Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Members of the BSD45 family joined together at the November 17 press event for the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund's expansion into Barnwell County. This scholarship opportunity is available to any 2023 high school graduate who meets the required criteria.
The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is offering $40,000 to any qualifying Barnwell County high school student looking to further their education after graduation.
“With this act of exceptional generosity, we are now able to expand the eligibility of the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund to deserving students in Barnwell County,” said Ben Navarro, founder of the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund.
This scholarship fund expanded into Barnwell County this year due to support from anonymous donors. It is available across ten counties in the state; Barnwell, Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg.
“Students who have worked hard to earn acceptance to our state’s best colleges should not be held back by daunting college costs. Expanding opportunity is our mission, and we are excited to follow these incredible students as they achieve their dreams,” said Navarro.
“The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is truly life changing and helps make college dreams become a reality for so many students,” said Barnwell County School District 45 Superintendent Dr. Crissie Stapleton.
There is no limit to the number of students receiving this scholarship, meaning if you meet the criteria and apply, you have a good chance of being a recipient. In previous years, this fund handed out over $3 million to 276 students in the first two years.
Navarro and his wife Kelly founded the fund in 2020 as a program of the Beemok Family Foundation, a private nonprofit focused on education, literacy, and mental health.
“With no limit to the number of scholarships granted, every student who completes the simple online application and meets the fund’s eligibility criteria will receive the scholarship,” states the press release detailing the organization's expansion into Barnwell County.
Some of these colleges include Anderson University, Clemson University, University of South Carolina Columbia, Winthrop University, Newberry College, and many more.
There are five requirements for students to receive up to $10,000 per year toward a four year education. Applicants must live in Barnwell County (or other participating counties) and they must graduate from a public or charter school in 2023.
Applicants must complete the FAFSA and receive a Pell Grant. Pell Grants are provided by the federal government to qualifying students who need assistance in paying for their education. Applicants must also attend one of the eligible colleges or universities.
Lastly, applicants must earn an SC Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship. To earn an SC LIFE scholarship, a student must meet two of the following criteria: earn at least a 3.0 GPA in high school, score at least a 1100 on the SAT or a 22 on the ACT, and rank in the top 30% of their graduating class.
The Palmetto Fellows scholarship requires students to earn at least a 3.5 GPA, earn a 1200 on the SAT or a 27 on the ACT, and rank in the top 6% of their class at the end of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.
If a student has a 4.0 GPA, a 1400 on the math and critical reading portion of the SAT or a 32 on the ACT, their class ranking will be disregarded if it does not meet the above criteria.
For more information on these federal grants, visit https://www.che.sc.gov/.
"The opportunity to receive a Meeting Street Scholarship is a financial blessing to our scholars who desire to pursue higher education," said Dr. Marcella Shaw, Interim Superintendent of Barnwell County Consolidated School District. "The scholarship works hand-in-hand with our graduation coaches and school counselors who work with students to secure as much college funding as possible."
“Scholarships such as these go further than merely providing financial aid for many students; they reward deserving students with greater possibilities in their futures, gives them more choices when determining their next steps in higher education, recognizes the hard work these students have put forth to be successful in high school, and it further allows them to receive the great benefit of gaining knowledge and expertise in a specialized field of study,” said Dr. Stapleton. “It is my hope and desire that this expansion will allow more students the opportunity to make their dreams for the future come true.”
Barnwell County falls among the top ten counties in the state with the highest poverty rates, according to 2020 U.S. Census data, which is one of the reasons the scholarship fund expanded here.
This fund aims to bridge the gap in accessibility to higher education by alleviating some of the financial burden students face trying to further their studies.
Application deadlines are scheduled once a month with the first being on December 9. Applicants will be notified of their eligibility within one week of each monthly submission deadline.
For more information on deadline dates or to apply to this scholarship, visit https://meetingstreetscholarshipfund.org/.
