The Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) Scholarship aims to make college affordable for students who live in the LEA service area (Bridgton, Casco, Denmark, Harrison, Naples, Sebago, Sweden, Waterford) with the intent to major in Environmental Studies / Sciences and help them reach their full potential. The program is funded by the LEA and administered by The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI).
The Award
Four-year, renewable scholarship to cover tuition, fees and educational expenses at a four-year college/university in the U.S., provided requirements are met.
Scholarship amounts will be determined based on the financial aid award package the student receives from the college they choose to attend. Scholarships will range up to $5,000 per year.
Requirements:
Residency
U.S. citizens or non-citizens eligible to apply for FAFSA.
Permanent resident of one of the towns in the LEA service area in Maine. Eligible towns include: Bridgton, Casco, Denmark, Harrison, Naples, Sebago, Sweden, or Waterford, Maine.
Financial Circumstances
Senior or recent high school graduate.
Adjusted Gross Family Income (AGI) of $100,000 or less.
Unmet financial need of $5,000 or more, after subtracting student aid index (SAI)and all other financial aid offered from the college/university.
Academic
Enrolling as a first-year student in a four-year undergraduate degree program, at a US accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university full-time in 2025.
Intend to major in Environmental Studies / Sciences.
Strong academic record in high school.
Students interested in renewing their award must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
Personal
Involved in a balance of community, school, and work activities.
Motivated to excel in college.
Complete applications are due Wednesday, February 26, 2025 by 11:59 PM. Only complete applications submitted online will be reviewed. Please follow instructions carefully. You can access the application here: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=tpischolarship Once you create an account and log in, there should be an opportunity to enter an Access Code at the top of the page. Please enter: LEA
How to Apply
Review Eligibility: Review these guidelines for eligibility requirements.
Review Application: For a PDF copy of the application please email LEAscholarship@tpi.org.
Required Documents: Instructions on how to submit required attachments are included in the online application (options include uploading electronic files, scanning and uploading, or using a fax-to-file feature).
Recommendation: Recommender must upload a letter of recommendation to the student’s online application. Instructions are included in the application.
The following materials are required. Only complete applications submitted online will be considered.
Application Submitted Online
Extracurricular Information or Resume
Letter of Recommendation (from a teacher, guidance counselor, work supervisor, community leader, coach, or any other non-family member who knows the student well)
Essay – A writing sample that reflects the student’s personal history and aspirations for the future (e.g. college application essays or personal statement)
High school transcript
FAFSA Submission Summary – The ENTIRE document must be submitted.
Timeline
Application deadline is February 26, 2025 by 11:59PM.
Selected applicants will be invited for interviews in April.
Scholarship recipients and amounts will be announced in late April.
If awarded, scholarships will be sent directly to colleges by the end of July.
