Desert Messenger is your local connection for news, events, and entertainment!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1079844
22 www.DesertMessenger.com February 6, 2019 T��� ����� ������� �� D����� M�������� There's still time. Just barely…to apply for a Senior Scholarship from the Quartzsite Roadrunners Gem and Mineral Club and the Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA.) The applications should be received by the Scholarship Committee by Feb. 15 with a deadline of March 1. So let's talk about the frantic pro- cess for students or parents who've missed the earlier notice but des- perately want to apply for a scholar- ship this year. Then we'll cover the process cor- rectly done starting perhaps, in sev- enth or eighth grade. So students who want to go on to college or trade school after high school and their parents: listen up! The scholarship application is avail- able from Roger Nielsen, (928-927- 4010) or stop by the QIA Office or the Gem and Mineral Club Office, both located on Ironwood Street. If you need help in completing the ap- plication, Fran Ogden, retired coun- selor, is ready to help. She can be contacted at the above places, also by calling Holiday Palms RV Park. Assemble the information re- quested in the application and call her if you need help. The applica- tion states, "You must be a gradu- ating senior in the Quartzsite area (Quartzsite, Bouse, Brenda, Eh- renburg or Salome) and/or apply- ing or already accepted in a college, university or trade school." Roger clarifies that applicants "need to ap- ply as soon as possible to a Univer- sity or trade school" if they haven't done so by now. He also said that past high school graduates would be considered. Applications should include: (1) name of college or trade school where they plan to apply or have applied and (2) academic records including (3) extracurricular school activities, (4) list of community vol- unteer services and (5) recommen- dation from a teacher or member of a community organization. (6) Very important: a short essay on future goals and plans. Now take a deep breath, you can pull it all together with Fran and Roger's help. Applicants are interviewed and screened by a committee from the Gem and Mineral Club and the QIA. Trade school, as well as, college ap- plicants will be considered. Let me mention: I completed my nursing education with a scholar- ship from the wonderful state of Minnesota, renewed yearly as long as I kept my grades up and didn't get kicked out! After talking with Fran I realize education is a lot more ex- pensive now and obtaining enough funds a lot more complicated. Fran's advice: "Start planning in the seventh or eighth grade if you want to go on to school. " Keep a re- sume, which is nothing more than a record of school activities and com- munity service. Why community service? Any scholarship or higher education institution will look more favorably on a student with commu- nity service than one who sat home and watched TV. How do you know at such an early age what you want to do with your life? Fran's suggestions are "job shadow" or visit work you might be interested in. Parents and students can visit higher education institu- tions to see what's available. If you haven't started earlier, by Sopho- more or definitely Junior year begin the process. Ideally, applications to colleges should be in by November first of your Senior year. Some advice that may make you shudder: apply to take college ACT tests and entrance exams yearly. She also suggests "taking the PSAT (National Merit exam) your Ju- nior year." Yes. Repeat the tests. Wouldn't it be better to be familiar with the exam than to take it cold- turkey the first and last time? There are fee waivers for low income students. Check with your school counselors for information. Now let's talk more about fees and funds for low-income. I sym- pathize: my family was so poor the mice brought picnic lunches to our house! There is something called FAFSA: Free Application for Fed- eral Student Aid. Student and par- ents will be given a "pin number". This will identify you as you apply for grants and loans. Once all pos- sible funds, loans, scholarships are calculated FAFSA will send you an EFC. That's an Estimated Family Contribution telling you what you are expected to contribute. Get to work: summer (here winter) work, after- school work and family con- tributions may be needed. Sound complicated? Yes, but pos- sible. My thanks to both Roger Nielsen and Fran Ogden for their help with this article. Note to the general public: more funds for scholarships are desper- ately needed. Wouldn't it be wonder- ful if we could double the amount of scholarship help available? To make donations contact: Janet Morris of the Quartzsite Roadrunners Gem & Mineral Club (509-668-2252). Scholarships for area high school seniors Businesses Advised to Renew 2019 State TPT Licenses The Arizona Department of Rev- enue (ADOR) is again reminding businesses that have yet to renew their past due 2019 State Transac- tion Privilege Tax (TPT) License to complete the licensing process. Renewals were due Jan. 1, 2019 and prompt remittance can save both time and money. Businesses that still owe a renewal fee are advised to pay fees to avoid penalties and to receive a 2019 Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) License. Operating without proper licensing is a class 3 misdemeanor – depending on business activity. ADOR strongly encourages tax- payers to renew online via AZ- Taxes.gov for easier renewals and faster processing. State law requires taxpayers with multiple business locations to renew their TPT license electronically. If you are no longer in business, please cancel your existing TPT license through AZTaxes.gov or by submitting a Business Account Update form with a cancel effec- tive date. This will ensure your account history remains in good standing. For more information, visit azdor. gov/transaction-privilege-tax/tpt- license/renewing-tpt-license or contact the Customer Care Call Center at: (602) 255-3381 or toll- free: 800-352-4090. Renew your state TPT license