Fifty-One Scholarship 

Scholarship Purpose, Eligibility and Selection Criteria  

Scholarship Overview 

The Fifty-One Scholarship is an annual scholarship established to support a graduating Montwood High School student-athlete who intends to pursue postsecondary education. 

The scholarship will initially provide one $1,051 award annually and is intended primarily to recognize an offensive or defensive lineman from the Montwood High School varsity football program. 

The scholarship is rooted in the idea of creating opportunities for those who create opportunities for others. Offensive and defensive linemen perform essential work that makes the success of their teammates possible, often without receiving the statistics, attention or recognition afforded to other positions. The Fifty-One Scholarship seeks to recognize those contributions while helping create an opportunity for a student-athlete to continue their education. 

The number 51 also represents the idea of tipping the balance toward possibility. A student who may perceive a 50-50 chance of continuing their education can sometimes benefit from one additional opportunity, one additional investment or one additional person believing in their potential. 

Scholarship Amount 

$1,051 

One scholarship will initially be awarded annually. 

Should funding allow in future scholarship cycles, additional awards of $1,051 may be offered in accordance with the eligibility and selection criteria established for the Fifty-One Scholarship. 

General Application Requirement 

Applicants must complete the SISD Foundation for Excellence in Education general scholarship application and satisfy all general eligibility, documentation and submission requirements established by the SISD Foundation for the applicable scholarship year. 

Applicants seeking consideration for the Fifty-One Scholarship must indicate their interest through the process established by the SISD Foundation and complete all Fifty-One-specific supplemental requirements. 

Primary Eligibility Requirements 

In addition to satisfying the SISD Foundation’s general scholarship requirements, an applicant receiving primary consideration for the Fifty-One Scholarship must: 

1. Be a graduating senior at Montwood High School during the applicable scholarship year. 

1. Be a member of the Montwood High School varsity football program. 

1. Have earned at least one varsity letter in football during high school. 

1. Be recognized as an offensive or defensive lineman in the Montwood High School football program. 

1. Have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.75. 

1. Intend to enroll following graduation in an accredited college, university, community college, technical school, or trade or vocational program. 

Supplemental Response Requirement 

Applicants seeking consideration for the Fifty-One Scholarship must provide a scholarship-specific written response of at least 150 words but no more than 250 words to the following prompt: 

Football is often described as the ultimate team sport. Describe a time when your work or sacrifice helped create an opportunity for someone else to succeed. How have your experiences as a Montwood football player shaped your character and prepared you for the next chapter of your education and life? 

This response is separate from the personal essay required as part of the SISD Foundation’s general scholarship application. 

The supplemental response is intended to provide insight into the applicant’s character, experiences, understanding of teamwork and service to others, and preparation for continued education. 

Letter of Recommendation Requirement 

Applicants seeking consideration for the Fifty-One Scholarship must submit one letter of recommendation from a coach or teacher who can speak to the applicant’s character, work ethic, perseverance, teamwork, leadership, accountability or commitment to others. 

This recommendation is a Fifty-One Scholarship supplemental requirement and is separate from any optional recommendations permitted as part of the Foundation’s general scholarship application. 

Alternative Eligibility Provision 

The primary intent of the Fifty-One Scholarship is to recognize and support an eligible offensive or defensive lineman. 

Eligible offensive and defensive linemen who satisfy all scholarship requirements shall receive first consideration for the award. 

However, the scholarship should not go unawarded solely because no eligible offensive or defensive lineman applies during a particular scholarship cycle. 

If no eligible offensive or defensive lineman applies, consideration may be expanded to another graduating member of the Montwood High School varsity football team who: 

• Satisfies all applicable SISD Foundation scholarship requirements; 

• Meets the Fifty-One Scholarship’s GPA and postsecondary education requirements; 

• Has earned at least one varsity letter in football; and 

• Has selected the Fifty-One Scholarship and completed its required supplemental response and letter of recommendation during the regular application period. 

Applicants at positions other than offensive or defensive line shall enter the selection pool only if no eligible offensive or defensive lineman applies. 

Selection Considerations 

The Fifty-One Scholarship is not intended to recognize athletic achievement alone. Individual statistics, postseason honors, recruiting attention or other athletic accolades are not required for selection. 

Among eligible applicants, consideration should instead be given to qualities reflecting the scholarship’s purpose and values, including: 

• Character and integrity 

• Discipline and work ethic 

• Perseverance and resiliency 

• Teamwork 

• Accountability 

• Leadership 

• Respect for teammates, coaches, educators and others 

• Selflessness and commitment to the success of others 

• Commitment to continuing their education 

The scholarship is intended to recognize a student-athlete whose character, contributions and commitment exemplify the often-unheralded work the award was established to celebrate. 

Spirit of the Scholarship 

The Fifty-One Scholarship is built around a simple principle: 

Create an opportunity for someone who has spent years creating opportunities for others. 

For a lineman, success is often reflected in what someone else is able to accomplish because of the opening that lineman helped create. The Fifty-One Scholarship carries that principle beyond the football field by helping create a pathway for a Montwood student-athlete to continue their education. 

The number 51 represents that additional push—the step beyond 50-50 that can help tip the balance toward possibility.