The Scholarship Committee
The EAFAF Scholarship Committee facilitates the distribution of financial donations to graduating East students to assist in the future achievement of the values that embody the history of East High School: diversity, academia, character and community involvement.
Information you will find on this page:
- Scholarship key dates, general requirements, application link
- Details about EAFAF dedicated scholarships
- Scholarship history
- Details about the Cleworth LEAP Scholarship
- EAFAF scholarship contacts
2023 – 2024 Key Dates
- November 2024: Applications available via East Angel Friends & Alumni Foundation Website (see below)
- March 15, 2024: Applications due
- April 2024: In-person Interviews
- May 2024: Scholarships awarded
EAFAF has five dedicated scholarships where recipients are evaluated on defined criteria. In addition, EAFAF distributes additional funds to graduating seniors through the application process:
General Requirements (EAFAF Awards)
- Demonstrated need/Expected Family Contribution (EFC) now called the Student Aid Index (SAI). This is a measure of a family’s financial strength that’s used to determine a student’s eligibility for different types of financial aid. The maximum SAI is $30,000. Each student is required to submit an estimate prior to the finalization of the form in 2024.
- Unweighted GPA – there is no minimum GPA required to qualify
- Personal Statement & Essay
- 2 teacher recommendations
- 1 community recommendation
- In-person interview
In 2023, EAFAF awarded $67,000 to 27 students and an additional $25,000 from The Cleworth LEAP Scholarship.
Please note: The Cleworth LEAP Scholarship is a separate application. All other EAFAF scholarships are evaluated separately.
2024 Dedicated Scholarships
- The Cleworth LEAP Scholarship — $25,000 annual, up to 4 years
- The scholarship is intended to facilitate the recipient’s ability to make the ‘LEAP’ to continued excellence and enroll at the highest caliber postsecondary institution. It is a need-based award, focused on outstanding academic and extra-curricular performance. Apply here.
- Thomas W. Bean Foundation Scholarship — $10,000
- Thomas Washington Bean was an astute African American business pioneer, considered one of the most successful businessmen in Denver. He was a resident of Denver for 76 years and a builder of homes, apartments, hope and achievement, especially for those in need. For many Denverites, he was more than a businessman, builder, developer, financial ace, and property agent. He was a builder of hope and achievement for many people. It is often expressed that he elevated the quality of life for Denver citizens, especially the disadvantaged. The Thomas W. Bean Foundation was created in 1987 at the request of Thomas Bean upon his death at age 101. He wished to provide scholarships for deserving youth.
- East Alumni Scholarship — $6,000
- East Angel Friends & Alumni Foundation for outstanding academic achievement and school and/or community participation.
- Class of 1967, 68 and 69 Scholarship — $5,000
- Need, academic merit and community/school service.
- James Reece, Class of 1960 Scholarship — $4,000
- Outstanding academic achievement.
- A graduate of the Class of 1960, James Reece attended Yale University and earned masters and doctoral degrees from Harvard Business School. He was a lifelong educator, both at Harvard Business School and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and the co-author of several best-selling accounting books. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 77.
Scholarship History
In 1926 representatives from the classes of 1923, 1924, 1925 and 1926 along with Principal Roscoe C. Hill established “The Alumni Scholarship Fund of East High School of Denver, Colorado.” A total of $1,299.14 was contributed by the four classes to begin the fund. It was “hoped and expected” that further graduating classes of East and other alumni would make further contributions. A legal document was created and a distribution committee established. After an initial period of activity, the fund became dormant. In 1995, former East High Principal James E. Tracy (Class of 1950) encouraged the Foundation to re-initiate the program. The Alumni board re-activated the scholarship trust and began distribution of Alumni Scholarships on an annual basis to outstanding graduating East Seniors. As of 2023, the East Scholarship program has awarded 452 students a total of $902,000.
Since 2011 and the creation of EAFAF, the scholarship program has been supported, managed and funded by the Foundation and its generous contributors. East Alumni or interested community members can provide funds to dedicate scholarships on behalf of a family, classmate or in honor of a graduating class. Within EAFAF, a dedicated Scholarship Committee consisting of seven members oversees the awards and distribution of funds. Awards are based on specified qualifications, recommendations, a written application and an in-person interview.
Donations to our scholarship program may be made via our donation page at Colorado Gives — please just indicate Student Scholarships in the comments. All donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to set up a specific named scholarship, please contact us and you will be directed to the appropriate person.
Apply for the Cleworth LEAP Scholarship TODAY!!!
The Cleworth LEAP Scholarship is a scholarship of up to $25,000, renewable annually for a maximum of four years (cumulative potential award of $100,000 to a single student). The LEAP is awarded to an East High School senior who has been enrolled at East High school for at least 3 years and is based on outstanding overall academic achievement as determined by the following criteria. The scholarship is intended to facilitate the recipient’s ability to make the ‘LEAP’ to continued excellence and enroll at the highest caliber postsecondary institution. The recipient will be notified of the award in mid-April.
Students who are related to or have a financial relationship with a selection committee member or a current or former board member of the East High Angel Foundation are not eligible to receive the CLS.
Criteria:
- The student must have completed the FAFSA and share FAFSA’s expected family contribution (EFC) along with documentation of any other financial assistance, and, if necessary, sign a FERPA waiver to facilitate the orchestration of the award with the postsecondary institution selected by the student. The student’s EFC, according to FAFSA, may not exceed $30,000.
- Student must have a 3.9 unweighted GPA
- Copy of EHS student transcript
- SAT, ACT, and AP test scores if available
- A list of Universities and Colleges from which the candidate has received offers of admission must be submitted by , along with an indication of your top 3 choices and summaries of financial aid offers as applicable.
- Submit your personal statement / college essay
How to Apply:
Complete the Google form application. Please know that you will only be able to submit once and the form will not save your answers. You are welcome to work on it offline or on a separate document and then paste your answers in. YOU MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETE APPLICATION IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED! If you have any questions or concerns, please email Ms. Vesceri at lindsey_vesceri@dpsk12.net or Renee Ferrufino at ferrufinort@gmail.com.
Contacts
- Renee Ferrufino (The Cleworth LEAP Scholarship)
ferrufinort@gmail.com - Greg Graeber (EAFAF Scholarship Committee)
scholarships@eastangelfriends.org - Beth Woodard (EAFAF Scholarship Committee)
scholarships@eastangelfriends.org