Scholarships offered to cancer survivors

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Division of the American Cancer Society is offering Youth Survivor College Scholarships to young cancer survivors in pursuit of a higher education.

The division gave out 66 scholarships of $1,000 each in 2007 to college-bound cancer survivors in the state. The deadline for this year’s applications is Feb. 20.

The program was created in 2000 and is funded through proceeds from Relay for Life. More than $16.4 million was raised in Ohio last year through Relay for Life events.

As cancer survivors and role models, scholarship recipients may be invited to serve as American Cancer Society volunteers to train as mentors for future scholarship recipients and to represent the society on campus and in their communities.

Scholarship applicants must be residents of Ohio, citizens of the United States and be diagnosed with cancer before age 21. They must be under the age of 25 at the time of application and plan to attend an accredited college or university in the United States.

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of scholastic performance, community service and leadership. Priority will be given to first-time applicants.

To receive an application, call (888) 227-6446, exts. 8405 or 8509. They are also available at www.cancer.org/ohiogrants.