Student Scholarships

The Public School Foundation is the fiscal agency that holds and manages several donor-advised college scholarship funds for students graduating in good standing from CHCCS. Student scholarships are provided by community members to assist with tuition and fees and are awarded to students after careful review and interviews by a selection committee. Questions regarding scholarship applications for Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate members should be directed to the BRMA program coordinator. Further information, eligibility requirements and applications are below.

The deadline for all scholarship applications is April 15th. Winners will be announce at senior award ceremonies.

Anne Barnes Scholarship

$1000 one time scholarship for CHCCS graduating senior pursuing a career in the Arts

This fund was created to honor Anne Craig Barnes when she retired from serving in the State House of Representatives. It began as a Student Enrichment Grant (SEG) in the cultural arts and was awarded twice in that capacity. The fund now supports a student scholarship for a graduating senior who is interested in the cultural arts. The Anne Craig Barnes Scholarship in the Arts is awarded to one graduating senior who has demonstrated ability, skill, and long-term interest in the arts, including, but not limited to music, dance, creative writing, film making, drama and other theater arts, painting, drawing, sculpting, photography and other visual arts — and who plans to pursue that interest after graduation. The one-time, $1,000 scholarship is payable to the post-secondary institution the student attends.

Learn more and Apply

The Austin Charles Rainey Memorial Scholarship

$1000 one time scholarship for  Chapel Hill High graduating senior pursuing a career Physical Therapy or Athletic Training

This scholarship fund was created to honor the memory of Austin Rainey, a 2014 graduate of Chapel Hill High School, who passed away in 2016 while he was a college student at UNC-Charlotte. Austin was studying Physical Therapy with an emphasis on Athletic Training. He was the student manager for the UNC-Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team. He had a passion for sports and supporting his favorite teams – as well as a passion for lifting up his fellow students, friends and all who knew him. The Austin Charles Rainey Memorial Scholarship is a one-time award of $1,000 for a two to four year education. Eligible students must be a member of the current year graduating class at Chapel Hill High School and have an interest in obtaining a degree in Athletic Training and/or Physical Therapy.

Learn more and Apply

AVID: Advancement Via Individual Determination   

Interested students should contact their AVID teachers

AVID targets students who show promise but may not have viewed themselves as enrolling in higher level course work in high school or as college students. This scholarship is for AVID participants and one scholarship recipient at each high school (CHS, CHHS and ECHHS) will be selected by that school’s AVID coordinator and/or AVID teachers. The one-time, $500 scholarship is payable to the post-secondary institution the student attends. Interested students should contact their AVID teachers.

The Deshera Mack Scholarship

$1000 one time scholarship for CHCCS graduating senior pursuing a career in the Education

This scholarship fund was created to honor the memory and contributions of Deshera Mack. Ms. Mack served as an administrator in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) for 19 years, first as principal at Seawell Elementary and later opening Rashkis Elementary. She was named CHCCS Principal of the Year in 1996, 2001, and 2007. In 2007, she was named Piedmont Triad/Central Region Principal of the Year. She also served as the Principal Representative on the North Carolina State Board of Education. After retirement in 2011, Ms. Mack served in various interim administrative capacities with CHCCS. The Public School Foundation is awarding a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for a two to four year education. Eligible students must be a member of the current year graduating class at any of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools High Schools. Eligible students must also have demonstrate meaningful volunteer experience. An interest in pursuing a degree and career in Education is required.

Learn more and Apply

Empowerment Scholarship

$10,000 four year achievement based scholarship, if requirements are maintained, awarded to a CHCCS student of color who identifies as a woman

The Empowerment Scholarship is an achievement based four-year scholarship that will be awarded to one graduating senior from either Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill High School or East Chapel Hill High School who identifies as a woman of color, has a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and has been admitted to a four year accredited university or college. The scholarship is paid over four years in annual installments of $2,500.

Learn more and Apply

The George Ann McCay EL Scholars

$1000 one time scholarship for CHCCS graduating senior who is or has been classified as an EL student

This scholarship fund was created to honor George Ann McCay, longtime Volunteer Specialist and EL Program Manager, for her service with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools system as well as the community.  George Ann, after almost 20 years of service in the district, and more than 30 years of service in the state, retired in June 2017.

The Volunteers and Partners Office of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is awarding a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for a two- to four-year education.  Eligible students must be a graduating senior  at any of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools High Schools and have been classified as an EL student at some point in their CHCCS career.  Eligible students must also have a minimum of 25 hours of volunteer experience.

Learn more and Apply

The Lincoln High School/Chapel Hill High School Joint Alumni Association Service Award

$1000 one time award for one black and one white CHCCS graduating senior who demonstrates a commitment to building an equitable society that is free of racial discrimination

Each year the Lincoln High School-Chapel Hill High School Joint Alumni Association awards $1,000 checks to two high school seniors who are working to build racial harmony in our community. Until the mid-‘60s, African-American and white students attended separate schools: Lincoln High for the African-American students and Chapel Hill High for the white students. Although the two schools were only a mile apart physically, they were worlds apart culturally. The LHS-CHHS Joint Alumni Association honors high school seniors who are working to bridge the cultural gaps between the African-American and white communities. The Award recipients, one African-American and one white, are building cross-cultural respect and understanding with their activities and projects. Recent award winners created a multicultural church orchestra, an after-school program, and a racial sensitivity training session for teachers.  

 Donations may also be sent to PSF, P.O. Box 877, Carrboro, NC 27510.  Write LHS-CHHS AWARD in memo line.

Learn more and Apply

 New American Scholarship

$8000 scholarship for a CHCCS graduate who is a recent immigrant who needs financial assistance

The New American Scholarship is awarded to one graduating student from the CHCCS district who is a recent immigrant to the United States and for whom financial assistance is necessary in order to fulfill their vision of a college education. Initiated in 2010 through the contributions of anonymous donors, the scholarship is paid to the post-secondary institution the student attends in equal installments of $4,000 over two years for a total of $8,000.

Learn more and Apply

R.D. Smith Fund

$500 one time award for students with strong academic standing and financial need

The fund was created by the Chapel Hill Firefighters Association to honor Mr. Smith and his lifetime of service to students as a teacher and school administrator and Chapel Hill Town Council member. Applications are awarded at senior awards days at the high schools. The R.D. Smith Fund awards $500 scholarships at each of the four high schools in CHCCS (Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill High School, East Chapel Hill High School and Phoenix Academy High School). Each candidate must complete the application below, have taken one or more CTE courses, and have been accepted into a technical school or college (the scholarship will go directly to the college). The criteria for this award include financial need, academic standing, and the student’s promise for the future.

Learn more and Apply

Tina Schmoock Opportunity Scholarship

$2000 one time award for current year graduates of Carrboro High School with financial need

Tina Schmoock Opportunity Scholarship is awarded to a graduating Senior at Carrboro High School in recognition of prior academic excellence, demonstrated leadership qualities, and outstanding intellectual promise. These scholarships are $2,000 each and proven financial need is required.

Elizabeth Raney Vincent Fund for Foreign Language

$500 one time award for a current year graduate of Chapel Hill High School 

The fund was created by Mr. Raney to honor his sister, Elizabeth Raney Vincent, who taught foreign language at the high school level in the district for many years. The award is presented to a Chapel Hill High School senior who has a high level of interest and competency in a second language. The award can be used for travel or additional education.  Students interested in applying for this award should talk to their Chapel Hill High School foreign language teacher. The recipient will be selected by the foreign language teachers at Chapel Hill H.S.

David J. Thaden Award

$600 one time award for a graduating senior of East Chapel Hill High

This scholarship fund honors David’s legacy with an annual gift to an East Chapel Hill High senior who best embodies his unique spirit: his love of learning and teaching, his contagious school spirit and enthusiastic support of athletics and the arts, his kindness and concern for all students, his desire to see all students achieve their full potential, and his innovative leadership which allowed full scope to teaching excellence and student success. 

Interested students should contact their counselor at East for more information about how to apply.

Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate Scholarship Opportunities

Students generally enroll into the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate Program as fourth graders and are served until they graduate. Students who show promise and could benefit from an adult advocate/mentor are served. Students are nominated by teachers, staff or parents. It is the premier mentoring program of the district. College scholarships are provided for students in good standing with BRMA. PSF maintains the funds as a service to BRMA.  Interested students who are members of BRMA should contact the BRMA Program Coordinator to inquire about scholarship opportunities from the funds below.

BRMA — Haidt Foundation

This fund was created by former patent attorney Harold Haidt, his wife Elaine, and their children to provide college scholarships to students who enroll in the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate (BRMA) Program and progress onto four-year colleges or universities.

BRMA — Sponsor-a-Scholar

This fund supports students selected for the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate Program who need additional academic support or enrichment or who enroll in community colleges or technical schools.