FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARIES News:

As the Friends of Los Alamos County Libraries await applications for their annual scholarships from graduating seniors, they are sad to bid farewell to Marie Pierce, who was Scholarship Chairman for many years.

Each year, Pierce made sure that applicants followed the rules, logged in the qualifying applications, and, at the same time, removed the identification of the author and assigned a code letter identifier to each essay. She created packets and distributed them to each of her volunteer readers. After all the readers returned their packets, Pierce correlated the scores and determined the winners. Pierce also presented the scholarship checks to the winners at the high school awards assembly.

The Friends of LA County Libraries will award up to four $2,500 scholarships again this year and also will administer the $2,500 June Ettinger Memorial Scholarship. Any senior in good standing, who is enrolled at Los Alamos High School or in an approved home school program in Los Alamos County and plans to continue his or her education at a recognized institution by September of the year following graduation, may apply for the Friends’ scholarships. 

The June Ettinger Memorial Scholarship is only available to LAHS seniors. June Ettinger was a long-time resident of Los Alamos who taught for more than 20 years at Barranca Mesa and Mountain Elementary Schools.

The basis of the award is a personal narrative of about 500 words, typed and double-spaced, concerning an age-appropriate book that was not required for school and has not been translated into a visual medium.

“The student’s essay should tell readers in what way this book has added to their understanding of the human condition or has enhanced their life,” said Maire O’Neill, the newly appointed Scholarship Chairman for the Friends.

More information may be obtained at the LAHS Career Center or by calling Maire O’Neill at 505.662.0980.