TORONTO, Ont. — Ontario students looking for some extra cash to help pay for their post-secondary education can now apply for academic scholarships for the 2009/2010 school year courtesy of the Ontario Trucking Association Education Foundation. Students are able to apply for university or college scholarships in the amount of $1,500 and $1,000 respectively to help them fund their tuition and other academic fees. In addition, students entering their first year of post-secondary studies directly from high school are eligible to apply for the J.O. Goodman Award (university) or the C. V. Hoar Award (college).

In order to be eligible for the scholarships, students must provide proof of acceptance into a recognized full-time program at an approved university or college, be 25 years of age or under as of January 1, 2009, and be sponsored by an Ontario trucking company or trucking services/supply company that employs or contracts a parent of the applicant. In addition, students must submit a brief essay that answers a question about the trucking industry.

Applications for the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards are assessed on criteria which include academic achievement, service to community, and extra-curricular activities. Winners are chosen by the Foundation’s Selection Committee.

The OTA Education Foundation college and university scholarships as well as the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards are funded through donations that are received primarily from trucking and trucking related companies, for which tax receipts are issued. The number of scholarships disbursed each year is dependent, in part, on the amount received in donations for that year.

The Student Scholarship Application Package for the 2009/2010 Academic Year contains complete information and instructions, along with all the necessary forms for the general scholarships, as well as the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards. It can be downloaded from http://ontruck.org/education/foundation.php.