Sheriffs raising money for annual scholarships

Sheriff Jeff Wiley announced that the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship Program will award scholarships to Louisiana students thanks to money raised through the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Honorary Membership Program.

The annual drive, held as a mail-out only campaign, gives each participating parish a portion of the proceeds to use in the program of his choice, Wiley said.

Wiley said he will award a $1,000 scholarship to one student and a $500 scholarship to another.

The sheriffs of Louisiana consider this scholarship a “meaningful expression of the program’s respect for education,” Wiley said.

“It demonstrates our confidence in Louisiana’s youth ... our future leaders,” he said.

The scholarships will be awarded as gifts to defray the cost of tuition and related college expenses, he said. All applicants must be permanent residents of Louisiana and scholarships must be used in higher education institutes within the state. In addition, the students should be enrolled as full-time, undergraduate students.

April 1 is the deadline to apply for the scholarship. Winners will be announced in May.

“Louisiana Sheriffs are pleased with the program’s ability to bring scholarships to Louisiana students bound for higher education,” Wiley said. “To continue to do so, and fund other important projects and initiatives, continued support of the honorary membership program is essential.”

Applications are available at area high schools or at the sheriff’s offices in Donaldsonville and in Gonzales.

For more information about the scholarship program, call Missy Martinez at [phone].