Private Scholarships
Many community organizations, banks, credit unions, clubs, fraternal orders, businesses and employers sponsor a variety of private scholarships. Students are encouraged to contact these organizations about scholarship opportunities. High school guidance offices are also an excellent resource for scholarship listings, searches and assistance. Many private scholarships are awarded well before the fall semester begins, so students should start the search and application process early and pay close attention to deadlines.
Bree Montoya is an accountant based in Oklahoma. She wants to help the next generation of accountants in the United States, and would like to give back through the “Bree Montoya Scholarship for Accounting”.
This scholarship is available for students in the United States who are currently enrolled in a university to study to become an accountant.
The scholarship is meant to help a deserving student with scholarship funding who wishes to become an accountant.
Here is some brief information about our scholarship:
• Award of $1,000 to a Single Student
• Deadline for this scholarship is July 15, 2026
• A winner will be announced by August 15, 2026
All of the details and criteria can be found on our page:
https://breemontoyascholarship.com/bree-montoya-scholarship/
You can read some press about the scholarship from Yahoo News here:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bree-montoya-scholarship-accounting-announces-182200577.html
The City of Mattoon Scholarship is open to students who are enrolled or planning to enroll in Lake Land College. You must be a Mattoon High School graduate to be eligible for this award.
Amount: $500
Deadline: February 1, 2026
CMEC currently awards the following scholarships:
- Six $500 scholarships
- Randall Beasley Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) – Preference will be given to an individual attending lineman school or majoring in the electrical or engineering field of study
The Aldrich Green Scholarship fund hopes to aid educational endeavors by offering scholarships to graduating Cumberland high school seniors. The fund will offer educational grants as scholarships to graduating high school seniors who aspire to continue their education at the college level. We would like to invite all seniors to apply who conform to the criteria below.
General information: Up to a $2,000 scholarship will be given to a student, distributed $250 per semester, up to 8 semesters, for the time he or she is enrolled in the college of his or her choice. The money could be used for tuition, fees, books, or living expenses for any two or four-year College, Technical School, or Junior College. Preference will be given to applicants who are less financially able to obtain a higher education and may not be receiving other scholarships or grants.
Criteria
- Applicant should have good academic standing.
- Applicant should have some school involvement.
- We may consider work experience for determining recipient.
- Applicant should have good citizenship/behavior.
- Special consideration will be given to students planning to return to the county where they currently reside in to seek employment.
- Upon completion of the application, it is the property of the scholarship committee and is non-returnable to the applicant.
- Your transcript should also be included with your application.
Download 2026 Aldrich Green Scholarship application.
Deadline to apply for scholarship is April 1, 2026.
Please submit your entry to either our Greenup or Toledo branch locations.
First Neighbor Bank is proud to help promote the CBAI Foundation for Community Banking’s 2026 Annual Scholarship Program, which enables Illinois high-school seniors to enter a statewide essay-writing contest. The goal of the program is to increase public awareness of community banks and their contributions.
First Neighbor Bank invites and encourages our Toledo, Greenup, Neoga, Mattoon, Charleston, Casey, Newman, Paris, Tuscola, Chrisman, Kansas and Shiloh high school seniors to apply for this scholarship. Seniors will need to visit their school’s Guidance Counselor for rules and application forms.
The CBAI Foundation for Community Banking offers 24 scholarships to top Illinois high-school seniors statewide each year. The scholarship awards available this year by the Foundation total $21,500. These scholarship awards help deserving students highlight the importance of community banking to the local economy. You could win up to $4,000 for higher education, and your school is eligible to win $500!
Download the 2026 CBAI Foundation Scholarship.
First Neighbor Bank must receive entries on or before FEBRUARY 13, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Please submit your entry to any of the 9 First Neighbor Bank locations – Arthur, Casey, Charleston, Greenup, Mattoon, Neoga, Newman, Paris or Toledo.
The First Neighbor Bank, N.A. Scholarship hopes to aid educational endeavors by offering scholarships to graduating high school seniors. The funds will offer educational grants as scholarships to graduating high school seniors who aspire to continue their education at the college level. We would like to invite all seniors to apply who conform to the criteria below. Seniors enrolled in any of the following high schools may apply: Arthur/Lovington/Atwood/Hammond, Cumberland, Casey, Charleston, Chrisman, Kansas, Mattoon, Neoga, Oakland, Paris, or Shiloh.
General information: A five-hundred-dollar scholarship will be presented at the High School Awards ceremony to a student enrolled in a two- or four-year college. The money could be used for tuition, fees, books, or living expenses for any two- or four-year College, Technical School, or Junior College. Preference will be given to applicants who are less financially able to obtain a higher education and may not be receiving other scholarships or grants.
Criteria:
- Applicant should have good academic standing.
- Applicant should have some school involvement.
- We may consider work experience for determining recipient.
- Applicant should have good citizenship/behavior.
- Special consideration will be given to students planning to return to the county where they currently reside min to seek employment.
- Upon completion of the application, it is the property of the scholarship committee and is non-returnable to the applicant.
- Your transcript should also be included with your application.
Award information: First Neighbor Bank branches serving their immediate communities will be awarding a single scholarship to the chosen high school student. Some First Neighbor Bank branches serve more than their immediate communities. For those communities covered by a branch that is not physically located in their town, those student’s applications will be submitted and reviewed by staff at the nearest branch.
If a First Neighbor Bank branch covers more than one high school, only one scholarship will be awarded from that branch location. The following is a breakdown of the scholarships awarded by branch.
- Arthur Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Arthur/Lovington/Atwood/Hammond High School senior
- Casey Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to Casey High School senior
- Charleston Branch – 2 Scholarships: 1 awarded to a Charleston High School senior and 1 awarded to a Oakland High School senior
- Greenup Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Cumberland High School senior
- Mattoon Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Mattoon High School senior
- Neoga Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Neoga High School senior
- Newman Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Shiloh High School senior
- Paris Branch – 3 Scholarships: 1 awarded to a Paris High School senior, 1 awarded to a Chrisman High School senior, and 1 awarded to a Kansas High School senior
- Toledo Branch – 1 Scholarship awarded to a Cumberland High School senior
Download the 2026 First Neighbor Bank, N.A. Scholarship application.
Deadline to apply for scholarship is April 1, 2026.
Please submit your entry to any of the 9 First Neighbor Bank locations – Arthur, Casey, Charleston, Greenup, Mattoon, Neoga, Newman, Paris or Toledo.
The William and Elizabeth Shadley Scholarship fund hopes to aid educational endeavors by offering scholarships to graduating Cumberland high school seniors. The fund will offer educational grants as scholarships to graduating high school seniors who aspire to continue their education at the college level. We would like to invite all seniors to apply who conform to the criteria below.
General information:
One $500 scholarship will be presented at the Cumberland High School Awards ceremony to a student enrolled in a two or four year college. The money could be used for tuition, fees, books, or living expenses for any two or four year College, Technical School, or Junior College. Preference will be given to applicants who are less financially able to obtain a higher education and may not be receiving other scholarships or grants.
Criteria
- Applicant should have good academic standing.
- Applicant should have some school involvement.
- We may consider work experience for determining recipient.
- Applicant should have good citizenship/behavior.
- Special consideration will be given to students planning to return to the county where they currently reside in to seek employment.
- Upon completion of this application, it is the property of the scholarship committee and is non-returnable to the applicant.
- Your transcript should also be included with this application.
Download the 2026 William and Elizabeth Shadley Scholarship application.
Deadline to apply for scholarship is April 1, 2026.
Please submit your entry to either our Greenup or Toledo branch locations.
Skid Tracks Depot Annual Scholarship
Skid Tracks Depot is proud to support the next generation of professionals in the construction and farming industries. We are offering a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded annually to a deserving student pursuing a career in these essential fields.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply, you must:
✔ Be enrolled at Lake Land College
✔ Be an incoming or current college/university student.
✔ The recipient must have a C or better cumulative GPA at the time of application.
✔ Be pursuing a career in the construction or farming industries.
How to Apply
To be considered for the scholarship, please submit an essay on a provided prompt. Send your essay and an email to scholarship@skidtracksdepot.com with the subject “Skid Tracks Depot Scholarship.”
A personal essay explaining how the student embodies the value of “service above self.”
Two (2) letters of recommendation.
Proof of admission to Lake Land College.
We look forward to supporting students who are passionate about making an impact in the construction and farming industries. Best of luck!
Need more information? View Skid Tracks Depot website
The Scholarship application will be open from January 20, 2026, through March 17, 2026.
Questions?
Call Kristen Bertrand at 217-342-5413 or email kristen@southeasternillinois.org.
Apply for any of the scholarships below through our application portal
ACHS Baseball Scholarship
Arland D. Williams, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Bruce V. Penwell, Jr. Nursing Scholarship
Captain R. Dean & Mary E. Postlewaite Scholarship
Casey Industries Scholarship
Croft Brothers Challenge Scholarship
Daily Farm Scholarship
Daisy H. Mason Scholarship
Del Willison Scholarship
Delbert E. Facklam and Maradyl T. Hughes Facklam Scholarship
Diane Siemer Scholarship
Dieterich American Legion Scholarship
Dieterich American Legion Trades Scholarship
Dieterich Community Education Scholarship
Eagle Country Water Works Jasper CEO Scholarship
Elizabeth Ann Weidner Memorial Scholarship
George Wilson Bauer Scholarship
Harry L., John L., and Catherine H Smysor Scholarship
Hazel York Scholarship
Heartland Beacon Scholarship
Jack Graham Scholarship
Kenneth Diehl Scholarship
Lebovitz Lively Arts Scholarship
Lou and Nancy Kincaid Family Full Armor Scholarship
Lou and Nancy Kincaid Family North Clay Scholarship
Mattoon High School Alumni Scholarship
Moehle Family Scholarship
Randy Lee, MD Health Profession Scholarship
Ray, Mary, and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship
Roy Robson and Roma Jackson Nursing Scholarship
The Effingham County Chamber Community Scholarship
Thomas J. Epplin Health Profession Scholarship
William, Agnes, & Elizabeth Burgess (Osborne) Memorial Scholarship
The Waldo E Honn and Son Scholarship was established by Gene Honn in honor his father, Waldo Honn, who farmed in the Oakland and Isabel area. The scholarship is funded by Gene, a 1968 graduate of Oakland High School, and administered by the Oakland Hindsboro Charitable Foundation.
The $1000 scholarship is awarded to an OHS senior planning to attend Lake Land College or OHS graduate currently enrolled at Lake Land College. Preference will be given to students in agriculture related study, or technical career trade program. Volunteerism in school and community organizations is encouraged. Half of the scholarship will be awarded for the fall semester and half for the spring semester.
Application Requirements:
- All responses except signatures must be typewritten. Hand-written applications are not accepted.
- In an approximately 300-400 word essay,
- describe your interest and enthusiasm for a career in agriculture, agriculture related field, or technical career trade program, and
- the agriculture program you plan to attend, and
- describe your career goals.
- Provide an official school transcript.
- Provide a letter of recommendation from a supervisor, faculty member, or community member who knows you well and knows your career plans. Recommendations from family members are not accepted.
- Sign and return the signature page with your essay, transcript, and letter of recommendation.
- Return the completed application by March 31.
- Mail the application to: OHCF, P.O. Box 331, Oakland IL 61943 by March 30.