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The application period is open for three scholarships that the Woman’s Club of Windsor Inc. is offering to members of the Windsor High School 2025 graduating class.

The club is providing two educational scholarships, one of which is named after Dot G. Gwaltney, a longtime club member who passed away a few years ago. The third scholarship is for an WHS graduate who plans on attending a trade/vocational school.

Each of the three scholarships is for $1,000.

“Our woman’s club is very supportive of the educational system in Isle of Wight County, and because our club is located in Windsor, we offer our scholarships strictly to the Windsor High School,” Woman’s Club of Windsor Educational Chair Sandra Edwards said.

A club news release noted that applications can be obtained at the Windsor High School Guidance Department, or they can be accessed online through the WCW website — www.womansclubofwindsorva.org/.

All applications must be completed and turned in to the Guidance Office by 9 a.m. on Friday, April 4.

While the Woman’s Club of Windsor has been awarding its educational scholarships for years, the trade/vocational scholarship is new.

“We actually started it last year,” Edwards said.

She noted that club members had been thinking about the possibility, and then the club served a dinner for a WHS Class of 1967 reunion. At the reunion, class members took up a collection and gifted the club $700 that they requested go toward the scholarship fund.

“So when that was brought to the club, the decision was made amongst the club members that we would like to start having a trade/vocational scholarship offering,” Edwards said.

Club members officially approved the new scholarship. 

“Last year, we had one applicant, but they also were applying for an educational scholarship, and I guess they changed their mind and realized they were going to go to a four-year college versus a trade school,” Edwards said. “So we did not have a recipient last year, but my conversation with the guidance department this year is very promising. (A department representative) said she had two really strong candidates so far when I talked to her a couple of weeks or so ago, so we’re looking forward to having someone apply for that this year.”

She noted that this past year, the club voted to increase that scholarship to $1,000, with the club providing the other $300.

Edwards explained how the club funds this and the entirety of the two educational scholarships, highlighting hard work on the part of the club members.

“We don’t have anybody — an organization or anyone else — giving us money every year,” she said. “Our money comes from our major fundraisers, which is the Craft Fair in November and then our Boston Butt Sale, which will be in another week on Super Bowl weekend. So our club members work very hard to raise the funds to be able to continue to support these scholarships.”

After completed applications are received April 4, they will be reviewed by a committee composed of eight WCW members.

“We have a scoring grid that we look at, which deals with the very things that we ask on the application — colleges (or trade/vocational schools), where they plan to go, what they plan to do, things that they’ve been involved in, their scores and things like that,” Edwards said. “Once we have them scored and choose the recipients, then a letter goes out to the school and to the recipient. They are usually honored and recognized at our last meeting of our club year, which is in May. We invite them for a dinner, and we recognize them at this dinner.”

She noted that she has also presented the scholarships to the recipients at the high school during its awards ceremony, and she has been invited to do that again this year.