(A $1,000.00 scholarship for one year)

Application Period: January 16, 2024 – April 12, 2024

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Jewell T. O’Connell lived in Sacramento during the Depression and wrote and produced plays under contract with the U. S. Government.  During World War II, she became director of entertainment for all U.S.A. facilities west of Omaha, Nebraska.  In the mid-1940’s, she moved to Virginia City, Nevada, where she died on June 14, 1988.

A portion of her estate was earmarked for scholarships for deserving and needy high school graduates from the Sacramento City Unified School District, as well as school districts in Nevada, Nebraska and Ohio.

The O’Connell Scholarship Trust was established in 1998 as a four-year scholarship for tuition and books, plus assistance with room and board. The amount varies from year to year, depending on the earnings of the trust.  Due to lowered earnings, beginning in January 2010, the scholarship was converted to a one-year only scholarship.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE:

Scholarships are available for SCUSD students who attend a district or dependent charter school.  The Jewell T. O’Connell Scholarship considers financial need as one of the primary factors for consideration.  Additional consideration shall be given to the number of children attending college without financial assistance.

• Applicant’s high school transcript must show an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher: nothing below a “C” in a high school where 4.0 is the top grade
• Applicant must not be a recipient of any other scholarship or grant greater than $200 per year at the time of application
• Applicant must select an accredited California college to continue his/her education and must carry a minimum class load of 15 credits per academic period (semester or quarter)

NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS:

Scholarship winners will be announced at the selected student’s High School Awards Assembly, unless otherwise indicated.

APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Any student who meets the stated qualifications must complete an online application.  The completed application must be accompanied by the following documents:

1. Student Essay (essay must be typed in the appropriate box on the application, must be 750 words or less and must include the following):

Describe your educational and vocational goals (short-term and long-term)

How you plan to use the scholarship funds

2. Two Letters of Recommendation (MUST INCLUDE):

• One from a teacher or administrator at the student’s high school; and
• One from outside the school (i.e. employer, pastor, youth leader, or community leader)

Transcript:

• An unofficial transcript of student’s high school record, including the first semester of your senior year

College Enrollment:

• Verification of acceptance to a California college, or acknowledgement by the college that the process is underway