PHS scholarship applications due Jan. 31

Posted January 20, 2025

The deadline is approaching for Plymouth High School seniors to apply for dozens of local scholarships, including three new ones.

New scholarships

• Chris Helmer Memorial Scholarship: Offered in memory of educator Chris Helmer, a 1989 graduate of Plymouth High School who returned to Plymouth with his family in 2014 to take a position as a special education teacher at Fairview Elementary School and became principal of Horizon Elementary School in 2023. The scholarship will be awarded to up to three PHS graduates pursuing training, certification, or degrees in a career working with children.
• David John Peters "Never Give Up" Scholarship: Offered in memory of PHS Alumni Hall of Fame inductee David Peters by his brother Jason Peters and the Never Give Up Foundation. The scholarship is for students who have experienced adversity throughout their life and write about it in an essay.
• Bill Lammers Memorial Scholarship: Offered in memory of Bill Lammers, a PHS graduate. The scholarship is open to any PHS senior, with preference given to first-generation college attendees and/or Lakeland College attendees.

Deadlines

PHS students can apply for these and 57 others with one form, the Local Scholarship Profile and Application. Completed applications are due by 3 p.m. Friday Jan. 31 to the PHS Counseling Department.

Please note that the separate Class Exemplar Application also is due at 3 p.m. Friday Jan. 31. This opportunity is open to seniors with a ranking of cum laude or higher, who have exceptional soft skills and no athletic or school code violations, and who have participated in at least 10 extracurricular activities. A faculty committee will chose a class exemplar to deliver a commencement address and receive the $5,000 Rhyan Family Class Exemplar Scholarship.

Seniors also should note that applications are due by 3 p.m. Friday April 11 for the Vogt Scholarship, available to all PHS graduates who have earned a 3.0 or higher GPA (based on 7 semesters) and who have participated in 10 approved extracurricular activities.

More than $2.2 million in scholarships was awarded to members of the PHS Class of 2024. The 2025 awards will be announced May 7 at the annual PHS Scholarship Awards Night.

Foundation scholarships

For 35 years, the Plymouth Education Foundation has supported the community's value on continuing education with its Scholarship Program. The foundation has administered more than $500,000 in merit and need-based scholarships to students planning to attend four-year universities and two-year technical colleges.

This year, approximately 45 PHS graduating seniors will receive foundation-administered scholarships, which are included in the Local Scholarship Profile and Application.

The foundation makes it easy for individuals, businesses, and organizations to sponsor a scholarship. Sponsors set the criteria, and the foundation's scholarships committee selects the recipient on the donor's behalf.  Donors are recognized at PHS Scholarship Awards Night and have the opportunity to present the scholarship in person. The foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, so donations are tax deductible.

For more information on how to set up a scholarship through the Plymouth Education Foundation, please call Angela Heinz, executive director, at 920-892-2661 Ext. 1008.

Learn more:

• Visit the Scholarships page of the PHS Counseling Department website, which includes instructions and additional information about the Local Scholarship Profile and Application.
•View or download a list of all scholarships covered by the Local Scholarship Profile and Application.
• Visit the Scholarships page of the Plymouth Education Foundation website for a list of past scholarship recipients or to download a donation form to participate in the scholarship program.
• For more information about available scholarships, contact the PHS Counseling Department at (920) 893-6911 Ext. 1060.