Scholarships
NRCSA honors excellence in its member schools annually through a scholarship program designed to help deserving students attend college and pursue careers in public education. There are two different awards given, the NRCSA Scholarships and the Gary Fisher Fine Arts Scholarship. The NRCSA scholarships are endowed through the Lincoln Community Foundation through a gift made by the family of Sheila Dickenson Dinsmore Graf. The Gary Fisher Fine Arts Scholarship is funded through donations from NRCSA members, business affiliates, and a portion of the proceeds from the annual NRCSA golf tournament. Currently, NRCSA gives $44,000.00 dollars in scholarships to students from its member schools, and through the generosity of the Graf family, this number will increase in the coming years. NRCSA is also hopeful that the Gary Fisher Fine Arts Scholarship will grow as well.
The NRCSA Scholarships
NRCSA awards scholarships on an annual basis to high school seniors who plan to enter the field of education. Graduating seniors from NRCSA member schools are eligible to apply for these scholarships. The dollar amounts awarded may vary depending on the funding available through the endowment. Each member school district may submit one boy and one girl in this scholarship competition.
The Gary Fisher Fine Arts Scholarships
There are two (2) awards for a student planning to pursue a college degree and career in fine or performing arts. Graduating seniors, male or female, from NRCSA member schools, are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Member schools may each submit one (1) application in this scholarship competition.
The application packets for these scholarships become available on the NRCSA website shortly after the NASB/NASA conference in mid-November. Postcards containing the details about the application process are mailed to guidance counselors at that time as well. The deadline for submitting applications falls in late January or early February of the following year. The application packet contains the rules and instructions students must follow to apply for these scholarships.
Para to Teacher & Transition to Teaching Scholarships
This scholarship program provides opportunities for two programs that are helping to alleviate the teacher shortage in rural schools: (1) the “Para to Teacher” program such as offered by Chadron State, Peru State and Wayne State, and (2) transitional programs in which a candidate is employed as a teacher while working to attain his/her teaching certification in a program such as that offered by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The colleges or universities attended must be within Nebraska. Candidates must be currently employed by an NRCSA-member school district or ESU.
Three scholarships will be awarded for the fall semester and three scholarships for the spring semester each year. Candidates may be eligible for one scholarship in each semester in a given year, but must make separate applications.
Awards
In addition to the scholarship program, NRCSA also honors the excellence found in the dedicated faculty, administrations, and boards of member schools. NRCSA recognizes those who demonstrate leadership and character in promoting quality education in rural Nebraska with a series of awards presented during the Spring Conference. The awards presented include:
¨ Outstanding Superintendent
¨ Outstanding Principal
¨ Outstanding Board Member
¨ Outstanding ESU Staff Member
¨ Outstanding Classified Staff Member
¨ Outstanding Elementary Teacher
¨ Outstanding Secondary Teacher
¨ Gary Fisher Outstanding Music Teacher
Nomination forms for these awards become available on the NRCSA website shortly after the NASB/NASA conference in mid-November. The deadline for submitting nominations falls in late January or early February of the following year. The awards packet contains the rules and instructions that must be followed to nominate individuals for these awards.