For the past several years, Bill and Vicki Morton have volunteered with the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to review annual scholarship applications. But they’ve also volunteered as Court Appointed Special Advocates, with Junior Achievement and as mentors with Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2014.
“We would see these high school and college students coming back for another chance, and at least for me, it made me wonder how are these kids in Big Brothers Big Sisters ever going to compete for these scholarships?” Bill said. “The scholarships and students are evaluated based on academic performance, their school activities and leadership positions, community volunteer activities and jobs.
“They don’t necessarily have all the opportunities these other kids do. I would think with the average Little, it’s challenging enough for them to make it through high school, let alone get out to a lot of school activities and volunteer for a lot of stuff.”
So the Mortons decided t help fill the hole and encourage Littles. In 2019 they started funding a Big Brothers Big Sisters Scholarship Fund, and this year will be the first time the proceeds will be awarded to a student who has been a Little for at least one year. Applicants can be a graduating high school senior, a nontraditional student or a student currently enrolled in college, technical or vocational programs.
Depending on the number and quality of applications, one scholarship of $2,000 or two of $1,000 will be awarded. One restriction is that the scholarships are not available for a student attending a for-profit college.
The Kosciusko County BBBS participants get first priority, but the scholarships would be available to other Northeast Indiana Littles if there are no local suitable candidates, Vicki Morton said.
A key point is that candidates must go to kcfoundation.org/scholarships to apply online by the fast-approaching March 15 deadline.
The fund is also available to others interested in contributing.
Coming up on their 40th anniversary, the Mortons are both retired after Vicki worked as a chief financial officer for several small manufacturing company in the Chicago suburbs and Bill designed computer software for vendors who created applications for large businesses.
They now live in Syracuse on a property that has been in Vicki’s family since 1958.
“We retired here because we thought it would be an interesting place to spend time,” Bill said.
And now they are trying to enhance the community. They also still continue to mentor the same Littles they started with in 2014.