The Gerber Foundation Merit Scholarship provides financial support to high school seniors from select high schools in Newaygo, Muskegon, and Oceana counties. The scholarship is designed to assist students pursuing post-secondary education or vocational training. Eligible students must be graduating seniors who meet the required GPA standards and plan to attend an accredited post-secondary institution in the U.S., either for a degree program or a vocational certification.

In Newaygo County, the eligible high schools are Fremont, Grant, Hesperia, Newaygo, White Cloud, and home-schooled students residing in Newaygo County. For Muskegon County, students from Holton, Muskegon, and Ravenna high schools are eligible, while in Oceana County, the eligible high schools include Hart, Pentwater, Shelby, and Walkerville. Each county may have specific GPA requirements, which applicants should refer to in the flyer for details.

Applicants must have a GPA between 3.0 and 3.84 and must be planning to attend an accredited post-secondary program in the U.S. that leads to a baccalaureate or associate degree, or a vocational or technical training program leading to a certificate. Students planning to attend federal military or maritime academies or those who are foreign exchange students are not eligible for this scholarship.

The scholarship offers a total value of $5,750, which can be used for tuition, books, course fees, tools, or equipment required for post-secondary education. To apply, students must submit their educational information, a personal statement consisting of four short-answer questions, a letter of recommendation, and a high school counselor’s grade report. The application must be submitted online through the Gerber Foundation’s scholarship portal.

The deadline for application submissions is February 28th of each year by 4 pm ET. Applicants can register for the scholarship and submit their applications via the Gerber Foundation’s online portal. After registration, students will receive a temporary password for their first login. Selection of recipients is based on academic achievements, standardized test performance, and evaluations of the personal statement and letter of recommendation. Scholarship recipients are announced during their high school’s award or honors ceremony.

For any questions regarding the scholarship or application process, students can contact the Gerber Foundation at 231.924.3175 or email tgf@gerberfoundation.org. Additional information and the application portal are available on the Gerber Foundation’s official website.