RAYMOND AND VELMA MERKLE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
A Scholarship Fund of The Denver Foundation
2014 Scholarship Information
for Manual High School & Littleton High School
INTRODUCTION
Raymond Merkle was born in Denver, CO in 1904. His wife, Velma Burkhart, was born in Missouri in 1910 and
moved with her family to Denver in 1914. Married in 1929 in Greeley, Colorado, the Merkle’s made Colorado their
home. Both graduated from Denver Public Schools and valued education and the Denver community in which
they lived. Raymond was employed at First National Bank, was an active Mason, and an avid baseball fan. Velma
was a graduate of Manual High School and Colorado State Teachers’ College (today it is the University of
Colorado), and worked for the Colorado Game and Fish department for over 20 years. Having never had
children of their own, Velma established this scholarship fund in her and Raymond’s name to support students
from Manual and Littleton High schools who are active in their school and community.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants who meet all of the following criteria are encouraged to apply:
•will graduate from Manual High School or Littleton High school during the 2013-2014 academic school year
•have an unweighted cumulative G.P.A. of at least 2.75
•will be a first generation college student (i.e. a student whose parents and grandparents did not
graduate from college, students with siblings who are in college or who have graduated from college are eligible for this scholarship)
•have unmet financial need
•active in their school or community
•planning to attend a trade school, technical school, community college, or a 4-year accredited
college in Colorado
Applicants who are related to a member of the scholarship selection committee or a Denver Foundation employee
or Denver Foundation board member are not eligible to apply.
SELECTION
Recipients will be selected based on financial need, academic acheivement, motivation/desire to attend school,
potential for success in their chosen program, and school and/or community involvement.
AWARDS
Up to four recipients will be selected through a competitive process from each participating school. Award
amounts will vary based on the recipient’s post-secondary plan. In past years, scholarship awards have ranged
from $2,000-$10,000. Scholarship awards will be paid directly to a recipient’s school and can be used toward
tuition, fees, books, and other qualified educational expenses for part-time or full-time study. Award
disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s college or university. All
applicants will be notified regarding the selection committee’s decision by May, 1, 2014.
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund
2014 Application Instructions
Please submit all of the following items in the order listed below in one packet. Applications that are incomplete or
late will not be reviewed by the selection committee.
A. APPLICATION FORM
Complete the application form by hand or download another copy of the form from
www.denverfoundation.org. Click on the ‘Grants/Scholarships’ section to access an electronic copy and complete the application using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Please note that both the applicant and a
parent or guardian must sign the application form.
B. TRANSCRIPT OF GRADES
Submit transcript(s) of all completed high school work, including your fall 2013 grades. If you have
transferred between high schools or have taken colleges courses, include a transcript from each school.
Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Applicants who are selected to receive a scholarship may be required to submit official transcripts for verification.
C. COLLEGE PLACEMENT SCORES
If your transcript does not include your SAT scores and/or ACT scores, submit a copy of the letter you
received from the testing agency with your scholarship application.
D. RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
Include two recommendation letters with your application packet. One letter, from a teacher at your high school, should describe your character, academic ability, motivation to further your education, and
potential for success. A second letter, from an adult who is not related to you and knows you outside of the classroom, should report on your participation in your school and larger community. Recommendation letters should be on letterhead and dated.
E. ESSAY QUESTIONS
Submit a typed personal statement that answers the questions below. Limit your response to two pages.
1. What do you consider to be your three most important accomplishments (personal and/or academic) during high school, and why?
2. Discuss your future plans in relation to your education. What do you plan to study? Why did you choose this field? How do you hope to use what you learn in the future?
DEADLINE
Applications must be postmarked by Friday, February 21, 2014 to be considered by the selection committee.
Please do not use staples. Return all of the required application materials in one packet to:
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund
c/o The Denver Foundation
55 Madison Street, Suite 800
Denver, CO 80206
QUESTIONS?
Contact Jack Czarniecki at 303.966.7328 or [email protected].
RAYMOND AND VELMA MERKLE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
2014 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM
APPLICANT INFORMATION
Title:
Miss
Ms.
Mr.
Other: Name: First
Middle Initial
Last
Mailing Address: Street Address City
State
Zip Code
Phone Number: Alternate Number: Email Address: Birthdate: Month/Date/Year
Are you a first generation college student?
Yes
No Current Cumulative G.P.A: (unweighted)
Name of current high school: Expected Graduation date: Month/Year
List any academic or leadership awards you have received or special academic programs in which you have
participated:
EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES
List the main activities in which you have participated during the past three years (e.g. work, clubs, sports, music,
volunteer work, church youth groups, etc.). Attach an additional worksheet, if necessary.
Activity
Time Commitment
Dates (From-To)
Role or Position
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund, 2014, Page 1
EDUCATION PLANS
Please fill out the information below about your college or post-secondary school plans.
Name of College, University,
Vocational, or Trade School
City, State
Have you been
accepted?
Cost of Attendance for
the 2013-2014
academic year*
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
*This information is available on the school’s website or through the Financial Aid Office.
List how many credit hours you plan to enroll in for:Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Expected Major/Program Focus: Expected Date to Begin Classes: Do you plan to live on campus or at home? Will you work this summer or during the school year?
Yes
No
If yes, describe:
Is there anything else you would like the selection committee to know as it considers your application?
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund, 2014, Page 2
ANTICIPATED STUDENT RESOURCES
If you are eligible to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), we strongly encourge you
do so. The FAFSA may qualify you for a wide range of financial aid for college, including various state and
federal grants and loans with competitive rates. If your family is concerned about privacy and/or your parents
do not want to share financial details with you, the FAFSA allows each of you to log in separately to enter
information. To learn more about the FAFSA, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Did you complete the 2014-2015 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)? Yes
No
If you have completed the FAFSA, answer the following two questions:
What is your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) listed on the first page of your SAR (Student Aid Report)? Date of FAFSA completion: (Month/Year)
Note: If you’ve answered the two questions above, please skip to the signature section on the last page of the application.
If you have not completed the FAFSA, answer all of the following questions:
Complete the chart below listing everyone in your current household:
Full Name
Age
Relationship to Student
Name of College Attending in
2014-15, if Applicable
Mother’s Name: Father’s Name: Mother’s Date of Birth: Father’s Date of Birth:
What is your parent or parents’ current marital status? List all income and assets using the chart below. Write “0” if none:
Income/Assets
Total 2013 income earned from work
Parent(s)/
Student
Guardian(s)
$
$
Other 2013 income (interest, inheritance, child support, etc.)
$
$
Total balance of cash, savings, and checking accounts
$
$
Net worth of investments (excluding main residence and retirement accounts) $
$
Net worth of businesses and/or investment farms
$
$
Note: Applicants selected to recieve a scholarship will be required to provide their Student Aid Report or
other documents for verfication. Please contact Jack Czarniecki at [email protected] or call
303.996.7328 if you have any questions.
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund, 2014, Page 3
SIGNATURES (Both the student and parent/guardian signature are required)
I certify that this application and all of the supporting documents (excluding recommendation letters and
transcripts) were prepared by the applicant, and all of the information included is accurate and complete. I
understand that if the applicant is selected for an award, the applicant may be asked to provide proof of the
information stated on this form. I understand that if this information is not provided, or if the information is
different than presented in this application, the scholarship award may be rescinded. If the applicant is
selected to receive an award, he/she agrees that his/her name, photo, award amount, and any information
provided about future plans may be used in announcements or articles (ex. graduation, newspaper) issued by
The Denver Foundation or the recipient’s high school. In addition, by signing this form, I hereby authorize the
post-secondary school that the applicant will be attending to release information about the applicant’s
financial aid package and enrollment status to The Denver Foundation.
____________________________________
Student Signature __________
Date
____________________________________ _______________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Name of Parent/Guardian (please print) __________
Date
_____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Phone Number
Raymond and Velma Merkle Scholarship Fund, 2014, Page 4