This scholarship honors the legacy of Ceili Anne Leahy, a member of the James Monroe High School (JM) Class of 2014.
Each year a $2,500 scholarship is awarded to a JM senior at the Senior Honors Program who embodies Ceili’s spirit of service. Ceili fought cancer with grace throughout her senior year at JM. After she graduated, she attended the University of Virginia. Ceili died in January 2016 from complications of her cancer treatment.
Deadline
Monday, April 8, 2024 - by 3:00 PM to the James Monroe High School Counseling Center, 2300 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401.
Ceili’s Attributes
Ceili was an excellent student with a strong commitment to public service. She cared deeply about people, human rights, justice, and the environment. Ceili worked tirelessly to improve the human condition and the natural world. She was a great friend who had the ability to bring out the best in those around her, helping others to see the inherent goodness in themselves. She led through the passion she showed for her beliefs. She was creative, particularly in writing, and loved to laugh, travel, and learn about other cultures.
At JM, Ceili was president of the Amnesty International and French clubs. At UVa, she was active with Habitat for Humanity, the Community Garden, and the Outdoors Club. She planned to serve in the Peace Corps and then pursue a career in global sustainability and writing.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
All JM (Fredericksburg, VA) seniors with at least a 2.0 grade point average are eligible to apply.
Selection Criteria
This Scholarship is awarded to a student who has made significant contributions through service to their school and/or local community by demonstrating several of Ceili’s attributes (see above).
Additional consideration will be given to applicants who plan to pursue education and a career dedicated to public service, particularly in an area important to Ceili such as the environment, sustainability, human rights, global development, or realization of peace and justice.
Applicants may be interviewed as part of the selection process.
Scholarship Use Requirements
- Funds may be used only for qualified educational expenses (tuition, books and fees, required supplies and equipment).
- The awardee must study at an educational institution that:
- Has a primary function of presenting formal education,
- Maintains a regular faculty and curriculum, and
- Normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it conducts its educational activities. This could be a college, university, trade, technical, vocational, or other school that is nationally accredited and authorized by law to offer its program.
Payment of Award
- Scholarship funds may be paid directly to the educational institution if the school agrees in writing to use the funds to defray the student’s expenses.
OR
- Funds may be paid directly to the awardee if the student agrees in writing to submit at the end of each academic term during which Scholarship funds are used a transcript of courses taken and grades received.
If you are awarded the Scholarship, please keep in mind the Scholarship use requirements described above. Funds for the scholarship are provided by the Ceili Leahy Service Project.
Please complete the next two pages of the application by clicking the button below, and submit to the JM Counseling Center by the required deadline. If you have any questions, please email TheCLServiceProject@gmail.com
INFO AND APPLICATION
