The Kirkland Kiwanis Foundation recently announced that it will award up to seven scholarships available to graduating seniors on the Eastside. The awards range from $1,000-2,500.

Students, or their parents, must live or work within the attendance boundaries of Lake Washington High School (LWHS) or Juanita High School (JHS). This includes Kirkland and parts of Redmond and Woodinville. Students may attend any public or private high school, so long as they or their parents live or work within the designated area. Applications for general college scholarships are due April 17.

According to a press release, the scholarships honor Kiwanis members who have exemplified the Kiwanis tradition of service to the community. The scholarships are based on multiple factors, including academic performance, financial need and community service.

“Supporting our community’s young people is one of the principal purposes of Kiwanis,” Michael Marquess, foundation president, said in the release. “The Kiwanis scholarship program is just one of our programs assisting young people in our community. From Eastside Baby Corner, to high school key clubs, to Kirkland’s Teen Union Building, Kiwanis is there.”

The foundation also sponsors the Bill Petter Memorial Scholarships ($2,100 awards) for graduating seniors who will pursue transportation technology studies at an accredited technical college.

This year the foundation also announced the Dick Shinstrom Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 award) to be awarded to a LWHS student with special needs to be used for an extracurricular activity that might not otherwise be possible, the release states. This award was created by a Kiwanis member, Paul Richardson, who took his own time to raise funds walking the LWHS track. According to the release, Richardson is blind and understands the challenges those with disabilities face.

Applications for the Bill Petter Memorial Scholarship and the Dick Shinstrom Scholarship are also due April 17.

According to the release, Kirkland Kiwanis and the Kirkland Kiwanis Foundation support many programs in the community including Special Olympics, Eastside Baby Corner, Attain Housing and sponsor Key Club service organizations at LWHS, JHS and International Community School, as well as a Builder’s Club at Kirkland Middle School.

For additional information, or to obtain a scholarship application for either program, contact scholarship committee chair Tish Evora at tish.evora@lwtech.edu. Additional information about the scholarships and Kirkland Kiwanis or the foundation can also be found at kirklandkiwanis.org.