The purpose of the Rex Burt Trade School Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to students pursuing a trade school education, an area in which Rex was passionate.

The Gulf Winds Cares Foundation will offer one (1) scholarship of $5,000 during the 2024-2025 scholarship cycle to an incoming trade school student.

The winning scholar may choose for up to 50% of the award be paid directly to them for expenses related to furthering their education. The rest of the award will be directed to the recipient’s school of choice and marked “for tuition purposes only.”

• Applicant must be a current senior or a graduate of an accredited high school, ready to begin as a first-year continuing education student.
• Applicant must have a minimum high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 grading system, or a “B” average. A copy of transcripts for the past four (4) years is required.
• Applicant must plan to be a full-time student.
• To qualify for the scholarship, applicants, their parent(s), grandparent(s), spouse, children, or sibling must be Gulf Winds members in good standing on or before September 30, 2023. 
• Employees of Gulf Winds Credit Union and members of their immediate family are not eligible to participate.

Application

• Submit at least one (1) and not more than four (4) academic letters of recommendation from authorities at your school such as teachers, principal, or guidance counselor.
• Submit at least one (1) and not more than four (4) letters of recommendation from individuals, other than family members, who have known you for at least two (2) years.
• Applicant must provide an essay in your words answering: 1) “How do you intend to create sustainable change in your community through your educational and career choices and path?” or 2) “What is the value of financial literacy and how can it best be promoted in your community?” The essay should be 750 words or less.
• Completed applications are due by midnight March 31, 2024.

Application Screening

After the submission deadline, applications are screened for completeness and forwarded to the Gulf Winds Cares Foundation Scholarship Review Committee for evaluation and ranking. Applications are scored using a point system. The committee rates applications based on academic success, grade point average, extracurricular and community experiences that demonstrate leadership, career ambitions and thoughtful, clear writing. Quality references are also considered.

No applicant will be excluded from participation or be denied the benefits of a Gulf Winds Cares Foundation Scholarship on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, or disability. The recipient must meet all eligibility requirements. Applications will be scored solely on their merits according to the categories of:

• Financial need
• Academic achievement
• Essay strength
• Community work/extracurriculars
• Overall strength of the application

Notification of Winners

All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of May 2024.

Publicity

Applicants agree to be interviewed and photographed for recognition and promotional purposes if they receive the scholarship.