Now you're Talking
Soapbox
Editor's Note: This discussion concerns the AMA Charles Hampson Grant scholarships.
"Your selection process seems to be to pick out the smart kids and ignore the average or below-average."
I just finished reading about the Charles Hampson Grant scholarship awards in the January 1995 issue. No doubt that all of these kids are hard-working overachievers, with a lot of support from family and friends.
They are all Einstein-level students, with GPAs of 3.9, 3.86, and SAT scores in the high 600s. I'll bet they are all from upper-middle-income to $100,000-per-year-income families.
It kind of reminds me of a TV ad where there's a big party and all the door prizes are won by millionaires.
You have never given a dime to an average student. Your selection process seems to be to pick out the smart kids and ignore the average or below-average.
These geniuses have an advantage over the ordinary kid, so why do they need more honors heaped on them? Their achievements make a list as long as your arm. What more do they need?
I don't think you are doing enough to encourage the average youngster to even try for a scholarship, but you probably don't want to waste your money on dummies.
Harold Pike Branch, Arkansas
Bob Underwood, chairman of the Scholarship Committee, responds:
The arguments presented by Mr. Pike are contradictory to the basic notions of a scholarship program. He states that "no doubt all of these kids are hard-working overachievers, with a lot of support from family and friends" and "your selection process seems to be to pick out the smart kids and ignore the average or below-average." Mr. Pike may not be aware that the criteria identified are part and parcel of most scholarship programs. Generally, they are not designed to select young people of below-average intelligence who exhibit little initiative or motivation.
The selection process involves ranking five separate items. These include:
- Grade-point average
- Class rank
- Standardized test scores
- School and community activity
- Modeling activity
These are all weighted equally.
The six committee members provide their individual rankings based on their judgments. These are combined, and a group of 10–12 individuals is named.
During a meeting of the committee, this group is pared to create the scholarship winners. Generally that group consists of four to six individuals.
Is it likely that the winners would contain below-average underachievers? No, that is not likely. An individual of more modest academic achievement may be selected, especially if other, more subjective factors are high.
I suppose it would be possible to design a process to select the less-academically inclined. Obviously, financial need could be factored into the equation. Should Mr. Pike desire to promote such causes, he can contact the Executive Council through his Vice President. The Scholarship Committee takes its direction from that body.
Bob Underwood Chairman, Scholarship Committee
AMA/Grant Scholarships
Yes, folks, that's right. The annual AMA/Charles Hampson Grant scholarships will be awarded once again in 1995.
Charles Hampson Grant (1894–1987) was one of the "early birds" whose interest in and knowledge of aviation influenced or inspired the aeromodeling activities of all modelers, with special emphasis on young people. The program was established as a tribute to Charlie Grant and to further his dream of youth participation in model aviation.
Funded from donations and general revenue, the scholarship program has been a lifesaver for many young people and their families. Grants totaling approximately $20,000 were awarded in 1994.
The deadline for receipt of applications for the 1995 awards is April 30, 1995. If you are an AMA member and know a young person who has been an AMA member for the past three years and is considering how to pay for a university education, you should advise him or her to get the forms and apply. It is a simple procedure, but supporting documentation is required to verify facts and figures about the individual's high school record.
All applications go before the AMA Scholarship Committee, which evaluates the individual's:
- Test scores
- Class rank
- Grade-point average
- Community and modeling service records
The schedule is set so that the funds awarded will be available prior to the start of the school year.
Here is an opportunity not to be missed! The funds are there. Don't be left wishing that you "had done that in time." Do it now. Call AMA Headquarters at (317) 287-1256, ask for Mary Lou Vojslavek (extension 201), and request that the application forms be mailed to you the same day.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
