American Legion Auxiliary Local, County, State, and National Scholarships

Since 2015, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Unit 376 of Oxford, NY, has been proud to offer their own local scholarship. An ALA Unit 376 Scholarship Committee, chaired by Christine Gregoire, created the first Fort Hill American Legion Auxiliary Unit 376 $500 Scholarship. It is awarded annually to a female senior student, graduating from Oxford Academy High School, who is dedicated to community, perhaps volunteers at the Post 376 Sunday Community Breakfast or other community minded activities and has a relative that is an American Legion member or she may be a member herself.**

Award granted to the student at the end of the first semester, for the second semester, of the first year of college, after showing proof of GPA of at least a 2.0.

**Family member of Legion, Auxiliary member or relative affiliated with Legion, Auxiliary, or Sons of the American Legion (SAL). Or any elegible female student may be an ALA Junior member. (To find out about membership eligibility, go to the Contact/Join page.) Request an ALA membership form at the American Legion Post or at the Oxford High School Guidance Office.

The ALA Unit 376 sponsored this scholarship, to benefit a young female graduating senior of Oxford Academy High School. The scholarship is aimed at helping a veteran’s daughter/granddaughter who is a member (or child of a member) of “The American Legion Family” of Post 376. Students who are following their education/career dreams are of the greatest interest to the ALA, not necessarily those with the best grades or least funds. The American Legion Auxiliary believes that the more knowledge our young people gain, the better citizens they will become. That is why the organization is so committed to education.

Sierra Holte Klein, Oxford Class of 2015 graduate, was awarded the Fort Hill American Legion Auxiliary’s first scholarship of $500. The daughter of Deborah Holte, ALA Unit 376 member, Sierra is eligible through WWII Veteran, Edward Zipay, Deb’s stepfather, a member of the American Legion in Binghamton and Sierra’s grandfather.

Rachel Seiler, Oxford Class of 2016, was selected as the second recipient of the ALA Unit 376 scholarship. The daughter of Ken and Brenda Seiler of Oxford, Rachel was eligible as she was a Junior member of Unit 376. She is part of an Auxiliary legacy, as her mother and grandmother, Judy Estelow, are both members. They're eligible through the late Paul Estelow, a Vietnam Army Veteran, past-Post 376 Commander and honorary Life Member, and Rachel’s grandfather.

Rachel’s future vision includes getting her masters degree to teach and coming back to Oxford to help children. Rachel wrote, “My goal is to inspire kids to want to be greater than they already are. I want to show them that being a good person and a role model is attainable.”

Taylor Munson, Oxford Class of 2017, was selected as the next Unit 376 scholarship recipient. Taylor, the daughter of Shawn and Tricia Munson, is eligible through her grandfather, Steven F. Munson, of Oneonta Post 259. Taylor is going into Early Childhood studies.

Taylor wrote, "I believe that I can be successful after college making a difference in children's lives. My dream is to be able to take the tools that I have learned at Oxford and will learn at College and use them to help teach children."

Cheyanne Ingraham, Oxford Class of 2018, was selected as the fourth Unit 376 scholarship recipient. Cheyanne, the daughter of Shane and Melissa Ingraham, is eligible through her grandfather, Robert Erastus Ingraham, Sr., of Oxford Post 376. Cheyanne is studying Early Childhood studies at SUNY Delhi.

Kelsey Drewniak, Oxford Class of 2019, was selected as the fifth Unit 376 scholarship recipient. Kelsey, the daughter of Karen Covell, of Oxford, and Mark Drewniak Sr., of Roscoe. She was Oxford Academy’s class Valedictorian. Kelsey is elegible through her grandfather, John Covell, a Vietnam era veteran and member of the American Legion Post 376. Kelsey is continuing her education at SUNY New Paltz studying Political Science and International Relations. She is hoping to practice law and travel to many foreign countries in the future.

Jadyn Munson, daughter of Shawn and Tricia Munson of Norwich, is our 2020 ALA Unit 376 Scholarship winner. Jadyn, the Oxford Academy Class of 2020 Salutatorian, was eligible for the ALA scholarship through her grandfather, Steven F. Munson, an 18-year American Legion member of Post #259 in Oneonta. He is a US ARMY, Vietnam era veteran. Jadyn will be going to SUNY Broome Community College majoring in engineering science. Ultimately, her goal is to get a Biomedical Engineering degree. She hopes to work with prosthetics to help people, who have lost limbs, regain mobility.

These community minded students have a clear vision of their futures and the ALA wants to help them on their way.

Read on to learn about other great ALA scholarships...

At the Chenango County Level: there is a $100 scholarship given (as many as 5 were given in one year) by the Past President's Parley - the "PAST PRESIDENT'S PARLEY AWARD IN MEDICAL FIELD". This is an award presented to a student entering into any area of the medical field. Individuals who are graduating from high school as well as non-traditional students (individuals returning to school) will be considered for the award. Candidates must be daughters, granddaughters, great granddaughters, sons, grandsons or great grandsons of a veteran.
Candidates must be United States citizens and a New York state resident.
Each Chenango County ALA Unit may submit applications to the Past President's Parley Chairman by June 1st of each year. A decision of the award will be made at the June meeting of the Chenango County Auxiliary.
Selection will be based on Character, Americanism, Leadership, Scholastic Achievement and Volunteerism.

Requirements:

• A copy of their high school grades
• A letter of recommendation from someone other than a family member
• A statement of volunteer work, programs/groups they are involved with
• An essay of 250 words on "Why I Selected the Medical Field"

Applicants contact ALA Unit 376 President, Jan Pollard. Here is the current application. You must be sponsored by a local Auxiliary Unit (like Unit 376). Signature of Unit President and Education Chairman required.

At the NY State Level: on the Department of NY website go to the "Scholarship" page. Below is a synopsis, but things change. It would be best if you go to the site for up-to-date info. When the scholarships become available (at the Dept of NY website) you will be able to click on the name of each scholarship to learn more and access the application. Please remember that all Dept. of NY scholarship applications must be accompanied by a Scholarship Cover Sheet. (They are available through the Unit president's annual "Plan of Action" book.) You must be sponsored by a local Auxiliary Unit (like this Unit 376). Signature of Unit President and Education Chairman required. (No Auxiliary Unit may submit more than one candidate for each scholarship competition.)

There are 7 Dept. of NY scholarships of varying sizes and requirements. They have a March 1st deadline to get these to the (current) Chenango County Education Chairman and a March 15th deadline (for them) to get the apps to the (current) Department of NY Education Chairman. Most require having to be the daughter, granddaughter, etc. of a veteran from the specified active war periods. The last 4 listed below are the National biggies - click the link to get apps and requirements. (Nat'l #4 is for out of high school/ older women.) Go to the Dept of NY website for the required cover sheet.

1. Dept. of NY Scholarship, $1,000
2. Dept. District Scholarship $1,000
3. Raymond T. Wellington Jr. Memorial Scholarship, $1,000
4. Maryann K. Murtha Memorial scholarship, $1,000
5. Helen Klimek Student Scholarship, $1,000
6. Past President's Parley - in Medical Field Scholarship, (2) $1,000
7. SAL Detachment of NY: The Cerullo Memorial scholarship Fund. Up to 4, $500 each, awarded annually. 1 new and up to 3 renewable scholarships to previous winners. Must be senior or H.S. graduate. Member in good standing: ALA, Jr, or SAL. April 30 deadline.

National Scholarships
1. Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship. Ten scholarships - $2,500 each, will be awarded to a current college student. Two scholarships will be awarded in each division of the American Legion Auxiliary. The scholarship is a grant; not a loan.
2. ALA Children of Warriors National President Scholarship. 15 are awarded per year. 3 in each division of Auxiliary: 1- $3,500, 1- 3,000, and 1- $2,500. (I must have missed something as that only adds up to 9, but you can check this online.)
3. ALA Spirit of Youth for Junior ALA Members. 5 scholarships $5,000 each per year. Must be a Jr ALA for the last 3 years and be current paid. Continue ALA membership during 4 year scholarship. Have at least a 3.0 GPA.
4. ALA for Non-Traditional students. 5 -$2,000 each. Must be a member in good standing (at least 2 years). Returning to the classroom, formal education was interrupted or beginning education later in life. Not eligible for Spirit of Youth.