Grant and Scholarship Opportunities
Student Scholarships for Owatonna High School Students/Graduates
Through the financial support of our donors, each year, the ISD No. 761 Foundation is able to award many scholarships to students who have excelled and now need financial assistance for post-secondary studies. Some of the many scholarships funded through the ISD No. 761 Foundation include the Mann Math Scholarship, Roepke Continuing Education Scholarship, Becky Hoffmann Morris Memorial Scholarship, Ed Stepanek Scholarship, Charles and Norma Buxton Scholarship, Bruce Larson Scholarship, Robert Chladek FFA Scholarship, Meilahn Family Scholarship, Ron Baker Memorial Scholarship, and the Class of ’58 Scholarship. Click here for a list of scholarships awarded in the past several years.
Steele County Robert Chladek Academic Agriculture Scholarship
The Steele County Robert Chladek Academic Agriculture Scholarship is a $5,000 scholarship that began in 2015. Any senior graduating from a high school located in Steele County, Minnesota who plans to study agribusiness at a college or university may apply. Interested applicants should contact their high school agriculture instructor or counseling department for more information.
Robert Chladek, long-time Clinton Falls farmer, created a trust that left over 70% of his estate to the Independent School District No. 761 Foundation. Mr. Chladek expressed a desire that a significant part of the money be used to enhance educational opportunities for agriculture education for Steele County students as determined by the Foundation Board. Each year, income from his estate is used to fund scholarships, grants, innovative programs, and projects that benefit a great many students. Some of the funds sent to the agriculture departments in Steele County each year have been distributed to graduating seniors pursuing post-secondary education. This year, the Foundation Board is pleased to augment those scholarship awards with a $5,000 scholarship for one agriculture student in Steele County pursuing an agribusiness degree at a college or university.
Mini Grants
Every spring, the ISD No. 761 Foundation awards approximately $100,000 in mini grants to Owatonna Public Schools teachers and principals. Grants are awarded based on the following criteria:
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Benefits a large number of students.
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Meets an important need which is not likely to be funded in other ways.
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Maximizes good cost to benefit ratio.
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Shows creativity and innovation.
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Needed funds to continue a past approved project.
Grant applications are due by January 15 each year. Grant winners are notified in March.
Rita Reding Scholarship
This scholarship fund was established in memory of Rita M. Reding, a former elementary teacher, to help District 761 elementary teachers receive professional training to improve their teaching of the language arts in the following areas: writing, spelling, handwriting, and reading. Approximately $1,000 in scholarships, with a $500 maximum cap granted per application, will be awarded to elementary teachers each year. The funds can be used for any training opportunity that will help a teacher in grades K-6 become a more effective teacher in the areas mentioned above. This training may include college credits. If interested in applying, send the completed form to Sarah Hoffman at the District Office, 515 W. Bridge St. The scholarship recipients will be recognized at the annual spring banquet.