FOPW Scholarship

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Friends Of Poly Western Scholarship Application

2026 FRIENDS OF POLY-WESTERN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

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Our History And Purpose

Friends of Poly-Western (FOPW) is a recognized Non-Profit 501(C) 3 organization established in 2004 by alumni, alumnae, and friends of both Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) and Western High School to support the needs of the schools and recognize the academic excellence, community service and school commitment of college bound graduating seniors. As elite historic academic institutions for over 100 years, Poly and Western maintain a reputation for developing the top scholars in Maryland. The goal of FOPW is to be supportive of the needs of both schools, through fundraising, scholarships and community involvement. Since our first golf tournament fundraiser in 2009, FOPW has awarded over $31,000 in scholarships to very deserving students at Poly and Western. In addition, $6,000 was donated to replace the original video screen in the Poly-Western Auditorium. Other monetary donations purchased school supplies and supported Poly’s International Award Winning Vex Robotics Team. FOPW has also provided STEM mentoring programs, participated in career days, and acted as judges at the Vex International Robotics Regional Qualifier hosted at Poly.

Our Mission

The mission of Friends of Poly-Western is to advance higher education and improve the lives of public service minded and intellectually gifted college bound students from Poly and Western. FOPW offers two scholarships. The Gerald A. Perrin scholarship, FOPW’s inaugural scholarship, honors Mr. Perrin’s humanitarian spirit, his passion for education, and his commitment to help others achieve excellence. The Robin Kane-Prater scholarship honors Mrs. Kane-Prater, a Western Alumnae, and former head counselor at Poly, who demonstrated passion and commitment in the advancement of students to higher education. Funds raised from our annual tournament are used to provide scholarships to deserving graduates from Poly and Western who share a passion for academic excellence, commitment to support Poly and Western, and commitment to community service. Annually graduating seniors from Poly and Western High School will be awarded one (1) $1000 Gerald A. Perrin scholarship and one (1) $500 Robin Kane-Prater scholarship per school.

Our Motto

Our motto is “Going Back to Give Back”.

Eligibility

The Friends of Poly-Western Scholarship will be a non-renewable gift, awarded to the student before he or she matriculates in August 2025.The scholarship awards are contingent upon the Friends of Poly-Western scholarship committee receiving verification of the student’s acceptance at his or her College or University. The scholarship recipients will be recognized at their graduation ceremonies of Poly or Western.

Qualified applicants shall meet the following criteria:

  1. Must be a graduating senior from Poly/Western, who has been accepted by a four-year accredited college or university.
  2. Scholastic Achievement – Certified/Official high school transcript reflecting a minimum cumulative average GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  3. Record of non-sports related extracurricular activities to reflect a well-rounded, community minded student (e.g. clubs, student government, mentoring, and community service).
  4. A recent photograph of the applicant (senior photo preferred).
  5. 2 Letters of Recommendation:
    1. Teacher/Counselor/Principal
    2. Supervisor (if employed) or Community Organization Leader
  6. All of the above requirements must be included in a single, complete package and submitted to their guidance office by Friday, April 24, 2026.
  7. Package must be received by April 24, 2026, of the applicant’s senior year so that FOPW can review the packages, select the recipients, and notify the schools prior to graduation.
Your Name(Required)
Your Address(Required)
Parent/Guardian Name(Required)
Max. file size: 64 MB.
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    PART II: ESSAY

    250 Word Minimum Typewritten Essay
    1. The essay must include the following:
      1. How the students will use their college degree to prepare them for giving back to Poly-Western.
      2. How the student plans to give back to the schools during and after their college years.
      3. How the student plans to continue the FOPW legacy of ongoing support to their respective alma maters.
    2. Essay must be submitted in hardcopy.
    3. Essay must be in Microsoft Word format and double spaced in New Times Roman 10-point font.
    4. Header should include:
      1. Full Name (First, Middle and Last name) of student
      2. Permanent Home Address of student
      3. Home and alternate contact number of student
      4. Name and contact number of parent or legal guardian
      5. Date of submission
      6. Name of school (Poly or Western)
      7. Title of Essay
    5. Essay must be signed by both the student and their parent/legal guardian as confirmation that the essay was written by the student.
    Max. file size: 64 MB.

    PART II: ESSAY

    Applicants must submit a typewritten essay on the following topics. Please review and answer the questions in detail:

    1. Explain the impact of attending Poly/Western and how you plan to give back to the school now and in the future.
    2. Pick an experience from your own life and explain how it has influenced your development.
    3. How has your education contributed to who you are today?
    4. Describe how you have demonstrated leadership ability both in and out of school.
    5. Describe your most meaningful achievements and how they relate to your future goals.
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      Please Enter Your Student Counselors Information Below:(Required)
      Who Will Complete Your Student Recommendation? (Please DO NOT Include Your Counselor)(Required)

      All applications must be received by Friday, April 24, 2026

      SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

      Scholarship recipients will be selected on the basis of points calculated from the application and materials submitted. The application and all required materials (essay, and supplemental materials) must be submitted in the same envelope and received by Friday, April 24, 2026.

      *Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be eligible for the scholarship.

      My submission below indicates that the information provided in this application and all supporting documents are accurate and correct to the best of my knowledge. My submission further indicates my full understanding and acceptance of the guidelines for award of the scholarship.