A Paonia student has been awarded the Pinnacol Foundation Scholarship. The Pinnacol Foundation has awarded $579,000 to 136 students for the 2011-2012 school year. Since its inception in 2000, nearly $2 million in scholarship funds have been awarded to children of Colorado workers who were killed or seriously disabled in work-related accidents.
Nathan Emmons' has always had the goal of attending college. He hopes to be the first man on his mother's side of the family to obtain a degree. Nathan has already experienced the harsh realities of life, even at a young age. When he was eight years old his step-father was killed when he was struck by a loose high-pressure hose at work. Never meeting his real father, Nathan was hit hard by the sudden tragedy of losing the only father he had ever known.
Through it all, Nathan has developed a true love for working on all kinds of vehicles, from rock crawlers to drag racers. With the help of the Foundation scholarship Nathan plans to attend the Lincoln College of Technology and major in automotive and diesel.
Over the last 11 years, more than 600 children of injured workers have received Pinnacol Foundation Scholarship. The average scholarship amount is $5,000 for one year. Students may use the funds at any accredited institution of higher learning and may reapply up to five years or to age 25.
“Many of these students have faced significant obstacles in their pursuit of higher education because of their parents’ injury,” said Carole Sumption, chair of the Pinnacol Foundation Board of Directors. “Awarding these scholarships will not only benefit 136 students, but also Colorado businesses that rely on a skilled and educated workforce.”
To qualify for a Pinnacol Foundation Scholarship, a student must be the natural, adopted or step-child of a worker killed or permanently disabled in a compensable work-related accident while employed by a Colorado-based business. The Foundation grants scholarships to students regardless of the insurance carrier. Scholarships are awarded based on the severity of the parent’s injury, financial need, academic achievement, recommendation letters and a personal essay. Scholarship applications are accepted annually January 1 through March 31.
