Each year for the past nine years,
The John Weston Frederick Griffiths Memorial Scholarship has provided money to a Golden High School graduating senior to continue their education at a technical school, junior college or college. The scholarship is in memory of my brother and was started by my mother
Joyce Griffiths, a retired high school teacher. This is the first year we are opening the application process to any graduating senior from a Jefferson County Colorado high school.
Unfortunately,
Weston passed away in 1997. But before he died he developed an appreciation for learning that many of us take for granted.
Wes struggled academically throughout high school but eventually a learning disability diagnosis, his perseverance, and the efforts of his school counselors
Debbie Cooper and
Yossi Martonovich helped him to finish school. After graduating from Golden in 1996, he surprised us all and continued onto Santa Rosa Community College in California and maintained a 3.4 grade average.
This scholarship is unique as it is not based on grades; instead, it recognizes a student's effort to overcome their learning challenges and encourages them to continue this pursuit academically. Students with learning disabilities not only face the challenge of coping with their disability but many are not receiving the assistance required to be successful in life. We hope this scholarship will provide its recipient an incentive or opportunity to continue their education that they might not have had otherwise.
It is in the spirit of
Weston's hard work to overcome his learning disability, defy the odds and graduate which this scholarship commemorates and wishes to recognize in other young people who conquer the hurdles of life and graduate from high school.
Applicants for the scholarship must:
- Have a diagnosed learning disability
- Complete their senior year at a Jefferson County Colorado high school
- Intend to further his/her education at an accredited or licensed school
Application process:
1. Applicants must provide the following in a folder with the student's name
on the cover
· A cover letter including: name, address, school planning to attend,
statement of need for the scholarship and for what it will be used
· Two reference letters (one letter must be from a teacher in the Jefferson
County R1 district)
· Current transcript
2. Applications are due by April 15, 2008 and should be mailed to:
Joyce Griffiths
1011 Pierce Street #20
Lakewood, CO 80214
3. Incomplete entries will be disqualified as will those which fail to meet the deadline or follow the directions provided
4. Finalists must make themselves available for a personal interview if the judges so require.
5. If approved for the scholarship, the recipient is responsible for submitting the following to the address listed above:
· An acceptance letter from the school the student will be attending
· Proof of enrollment in the school by December 2008.
· Student's final transcript proving graduation
For more information, go to
http://westonscholarship.com/ or e-mail
suzihoffer@westonscholarship.com.