Scholarships for High School Seniors with Disabilities

The William R. Rooney Award

The William R. Rooney Award provides scholarship awards for high school seniors with disabilities. This award is named after William R. Rooney, a long-time educator and former Executive Secretary of The Horace Smith Fund, who advocated for financial assistance for students with special needs.

In general, these scholarships exist to provide college funding to students who possess cognitive, behavioral or emotional impediments that may make it difficult to attain a degree. That’s why, each academic year, we provide one award to a graduating high school senior who is currently on and has been on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Accommodation Plan for a minimum of two years. To qualify, students must be a resident of Hampden County, MA, enrolled in an eligible high school and anticipate attending either a two- or four-year accredited college full time.

Awards are determined using all available information including academic records, college entrance examination scores, general attainments, recommendations, and financial need. The awards continue through the four-year course if justified by the student’s record and need. Students with disabilities should complete the William R. Rooney Award application and submit a copy of their full, current and signed IEP or 504 Plan, in addition to the other required documents. Students who qualify and apply for this award are not eligible to apply for the Walter S. Barr Scholarship.

Awards are granted in the amount of $3,000 per academic year, paid in $1,500 installments each semester, and carry a maximum value of up to $12,000. Awards may be automatically renewed each year, provided a minimum GPA of 3.0 is maintained.

Instructions

Listed below are instructions to apply for William R. Rooney Award for high school seniors with disabilities. Awards will be based on all available information, including academic records, recommendations, and examination scores. Consideration will be given to both the merit and financial need of the applicant.

Completed application, letters of reference, high school transcript, and IEP or 504 Plan must be received in the Horace Smith Fund office no later than March 15th. If you receive your college’s financial aid package (school-awarded scholarships, grants, work/study) after your application is submitted to us and prior to March 15th, please forward the information to our office.

DO NOT staple or permanently bind any of your application materials in any way.

Step 1: Official High School Transcript

Applicants are responsible for having an official high school transcript mailed to the address below. Alternatively, you may request to have your school’s guidance department email your transcript directly to info@horacesmithfund.org. If you are applying before your first marking period has ended, please have your transcript sent after grades have been finalized.

The Horace Smith Fund
Bismarck Place
16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K
Westfield, MA 01085

Step 2: IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan

You are required to submit a current and signed copy of your IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan for your application to be considered complete. Please request your school counselor email this document to info@horacesmithfund.org or mail to:

The Horace Smith Fund
Bismarck Place
16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K
Westfield, MA 01085

Step 3: College Entrance Exams

Applicants are encouraged to take the SAT or the ACT and submit scores to enhance their application. The College Board measures general verbal and quantitative reasoning with the SAT, and the ACT measures achievement related to high school curricula. When registering for the SAT or requesting your scores through College Board, indicate you would like them sent to us electronically by using our organization code of 0017. If you have taken the ACT, please have your score report mailed to:

The Horace Smith Fund
Bismarck Place
16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K
Westfield, MA 01085

Step 4: Reference Forms

Three people, not relatives, should complete reference forms for you. At least two references should be from a high school guidance counselor and teacher in charge of your IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan and who are familiar with your ability and potential. Seek appropriate references from those who are willing to write about your accomplishments. You are responsible for sending your recommenders a link to the Rooney Award Reference Form. Alternatively, you can download blank forms and provide them with a paper copy. If mailing, please send all information to:

The Horace Smith Fund
Bismarck Place
16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K
Westfield, MA 01085

Step 5: Personal Statement/Essay and Application

The personal statement, which is part of your application, is very important. This essay will help to distinguish you from other outstanding applicants. Your essay should present who you are and who you hope to become as you pursue your education and career goals. Avoid a mere relisting of activities that are presented elsewhere in the application. List any extenuating financial circumstances that you think may impede your ability to attend college. Your academic records, activities, and recommendations will define your merit; your statement in the essay will provide the impact of this scholarship on your financial need.

Complete and submit the scholarship application online or download blank forms. Completed applications can be mailed to:

The Horace Smith Fund
Bismarck Place
16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K
Westfield, MA 01085

Step 1 of 6

Instructions for William R. Rooney Award Applicants ENTERING COLLEGE

1. Complete and submit the scholarship application online or download blank forms. DO NOT staple or permanently bind any of your application materials in any way. If Mailing, PLEASE SEND ALL INFORMATION TO THE HORACE SMITH FUND AT THIS ADDRESS:

THE HORACE SMITH FUND 16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2-K Westfield, MA 01085

2. Completed applications and all supporting documents must be received in The Horace Smith Fund office no later than March 15th. A current and signed copy of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Accommodation Plan must be included as part of the application.

3. The applicant is responsible for having an official high school transcript mailed to The Horace Smith Fund.

4. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of the College Entrance Examination Board or the ACT and submit the scores to enhance their application. The College Board measures general verbal and quantitative reasoning with the SAT and measures achievement related to high school curricula with the ACT. When registering for the examination or when completing a College Board transcript request form, please ask the College Board to send the scores to us by indicating 0017 as the code number and “The Horace Smith Fund, 16 Union Avenue, Ste. 2K, Westfield, MA 01085” as one of the institutions to which a score request should be sent.

5. Three persons, not relatives, should complete reference forms for you. At least two references should be from a high school counselor and teacher in charge of your IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan and who are familiar with your ability and potential. Seek appropriate references from those who are willing to write about your accomplishments. Reference forms should be completed online or mailed by the person writing the reference to The Horace Smith Fund.

6. The “Personal Statement/Essay,” which is part of your application, is very important. The essay will help distinguish you from other outstanding applicants. Your essay should present who you are and who you hope to become as you pursue your education and career goals. List any extenuating financial circumstances that you think may impede your ability to attend college. Your academic records, activities, and recommendations will define your merit; your statement in the essay will provide the impact of this scholarship on your financial need.

7. Awards made will be based on all available information, including school records, recommendations, and examination scores. Consideration will be given to both the merit and financial need of the applicant.

PERSONAL DATA

Name(Required)

First Middle Name or Initial Last

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Email(Required)

Telephone(Required)

Cell Phone

High School(Required)

Graduation Year(Required)

REFERENCES

List below the three persons, not relatives, whom you have asked to be your references.

At least two references should be from high school counselors or teachers, who are familiar with your ability and potential.

Name

First Last

Title

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Name

First Last

Title

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Name

First Last

Title

Address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Click Here to download the Reference Form. You are responsible for providing each recommender a paper copy of the form or the link to complete the Reference Form online. Reference forms must be completed online or mailed to The Horace Smith Fund.

Check this box to confirm you understand this step in the process.

PERSONAL APTITUDES AND INTERESTS

List offices or leadership roles you have held in school, student organizations or in the community.

List your school activities (e.g., sports, music, theater, journalism, community service, etc.)

List your activities outside of school (e.g., community service, volunteer activities, Scouts, church organizations, clubs, etc.)

Describe awards or prizes that you have received for achievement at school or in the community.

List any special training you have received (e.g., music, art, martial arts, dance, sports, etc.)

PERSONAL STATEMENT/ESSAY

Personal Essay(Required)

This is an important essay that will distinguish you from other highly competent applicants. Please provide your thoughtful response in the space provided below. Explain why you consider yourself a good applicant for the Walter S. Barr Scholarship. Include your most significant achievements, academic interests, subjects that you like best and the reasons that have led to your education and career goals.

STUDENT FINANCES

List your work experience, including summers(Required)

Employer

Dates of Employment

Type of Work

Earnings

Why no work

If you have no work experience, explain why:

Your total savings from all sources(Required)

Using the official cost estimates for your first college choice (see below), complete the following projections for the first year.

College Name(Required)

College Location(Required)

Your expenses(Required)

Tuition

Fees

Room & Board

Total Expenses(Required)

Your resources(Required)

From your savings

From parents and-or others

Summer earnings

College aid: Grants

College aid: Work-study

College aid: Loans

Total Resources(Required)

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

In order of preference, list the colleges for which you have applied(Required)

College

Date of Application

Accepted?

Signature of applicant(Required)

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Date(Required)

For High School Seniors with Special Needs

The William R. Rooney Award

Instructions

Step 1: Official High School Transcript

Step 2: IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan

Step 3: College Entrance Exams

Step 4: Reference Forms

Step 5: Personal Statement/Essay and Application

PERSONAL DATA

REFERENCES

PERSONAL APTITUDES AND INTERESTS

PERSONAL STATEMENT/ESSAY

STUDENT FINANCES

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

Contact

News

Give