Alburnett board changes Rockwood Scholarship

Ben Lahue graduates from Alburnett High School in less than three months. Earlier this month, he knew how he was going to pay for college. Now he isn't sure.

“I went to school on Monday and everything was fine,” Lahue, 18, of Toddville, said. “Now - everyone is just kind of shocked.”

Seniors learned Feb. 16 that school board members unanimously voted to change the Rockwood Scholarship for the class of 2010. Instead of funding four semesters of college, students who qualify for the award - named after Carl “Bucky” Rockwood - will receive a one year scholarship, defined as two semesters.

The actual dollar amount won't be known until later in the school year.

Principal Tom Stewart said the change was made so the school could fulfill the wishes of Dora Rockwood Cumley, who created the scholarship in her brother's memory.

“Dora Cumley really wanted to give as much scholarship money as she could to as many students as she could for as long as she could,” Stewart said.

Since 2002, the district has awarded Rockwood Scholarships totaling more than $270,620 to 76 students.

Initially, the scholarship was competitive. From 2002 through 2007, Alburnett seniors competed for a total of $50,000.

In 2008, the scholarship shifted from competitive to grade-point average driven.

All Alburnett seniors who qualified - attended the high school for four years, had a cumulative 3.25 GPA, lived or open-enrolled in the district - received four semesters tuition assistance. The amount was based upon the credit cost at Kirkwood Community College. Students who received the scholarship had to maintain a 2.5 GPA in college.

The class of 2009 also received four semesters tuition assistance, except the students had to maintain a 2.8 GPA in college.

Fifteen Alburnett graduates received the scholarship in 2008; 26 seniors won it last year. Members of the class of 2010 assumed they would have the opportunity.

The scholarships are funded by the interest from a trust. Stewart said the fund lost money in the stock market and is being rebuilt. Meanwhile, the number of qualifying students are outpacing the growth of the fund.

Variables outside the district's control - Kirkwood's increased college credit cost and the number of credit hours students opt to take - also had an impact.

Board members reviewed four options before making a decision. They could do nothing and see the entire scholarship paid out in four years, return the scholarship to its competitive roots, give a maximum payout of $1,000 to students who qualified or divide the amount of money available for this year's scholarships equally among the qualifying students.

The board voted to divide the available money among the qualifying students. This likely will lead to scholarships worth more than $1,000.

“It was the best choice that allows us to help as many kids as possible for as long as possible,” Stewart said.

“I do understand the disappointment,” Stewart said. “I would have loved for this to continue at its grand effect, but variables outside our control made that impossible.”