The Republic School District would like to congratulate two students from the Republic High School Class of 2023, who were awarded rootEd Alliance Undergraduate Scholarships. Aniya Ackfeld and Lilian Howell were among the 32 students across the state to receive the awards, which are worth up to $12,000, and renewable for up to five years, to support the students' pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.
rootEd Alliance is a national philanthropic organization dedicated to ensuring students in rural communities graduate on a path to achieve career success and economic stability. The high school graduates who were awarded the scholarships are all from rural communities across Missouri and plan to attend a four-year college or university in the coming year.
rootEd scholarships are “last dollar,” which means they are intended to fill a student’s unmet financial needs based on their full cost of attendance after other financial aid is considered. By helping students to graduate nearly debt-free, the program aims to increase college enrollment and completion for students in rural Missouri. Research shows students from rural communities often face unique barriers to accessing and achieving education and training opportunities after high school graduation.
A list of the newly awarded 2023 scholars can be found here.
Since 2018, 111 students have benefited by participating in this renewable scholarship. The scholars serve as sources of inspiration and mentorship for other rural students as they pursue college and their future careers.
The scholarships are administered by The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, a nonprofit with a 103-year track record of providing last-dollar scholarships and interest-free loans to Missouri residents, as well as intensive student support services, such as mentoring, financial planning and guidance, mental health support, and internship opportunities.