Blandin Foundation Education Grants awarded to 325 local students

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Blandin Foundation recently shared with 325 Itasca area students that they have been awarded grants of up to $4,500 for their education after high school, putting higher education better within financial reach.

The total amount awarded for 2019-20 is $992,100 to students from 11 area schools.

“Students from our area schools have been opening doors to education with Mr. Blandin’s support for 63 years,” said Dr. Kathleen Annette, CEO of the Blandin Foundation. “Achievement of our young people was a great passion of Mr. Blandin’s, as it is for the Foundation still today. We stand with each student as they pursue their educational goals.”

Education Grants are available for education after high school, including certificate programs, community, technical and tribal colleges, and college and university. They are based on need, intended to close the final gap between what already is available to the student and what it’s going to take to achieve their educational dream.

Students who graduated from the following high schools qualify: Bigfork, Blackduck, Bug O Nay Ge Shig, Deer River, Grand Rapids, Greenway, Hill City, Nashwauk-Keewatin, Northern Lights Community School, Northome, Northland – Remer. Home-schooled students who would have graduated from one of these schools also are eligible. Students under age 25 are encouraged to apply, even if they have not received an Education Grant in the past.

Blandin Foundation congratulates all of this year’s recipients, including 129 first-time recipients from:

Bigfork – 3

Blackduck – 14

Deer River – 12

Grand Rapids – 60

Greenway – 18

Hill City – 6

Homeschooled – 8

Nashwauk-Keewatin – 4

Northern Lights Community School – 1

Northome – 3

New applications available October 1

Students must reapply for Education Grants each year. Blandin Foundation will accept 2020-21 applications Oct. 1, 2019 – March 1, 2020.

Education Grants are Blandin  Foundation’s longest-running program, with the first awards given in 1956 by founder Charles K. Blandin.  Since then, more than 18,000 area young adults have received grants totaling more than $27 million. For more on the program, visit the Foundation’s website,  www.blandinfoundation.org, or join the Education Grants Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322961874388140/?ref=br_tf

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Photo caption
Dr. Heidi Korstad (left), chair of the Blandin Foundation board of trustees, presented Blandin Foundation Education Grants to graduates of Bigfork High School.