American Legion Program Provides Scholarship Funding
In earlier times, children of Service Members who have been killed or died while on Active Duty sometimes was a dream out of reach for many surviving dependents of these brave men and women.
The American Legion has a program to help provide college funding to dependents of Military Service members who have lost their lives while on Active Duty. This program is designed to help fill in the gaps where other college and university funding falls short.
Beginning in 2001 following the Twin Towers Tragedy, the American Legion saw the need and stepped in and created the scholarship program. This program is open to all dependents of Service Members who have lost their lives while serving on Active Duty after 9/11.
Recipients in this program vary, and they hail from a wide variety of places around the globe and around the United States. Their Dreams and aspirations are wide, and the dream for an education much closer to being realized with this program.
With this scholarship, participants can now look forward to being able to go to the various institutions that they desire to attend.
The word is getting out – slowly but surely.
Joseph, one young man in the program, learned of his eligibility from being involved in the Boys State program administered by the American Legion. Joseph, who graduated from high school in Oak Hill Virginia, plans on studying computers and majoring in programming and information technology. Joseph hopes to attend West Virginia University.
His father died while serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.
Another pair of applicants is Douglas and Erin. This brother and sister pair both benefited from an American Legion Scholarship due to their father’s service in the U.S. Air Force. Douglas is a senior Chemistry Major, and Erin is currently a sophomore who is majoring in Animal Sciences.
In many such cases, hopes are being realized and dreams pursued.
Country Music Superstar Michael Peterson has been selected and agreed to serve as the spokesman for the National Scholarship program this year.  Chosen for a one-year term, the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, as the program is referred to hopes to raise public awareness for the program, and promote higher visibility for the scholarship program.
Peterson has agreed to donate Five Dollars of each sale of his new music DVD to the Scholarship program.
