Applications Open for Rales–O’Neill Scholarships Recognizing Academic Excellence

Do you know a high-achieving student who has taken rigorous courses and has a weighted GPA of 4.69? They may qualify for a $10,000 scholarship.

Applications are open for the Ruth and Norman Rales–Patricia Baier O’Neill Scholarship Recognizing Academic Excellence. These scholarships for graduating high school seniors were announced earlier this year by the Norman R. Rales and Ruth Rales Foundation to honor the lives and contributions of Ruth and Norman Rales and former Montgomery County Board of Education member Patricia O’Neill. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023.

Annually, the program will award 200 scholarships worth $10,000 each to the highest achieving graduating seniors from low-to-moderate income households in Montgomery County to help ease the financial burden of attending college, beginning in 2023 through 2027. In total, 1,000 exceptional students will receive scholarships.

This scholarship honors the legacies of Ruth and Norman Rales, whose generosity and spirit of giving lives on through the Rales Foundation, and Patricia Baier O’Neill, who is remembered for her lifelong commitment to public service and to the children of Montgomery County.

Student applicants must be MCPS graduating seniors who have taken rigorous courses and hold a weighted GPA of 4.69 as of their Sept. 1, 2022 transcript. Students will need to submit an essay that will be reviewed by a committee established by the MCPS Educational Foundation. Applicants must also demonstrate a household income of $108,000 or below to be eligible.