Through the Elks National Foundation and the Tennessee Elks Benevolent Trust scholarship opportunities are available to local students. Over $4.2 million will be invested in college scholarships this year through Elks.
The Elks National Foundation announced the start of the 2021 Most Valuable Student scholarship contest. The Most Valuable Student scholarship is available to high school seniors who are United States citizens. Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks. Applicants are judged on academics, leadership, service and financial need. The application is completed online and must be submitted by the Nov. 15 deadline.
The 500 national winners will be announced in April 2021, after the top 20 finalists participate in the Leadership Weekend and interview for the top awards. The ENF will award 20 top scholarships ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. The remaining 480 runners-up will receive $4,000 scholarships.
The TEBT announced the start of Nursing Scholarship and Trade Scholarship contests. The Nursing Scholarship program was selected as the major project for the Tennessee Elks Association in 1956 to relieve a critical shortage of nurses in Tennessee. The need for nursing scholarships is just as important. Each year the Tennessee Elks continue to fund varying levels of scholarships to students.
Nursing scholarship application forms will be distributed to Tennessee Elks Lodges in early October. Chattanooga Elks Lodge #91 will distribute them to high school counselors, colleges and hospitals within the Chattanooga area to be used by individuals pursuing a 4-year degree in the nursing field. Applications must be submitted to the Lodges as indicated on the application forms—usually in January. After judging at the local and state levels, winners are notified in April or May 2021.
The Trade Scholarship program also administered by TEBT is an innovative scholarship intended to help those students that are often overlooked for financial aid. The Trade Scholarship is for graduating seniors as well as non-traditional students (those changing career fields or those needing additional education to progress in their current career) who will be pursuing a trade or certificate program.
All Elks scholarship information is now available online at elks.org and tnelks.org. For more information, contact Chattanooga Elks Lodge #91.