Youth Program Begins Scholarship Fund

The has announced that it will be awarding $1,000 scholarships annually to two graduating high school seniors who live in Winchester.

While SYBS has been heavily involved in improving the fields around Winchester, the Board of Directors decided it wanted to give back to the community in a different way, and came up with the idea of awarding scholarships.

"I'm not sure how many youth programs have a scholarship program, so we’re excited about it," said SYBS Executive VP Rich Michienzi, who was a driving force behind the new initiative. "It's something I’ve had in the back of my mind for a couple of years now."

The SYBS Scholarship Fund was established by its Board of Directors this past November.

"We just had a fundraiser (Love & Laughter, Baseball & Softball) and with the funds we raised, I'm not a believer in just leaving those in the bank," Michienzi said. "I think it’s important to give back, and many members of the board feel that way, so when we put it on the meeting it was met with quite a bit of enthusiasm."

Starting this spring, the scholarships will be awarded to applicants on the basis of academic performance, community service, and service to SYBS. Eligible participants must reside in Winchester, have participated in an SYBS program and be graduating from an accredited high school.

Applicants must submit an online SYBS scholarship application form by the April 15 deadline to SYBS Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 612, Winchester, MA 01890. The application may be downloaded here.

The application requires applicant information; parent/guardian information; an official school-issued transcript; a copy of an acceptance letter from an accredited institution of higher learning or a vocational training program; SYBS participant verification; and the answers to four application questions.

The four questions ask about future plans after high school graduation, a list of high school activities and honors, a list of community service activities, and details from any volunteer work for SYBS.

Michienzi said that a committee of six members will decide who gets the scholarships. The goal is to award one to a male and one to a female, but that is dependent on how many applications the committee receives.

The SYBS provides baseball and softball activities for children of the ages of six to 18, during the spring and summer seasons. It's is a not-for-profit organization that has been in existence since 1990 and is affiliated with Babe Ruth League.