Simsbury Grahamby Rotary to award $38,000 in 2026 scholarships; applications due April 24

Dr. Gerald Graham of the Simsbury Grahamby Rotary Club said the club will award a total of $38,000 in student scholarships for 2026, the largest scholarship pool the club has offered to date. "The total of all the scholarships this year is $38,000," Graham said during a Simsbury Community Media interview.

The program includes an academic track, an athletic track and vocational awards. The club's largest single prize, the Ed Dodge scholarship, is $12,000 this year and requires an additional essay from applicants; finalists for major awards are interviewed in person. "The Ed Dodge scholarship does take that extra essay," Graham said, noting the award honors a founding member and former educator who helped start the town ambulance service.

In addition to the Ed Dodge award, the club gives two vocational scholarships of $3,500 each for students entering trades such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical work or auto mechanics; those vocational awards were added about five years ago. Athletic awards named for Elmer Vincent begin with coaches nominating one male and one female per sport; those nominees are invited to apply for the club's $1,500 athletic scholarships.

Students and families should obtain application links from the guidance offices at Simsbury and Granby high schools. Graham said most academic applications are submitted online after students obtain the guidance-office link; the application window opens on the Monday after the broadcast and the deadline is April 24. "Applications will be available starting Monday in the guidance offices," he said.

Graham also described other Rotary activities in town: the club helped fund the Rotary Boundless Playground at the Simsbury Performing Arts Center with a matching $50,000 grant and said the playground ultimately cost more than a half-million dollars to build. The club's two main fundraisers are a golf tournament scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at Hot Meadow and the River Run in September, which drew about 1,000 runners last year and is expected to attract roughly 1,200 this year.

The club meets the first three Thursdays of the month at 7:15 a.m. at Hot Meadow; guests are welcome. For details about eligibility, application procedures and timing, Graham urged students and parents to consult their high school guidance offices or the club's website as announced on air.

The segment closed with a request from Simsbury Community Media for viewer donations to support the station's nonprofit programming.