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MHS enjoys record amount of college scholarship money
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Published: July 17, 2009
With more than $2 million in scholarships awarded to Mooresville High's class of 2009 – the most ever for the school's seniors -- school district officials say much of the praise should be directed toward the high school's counselors and their efforts in the previous school year.
Whether it was hosting informational programs for parents or identifying which students would be eligible for specific scholarships, MHS counselors played a large role in creating the record year for scholarships in the Mooresville Graded School District, said Supt. Mark Edwards.
Principal Todd Wirt agreed.
"We've made a lot of efforts in the last year and a half to improve the services of our counseling department," he said, noting that evening events regarding scholarships and financial aid were well attended by parents and students.
He added that counselors tried to make scholarship applications not only available for students, but a realistic goal.
Additionally, Wirt said two of the school's five counselors specifically focused on senior level needs, which is planned again for the upcoming school year.
One counselor, Allyson Huntley, will remain a senior counselor each school year, said Wirt. He added that MHS will begin rotating their other counselors to remain with and assist the same batch of students for four years, starting as freshmen and continuing through the class' graduation.
Huntley, who served as one of two senior counselors in the 2008-09 school year, said counselors regularly posted available scholarships online and to the highly utilized Angel forum used by students.
Also, the counseling secretary regularly mentioned various scholarships to students visiting the office.
And depending on the particular scholarship, Huntley said she and last year's fellow senior counselor, JD Haglan, often called students into their offices and encouraged them to apply for particular scholarships.
She added that financial aid nights received heavy attendance with parents "trying to find out how to get money" whether through aid programs or scholarships.
"Our community desires that help with scholarships," she said.
Approximately $2.2 million in scholarships was accepted by the 2009 graduates. More than that was awarded, Huntley said, but MHS only accounts for the money actually accepted. In other words, if a student received a scholarship offer from several colleges, only the amount accepted was counted in the MHS total.
Not only did class of 2009 students receive $83,070 in community and civic scholarships, but more than 23 colleges and universities awarded scholarships to students based on academic performance, merit or athletic ability.
Military scholarships fetched between $80,000 and $114,000 each for several students while other collegiate monies ranged from $1,000 to $75,000.
Wirt said a diverse group of students received scholarships during the previous school year, adding that it was the students' initiative and desire that allowed so many dollars to be awarded to graduates.
"This class was really special," he said, adding that students who weren't necessarily in the top percentage still received college money.
Also, a rarity occurred when two MHS grads received appointments to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, valued at $400,000 each.
Talking about the class as a whole, Wirt said, "Their grades were outstanding, but the character of this class and the way they treat other people was just remarkable."
Expressing his pride in the recent graduates, he added, "This is a crowning achievement for such an extraordinary group of young people."
The class of 2010, he said, will have big shoes to fill as seniors.
"The class of 2009 has set the bar incredibly high for future graduating classes," he said.
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