The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship is a $1,500 award renewable for up to three additional years which will be made, contingent upon receipt of a federal grant, to an equal number of graduating seniors or equivalents in each congressional district, which represents equitable geographic distribution of the State of Georgia, on the basis of the criteria stated below. One student from each high school in the state of Georgia may be nominated for consideration. The award is made without consideration for the location of the institution of higher learning named by the applicant. This award will not be based on the applicant’s financial need. The initial award will be applicable to educational costs for the 2010-2011 school year. Permanent residents of Georgia who are temporarily not in residence may generate the application process by contacting the Georgia Department of Education and requesting nomination materials.

Criteria

The applicant must:

• Be a graduating senior in a public, private, or home study school, or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate given in the year of the award.
• Be a legal resident of Georgia.
• Be a citizen of the United States or a national, or a permanent resident who meets the residency requirements listed above, and provides documentation to that fact from INS.
• Have applied or been accepted for enrollment at an institution of higher education as defined in the Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR 600.4; a proprietary institution of higher education; or a postsecondary vocational institution.
• Have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.
• Show promise of continued academic achievement.
• File application materials which include all requested documentation on or before February 1, of the current school year.

Documentation

Documents submitted to verify the state criteria must include the following:

• A certified transcript of the student’s high school record showing all courses taken, a non-weighted, cumulative numeric average (i.e., 0-100 scale) in core courses, and date of graduation.
• Documents proving citizenship (photostatic copy of birth certificate or statement verifying naturalization including date and number).
• A test record of the student’s performance on all nationally normed tests for which the school has records. This must include scores on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), the SAT Reasoning Test, and/or the American College Test (ACT). No minimum test scores are required for eligibility.
• A signed Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance in Certain Programs, ED. 80-0016 (Revised 10/92).
• A short essay about a significant educational or life experience.

Application Scoring

Local school and state selections will be made by calculating a cumulative score based on scores on a standardized test (SAT, SAT Reasoning Test, ACT), numerical grade average, and the essay. Scoring will be as follows:

• A combined score on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) at one or more sitting(s); a combined score on the critical reading and mathematical reasoning skills sections of the SAT Reasoning Test at one or more sittings; or, a composite score at one sitting on the American College Test (ACT). The SAT or SAT Reasoning Test scores will be divided by ten. The ACT score will be converted to the SAT equivalent and then divided by ten.
• A non-weighted, cumulative numeric average (i.e., 0-100 scale) in core courses. Core courses are chosen from English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and foreign language for a College Preparatory or College Preparatory with Distinction program of study. For a Technology/Career-preparatory or Technology/Career-preparatory with Distinction program of study, four vocational units are also considered to be core courses.
• Essay score (0-60). Total score will be based on content, organization, and mechanics.

Applications And Deadline Dates

Applications are distributed to local school system Byrd Scholarship Program Coordinators in November annually. Applications are not sent directly to students or parents. The completed application and documentation must be received on or before 4 p.m. on February 1, 2010. MATERIALS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DATE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION OR REVIEW. Facsimile transmissions will not be accepted.

Home-Study applications may be downloaded by visiting: http://admin.doe.k12.ga.us/gadoe/blogs/ghpblog.nsf/2/CBRE-6WFLYL/$File/ByrdAppHS2010.doc

For more information on the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, contact your local counselor, or:

Dr. Joe Searle
Director, Governor's Honors Program
Georgia Department of Education
1862 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30334
Tel. (404) 657-0183
Fax (404) 657-7096
E-mail: ghp@doe.k12.ga.us