity
- mission mindedness or acts of kindness
- heart for learning
- activities and interests
All Scholarship applications for students beginning classes in the Fall of 2021 were submitted by December 1, 2020 and are now being reviewed.
The scholarship committee will review all applications, decide on qualifications and merit, and inform the winner(s) no later than February 16, 2021.
You may review our evaluation criteria to determine how applications are reviewed. Thank you to all who submitted applications!
Sonlight Scholarships Amount
2021 Canadian scholarship at University of Waterloo
One $5,000, four $2,500, and eight $1,000 awards. All awards are offered annually and are renewable for three years as long as the recipient maintains a grade point average of 3.5 or higher; remains enrolled full time; provides his/her transcripts annually as validation; provides Sonlight with submitted papers or class projects (such as a music composition, science experiment, etc.) as an example of his/her work over the year; and submits a personal letter updating Sonlight on how his/her college experience is meeting his/her goals and helping him/her pursue God’s purpose for his/her future. The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $7,077.
Sonlight Scholarships deadline: The deadline is 3rd December.
Recent Winners of Sonlight Scholarships
#1. Emmalene Sotomayor, $20,000 Scholarship Winner
- Contact: Douglassville, PA
- Awarded $5,000 Per Year
Emmalene Sotomayor of Douglassville, PA has used Sonlight throughout her entire education and has excelled academically, being named a National Merit Commended Scholar based on her PSAT scores.
She doesn’t stop with academics, however. Her list of extra-curricular involvement fills an entire page!
Emmalene is musically talented and plays for the youth band at her church, took 2nd place at a local fiddle festival, and played violin in orchestras throughout her high school years. She is also a talented writer (we’d like to think that all of those Sonlight books gave her some inspiration!)
Emmalene is the creator and editor of the World Changers Homeschool Association newspaper and has written three novels. The first of these novels was completed at age 8.
#2. Julia Baker, Rachel Norwood, Anna Ramsey, and Caroline Zeller, $10,000 Scholarship Winners
Awarded $2,500 Per Year
Julia Baker of Poy Sippi, WI winner of Sonlight Scholarships describes her life as a conglomeration of “midnight airplane trips and homeschool on the road.” She grew up in a missionary family and has spent many of her growing up years in Kazakhstan.
She serves alongside her family by acting as a Kazakh translator, tutoring in English, and leading youth activities, Bible studies, and discussions. Providing childcare, participating in evangelism events, and leading summer camp activities round out her diverse list of ministry activities.
Rachel Norwood of Siloam Springs, AR is described by her associate pastor as the epitome of a “humble, Christ-centered servant.” He’s seen this firsthand as he watches Rachel lead worship for youth group, lead a prayer group, help with childcare, and volunteer in audio/visual.
She also volunteers with an organization that helps children with special needs and serves as a tutor for children who are falling behind in their studies. Rachel’s servant heart hasn’t distracted her from her own academic achievements. After many years of learning with Sonlight, she scored 33 on the ACT.
Anna Ramsey of Iowa City, IA scored a 35 on her ACT, receiving perfect scores in both English and Reading. As one of her academic mentors states, “Anna will never be satisfied with mediocre work. She will excel!”
And excel she has, in a diverse range of activities. Anna is a talented musician and plays in an advanced violin ensemble and an advanced orchestra. She takes violin, piano, and voice lessons.
Academically, she shines in her involvement with the Future Problem Solving individual and team competitions, which require students to analyze problems, brainstorm solutions, and explain the most promising solution. Anna has placed third internationally in this competition, outranking problem solvers from 31 states and several countries.
Caroline Zeller of United Arab Emirates one of the winners of Sonlight Scholarships has used Sonlight throughout her high school years. She developed a love of great literature that grew into a small book club at her church. Caroline is very creative and enjoys sewing, embroidery, painting with watercolors, and any opportunity to give away handmade gifts as an encouragement.
#3. Caleb Cook, Chloe Couch, Michaela Elliot, Hannah Jensen, Simon Marchesseault, Alexandru Muresan, Zoe Oshman, and Hayley Theil, $4,000 Scholarship Winners
Awarded $1,000 Per Year
Caleb Cook of Knoxville, TN is described by his track and cross country coach as remarkable in “his commitment to excellence in both scholastic and athletic endeavors.” Those athletic endeavors include cross country, track & field, and participating in a church basketball league.
Caleb is involved at church in more facets than just basketball. He has participated in two mission trips and is involved in student leadership with his youth group. He also volunteers weekly at a Boys’ and Girls’ Club with others from his youth group.
Chloe Couch of Chesterfield, VA, winner of Sonlight Scholarships lives with a “servant-oriented approach to life.” As a high school student, she has served as a youth soccer coach. She also volunteers with the Civil Air Patrol and Youth Conservation Leadership Institute.
In the Civil Air Patrol, she was given a great deal of responsibility planning and teaching classes to guide new recruits through the beginning stages of the program. As a result of her leadership and communication skills, her team was the first to have a 100% graduation rate within the squadron.
Michaela Elliot of Hockessin, DE began using Sonlight in Kindergarten, and hasn’t stopped since! With Sonlight at the core of her academics, Michaela still had the opportunity to participate in sports and extracurriculars at a local Christian school.
Michaela plays varsity soccer and basketball and is also a member of a traveling soccer team. She will continue to play soccer for Messiah University after she graduates high school. In addition to her athletic pursuits, Michaela is a youth group leader and a kids camp chaperone at her church. She is also on several worship teams.
Hannah Jensen of Santee, CA also one of the winners of Sonlight Scholarships is a “gracious and intelligent scholar who believes passionately in the power of stories to change people.” She’s used this passion to drive her success as a competitive debater.
Competing with ninety debaters at one tournament, Hannah was one of only three competitors to achieve a perfect 6-0 record. Her love of story also extends to creative writing, and she publishes much of her work online with the intention of sharing Biblical truth through her stories.
Hannah’s pastor expresses his gratitude for her “kindness and creativity” in her service at church. Her servant’s heart extends beyond church into her participation in drama, which she has not only acted and sang, but also coordinated younger actors.
Simon Marchesseault of Marlborough, MA has used Sonlight throughout his entire education and scored a 1350 on the ACT. His extracurricular activities include his involvement in the Civil Air Patrol. Simon is the highest-ranking cadet in his squadron, and he mentors lower-ranking cadet leaders.
His service and leadership continues into his church involvement, where he is an active member of the worship team. The worship pastor at his church says that Simon does everything as if “He was doing it for the Lord.”
Alexandru Muresan of Montgomery Village, MD one of the winners of Sonlight Scholarships was named a National Merit Scholar based on his outstanding PSAT scores. Alexandru has competed in a Science Olympiad team since 6th grade and finished in first place multiple times.
The events he’s competed in include thermodynamics, entomology, water quality, meteorology, and many more. He also contributed to the Smithsonian Institution Teen Pepper Program, in which he researched exhibits and programmed a robot to present that information to visitors.
Zoe Oshman of Parker, CO is a face you might have seen before…she and her family made an appearance in the 2016 Sonlight catalog, reading a Sonlight book while sitting on their balcony in the Czech Republic.
Zoe is gifted in robotics and is the lead programmer for a robotics team that won the Kent Denver Robotics Tournament. Her robotics mentor says that “(Zoe’s) programming work on the robotics team has clearly demonstrated her skill, enthusiasm, and prowess in computer science.”
Hayley Theil of Cincinnati, OH, winner of Sonlight Scholarships shows her love for others through her work as a Certified Therapy Pet Handler, which allows her and her beagle to spend one-on-one time with residents at a senior care facility.
Through this work, she’s been able to provide company and comfort to older adults, many struggling with cognitive decline. And that’s only the beginning! Hayley volunteers at a hospital, works as an office assistant, and is the treasurer of her Girl Scouts group.
Hayley’s Girl Scout leader overflows with praise, describing Hayley as “(leading by example…creative, courteous, determined, accomplished, humble, and a bright source of positive energy.” She received the highest award for leading a project to educate 3,000 clients from an underserved population on sugar content in foods.
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