Pearl River High School

The New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence program provides scholarship assistance to outstanding New York State high school graduates.  Each year, 8,000 scholarships are awarded - up to 2,000 scholarships of $1,500 and 6,000 scholarships of $500 to top scholars from registered New York State high schools.  Awards are based on certain academic criteria.  Recipients can also receive other non-loan student aid, but the total cannot exceed the cost of attendance. 

Selection Criteria: While past criteria has been based on Regents exam scores, due to the cancellation of Regents exams in 2020, the limited selection of Regents exams offered in June 2021, and the ability for students to be granted a Special Appeal in lieu of numeric scores in June 2022, exam results cannot be used as a consistent measure of achievement. Therefore, for this year and the next few years, Pearl River High School winners will be selected based on students' class rank at the end of their junior year.

Please click on the links below for more information on each scholarship.
(Links to additional scholarship resources are available below this list.) 

American Legion John H. Secor Post 329 and Thomas A. Dexter Scholarships: Two scholarship opportunities available for high school seniors who have been accepted to an accredited college or university.  One is open to all seniors; the other is for members’ children or grandchildren.  Thomas A. Dexter Scholarship applicant must be a bona fide senior at Pearl River High School.  John H. Secor Post 329 Scholarship applicant must be the son/daughter, grandson/granddaughter of a current member of American Legion Post #329.  Official transcript, community service and a 300-word essay on the Bill of Rights required.  The Committee must receive all mailed materials no later than May 15, 2026.

Billy Kayser Memorial Scholarship: Scholarships are awarded in memory of Billy Kayser, a former Pearl River High School student athlete whose life was cut too short.  The contest is limited to high school seniors.  Please write an essay on “What Friendship Means to Me” (300-500 words) and submit with the coversheet provided in the application.  Two PRHS winners will be chosen.  Completed coversheets and essays must be submitted to the Counseling Office by April 15, 2026.

Christopher Tucci Memorial Scholarship: The ideal candidate for the Christopher Tucci Memorial Scholarship will pick up where Chris left off. We are looking for someone with varied interests, curiosity, a passion for life, humility, and a desire to “give back” and do good. This scholarship is intended for high school seniors who plan to attend college this upcoming fall. One winner will be selected at the reviewers' discretion and be awarded $2,000. Minimum GPA: 3.0 or B student and must be a high school senior planning to attend school in the fall. Completed application and related materials must be received by Live Like Chris, Inc. by Sunday, April 26, 2026 at midnight.

The Cristin Ann Bambino Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship is available to a college or technical school-bound special education student with an active IEP or 504 plan from a NYSIR-member school district to reward him/her for working through special challenges to complete high school and obtain acceptance to a college or university. Application and 650 word essay are required. Please see application for more information. Deadline for scholarship is April 2, 2026. 

Community Arts Association’s 2026 Visual Arts Scholarships: The Haas Scholarship for Excellence in the Visual Arts and The Lorraine Strangfeld Memorial Scholarships are made possible through donations by Glenda S. Haas and the Lorraine Strangfeld Family in conjunction with the Community Arts Association of Allendale, N.J. The scholarships will be granted to high school seniors from Bergen County, N.J. or Rockland County, N.Y. who will major in the visual arts at an accredited college or university. Student work will be displayed at the Community Arts Association’s Member Show. Applicants must be majoring in art at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2026. Applicants must submit ten images of your artwork and a 300-500 word essay. Please ask the Guidance Department to send in a copy of your official transcript. Deadline for the scholarships is March 18, 2026. 

Delta Kappa Gamma Society International: Alpha Eta Chapter Scholarship: The Alpha Eta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is offering a $1,000 scholarship to a female high school senior graduating in June 2025 with plans to enter college in September 2026 to pursue a career in the field of education.  Candidates must have at least a B average, demonstrated good conduct, and performed community service.  A 500-word essay and two (2) letters of reference are mandatory.  For an overview of the organization please visit www.dkg.org.  Deadline for submission is April 17, 2026.

Evans Park PTA Scholarship: A scholarship will be awarded to one (1) graduating Pearl River High School senior who attended Evans Park.  A completed application form, a 150-word written statement about involvement in community service and in extracurricular activities, transcript and one (1) letter of recommendation required.  Application deadline is April 15, 2026.

Evan Park Alumni PTA Ms. Susanne Pariot Scholarship: The Evans Park PTA is proud to offer the Ms. Susanne Pariot Scholarship. This scholarship recognizes a student who demonstrates the same dedication, kindness, and potential that Ms. Pariot consistently showed throughout her career. The scholarship will be awarded to one (1) graduating Pearl River High School senior who attended Evans Park.  A completed application form, a 150-word written statement about how your love for reading influenced your desire to become an educator, transcript and one (1) letter of recommendation required.  Application deadline is April 15, 2026.

Frank A. Fornario Sr. Scholarship Award: The Blauvelt-Orangeburg Republican Club, a non-political civic organization, is offering a scholarship award in honor of one of its charter members, Frank A. Fornario, Sr, who was a long-time resident of Blauvelt and a former Rockland County Legislator. The scholarship will be given to a graduating senior who plans to pursue a college major in Political Science, History, Public Policy, Pre-Law or Constitutional Studies. A complete application and transcript is due to the guidance department by 12 noon on March 22, 2026. 

Franklin Avenue PTA Scholarship: Award offered to a graduate of Franklin Avenue Elementary School.  A 500- to 700-word essay describing how your experiences at Franklin Avenue have shaped who you are today, a list of community service/activities and two (2) letters of recommendation required.  Submissions will be accepted up to noon time on Friday, May 1, 2026.

The Jamaican Civic & Cultural Association of Rockland, Inc. (JAMCCAR): Graduating high school seniors of Caribbean descent from any school district in Rockland County who are members or associate members of JAMCCAR and who have been actively participating in the organization, or other community organizations. Proof of involvement will be required. Requirements include: A least an overall "B" average, Proof of acceptance to college or proof of attendance at RCC or trade school, a recommendation from a teacher of the high school or a JAMCCAR member, an essay of at least 750 words, a personal interview with the Scholarship Committee and a written statement that funds will only be used for educational purposes. Application must be postmarked by April 28, 2026. The completed application with attachments should be emailed to jamccarny@yahoo.com or mailed to JAMCCAR, Attention: Scholarship Committee, PO Box 1727, Spring Valley, NY 10977.

The Joseph Goncalves Student Humanitarian Scholarship: This scholarship, one in the amount of $5,000, the other for $3,000, will be awarded to a graduating senior, who plans to attend college in NY State. Applying students should be able to demonstrate a record of involvement and work for a cause or organization that actively promotes social justice, equal opportunity, relief of human suffering or similar aspirations generally understood to be within the meaning of humanitarian activity. The application and an essay not to exceed 650 words are due by April 2, 2026. Please see attachment for further information. 

Joseph V. Caccamo, Jr. Memorial Award 2026: Award is open to all Rockland County high school seniors. A single award of up to $1,000 may be given to the winning submission. College attendance is not a requirement for applying.  Essay on the Second Amendment and completed application are required. This is a non-academic award; submission of transcripts and grades will disqualify applicants.  Entries must be received no later than 4:00pm on April 11, 2026.

Knights of Pythias Rockland Scholarship: A scholarship to one deserving graduating student from each public high school in Rockland County.  We want to reward students who maintain at least a B- average while participating in community service thereby aiding those who are less fortunate.  We focus our selection of deserving recipients on the essay the student writes to show how his or her community service reflects the Knights of Pythias precepts of friendship, charity and benevolence.  Our decision will also be impacted by the candidate’s community service experiences, their ability to describe those experiences in writing and what they tell us they learned from the community service. This year our applications will be submitted using an on-line survey which the student will access and submit using the following URL. We recommend students write their essay using Word or notepad and paste them into the proper page on the scholarship application. The deadline for submission of both parts of this application (the application and the transcript) is April 1st, 2026. The scholarship presentation will take place on Tuesday May 12th, 2026.  Each winner will be notified and will be asked to make a 3 minute speech accepting the scholarship and summarizing his or her experience.

Lincoln Avenue PTA Audra Marinelli Memorial Scholarship: One (1) $1,000 scholarship offered exclusively to a current Pearl River High School senior who graduated from Lincoln Avenue Elementary School.  Essay about your fondest memory at Lincoln Avenue, your plans for the future, what sets you apart from other applicants and community service experience required.  Please complete the Google application form to apply. Deadline to submit is April 27, 2026.

Michael Gregory 2026 Scholarship: On behalf of the Vincent Linguanti Lodge Brothers & Sisters of the Order of the Sons
& Daughters of Italy in Suffern, NY, they are proud to offer the Michael Gregory 2026 Scholarship to students of Italian descent who are committed to vocational trades for their next level of education/instruction. This scholarship committee is looking for an individual who is of Italian descent that possesses a uniqueness all their own, can articulate how they care about others and is committed to their trade. Completed applications must be postmarked by Tuesday, April 3, 2026. 

National Council of Jewish Women - Rockland Section Community Service Award: In the spirit of advancing human welfare and the democratic way of life, $1,000 each will be awarded to the top five (5) applicants in Rockland County.  A minimum of one hundred (100) hours of ongoing voluntary community service is required for applicants; please see application for guidelines of service requirement.  Two (2) letters of recommendation from a service supervisor are also required (see form).  Email awards@ncjw-rockland.org with any questions. Deadline for submission is April 6, 2026.

NYSSFA – Rockland  County Chapter  2026 Student Scholarship: The New York State School Facilities Association (NYSSFA) serves as the professional voice for more than 600 facilities leaders throughout New York State, including Directors of Facilities, Facilities Managers, Health and Safety Coordinators, and key maintenance personnel. The Rockland County Chapter of the New York State School Facilities Association will award up to five scholarships, each ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. Applicants must meet the following criteria: 1) Be pursuing or planning to pursue a facilities-related field of study, such as Facilities Management, or be a relative of a CSEA member, 2) Be a full-time student who is a current high school senior or graduating senior & 3) Be a student within a Rockland County school district. Essay, Transcript, Work & Volunteer Experience must be mailed. Please submit all materials to the Guidance Department by noon on April 17, 2026. 

O'Grady-Brown Memorial Scholarship: Scholarship is awarded to students seeking to pursue a career in law enforcement; attention given to financial need and past academic and extracurricular achievements. Applicant must be a graduating senior planning to attend an accredited college or university. Two (2) letters of recommendation required.  Please visit O'Grady-Brown website for more details. Deadline for submission is April 15, 2026.

The Paul Jensen Memorial Scholarship 2026: This scholarship, one in the amount of $5,000 and another for $3,000 will be awarded to a student who has demonstrated an inspired imagination and creative aesthetic in their school career and who is seeking an opportunity to attend college. The scholarship is in memory of Paul Jensen, a marketing representative for NYSIR, who passed away in 2006. An essay of up to 650 words is required with other required documents. The deadline for this application is April 2, 2026.

Pearl River Lions Club High School Scholarship Essay Contest: The Pearl River Lions Club will award $1,000 to a graduating PRHS senior planning on a career in the helping professions of human services, social work, or psychology (e.g. Teaching, Nursing, Mental Health, Public Health, Criminal Justice.) Community service and future education plans for a career serving others will be the most important considerations for this award. Students are to write a 300-500 word essay on their experiences with community service, their education plans, and one experience that had a strong effect upon them in choosing to make a career in a helping profession. Please submit your essay to the Counseling Office or email the digital file to guidance@pearlriver.org no later than May 6, 2026 at 2:00 pm to be forwarded to the Pearl River Lions Club for judging.

Pearl River Middle School PTA Scholarship 2026: The PRMS PTA is pleased to offer a $500 scholarship to a PRHS graduating senior who graduated from Pearl River Middle School.  This is a non-academic-based scholarship that will be awarded to a senior based on their commitment to local community service and personal responses to the questions on the google form. The deadline for this scholarship is April 30, 2026. 

Pearl River Middle School PTA Special Services Scholarship 2026: The Pearl River MS PTA is pleased to offer a $500 scholarship to a PRHS graduating senior who graduated from Pearl River Middle School and receives special services through an IEP or 504 plan.  This is a non-academic-based scholarship that will be awarded to a senior based on their commitment to local community service and personal responses to the google form. To be considered for this scholarship, please complete and submit application no later than Thursday, April 30, 2026

Professional Nurses Assoc of Rockland County Nursing Scholarship: is awarding two $750 scholarships to Rockland County high school seniors who most embody intelligence, kindness, caring and enthusiasm exemplified by nurses around the world and who exhibit commitment to pursuing a career in nursing. Official transcript, one (1) teacher recommendation, and one (1) character reference form required.  Deadline for submission is April 15, 2026. 

RCWBA Catherine M. Miklitsch Law Day Scholarship Essay Contest: Scholarship contest is open to all Rockland County High School seniors.  A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to the winning essay of no more than 500 words pertaining to the Rule of Law and the American Dream.  Please see application for guidelines and complete essay question.  All entries must be submitted via email to RCWBAEssayContest@gmail.com by April 22, 2026.

Renee Craig “Music in Motion” Scholarship: The Harmony Celebration Chorus will award a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior who is planning to major or minor in music, music education, voice, or theater.  A minimum of 3.0 GPA, official high school transcript, letter of recommendation from a music mentor, essay, and a visual/auditory video performance required.  Please see application form for details or visit the Harmony Celebtation website. All materials must be received by April 10, 2026. 

Reverend Dr. Raymond C. and Linda Caliman Academic Scholarship: Scholarship established in honor of Reverend Dr. Raymond C. and Linda Caliman and their service and contributions to the community as well as to their family and church.  A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to a college-bound high school senior who is a positive influence on his/her peers and engages in community service.  Completed application form, transcript, a 500-word essay, letters of recommendation, college acceptance letter, and verified activity profile required.  Please visit their Caliman Scholarship Website for more information and contact info@calimanscholarship.org with any questions.  Applications are due April 17, 2026.  

Rockland County Music Educators Association (RCMEA) Senior Music Scholarship: Sponsored by music teachers in Rockland County, this scholarship is available for students planning a career in music. NYSSMA scores, two (2) letters of recommendation, and digital audio or video of musical abilities are required.  Scholarship is intended for students who will be attending an accredited 4-year college or university with a major in music. Application Link and the deadline is March 29, 2026.

Rolling Thunder NY3 Tony Schembri Memorial Scholarship: In honor of Tony Schembri, a veteran and co-founder of Rolling Thunder NY Chapter 3, a $750 scholarship is available for high school seniors.  Prospective scholarship applicants should write an essay of approximately 500 words. The theme of your essay should center on: How and why the efforts and sacrifices of the American soldier/military veteran are so important. Your essay should be based on the ideas you have formed from either reading of history or from the veterans you know personally as family or friends.  See application for additional details. Please contact suziq433@yahoo.com with any questions.  Deadline for submission is April 1, 2026.

The Rotary Club of Pearl River Scholarships: The award criteria are diverse. All students needing aid and who are involved in community service are encouraged to apply. To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must be residents of the Pearl River School District for at least one year (12 months.) An essay of 350 words or less, financial information, community service and leadership activities are all considered.  Scholarships are also considered for trade/technical schools or other special forms of continued study.  Applications without adequate financial information will not be considered.   All financial information will be held to the strictest of confidence and all applications are blindly reviewed and scored.  Transcripts required; unofficial transcripts accepted.  Incomplete applications will not be processed.  If you have any questions about the application process, please call (845) 222-3356 or e-mail PRRotaryScholarships@gmail.com.  All applications must be submitted online by April 20,2026.

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (Colonel Ellis Camp 124): Colonel Augustus van Horne Ellis Memorial Annual Scholarship: Contest is open to all high school seniors in the lower Hudson Valley. A $350 scholarship will be awarded to a student of high academic achievement with a record of performance in school and community activities and an interest in the heritage of the United States. A letter of recommendation and a 500-word essay are required.  All applications and supporting documents must be postmarked no later than May 2, 2026.

Steven W. Dauksza Memorial Scholarship: The Steven W. Dauksza Memorial Scholarship Fund was started by Steven’s family to help students interested in pursuing a career in the automotive field.  Scholarships will be awarded to two Rockland students looking to follow in Steven’s footsteps and pursue a career as an auto mechanic. There will be one scholarship award for $5,000 to UTI (Universal Technical Institute) and a second to a NYS automotive school for $2,000.  Interested applicants must submit an essay about how you became interested in the automotive field and why you chose to pursue a career as an auto mechanic.  Resume required.  Applications must be submitted no later than March 25, 2026.  

William V. Harris Memorial Scholarship: Two (2) $500 awards available to graduating seniors.  Scholarship is based upon contributions to the community.  Essay, intentions for future, two (2) letters of recommendation and a list of extracurricular activities are all required. Completed applications with required documents must be submitted to the Counseling Office by noon on  May 8, 2026.

WVQG Phyllis Klein Scholarship 2026: The Warwick Valley Quilters' Guild is offering the Phyllis Klein Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to one (1) graduating senior who plans to continue their education in a fiber arts or fine arts field. The applicant must also have completed at least one course in sewing, design, and/or art during high school. Applications, letters of recommendation and the photo/description of a project example should be emailed by noon on May 1, 2026. 

Zimi Bagel / Demakis Scholarship: Two (2) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to seniors who have demonstrated the ability to excel academically while pursuing and excelling in a passion within or outside of school (e.g. Debate, Music, Acting, Art, Sports, etc.)  A completed application form and transcript required.  Applicants must be planning to attend college and have a minimum average of 90.  There is a 350 word max essay. Questions for the essay are on the application.  All applications and supporting materials must be submitted to the Counseling Office or emailed to guidance@pearlriver.org no later than 12pm on April 30, 2026. 

2026 Anita and Blair Mazin Scholarship: The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) - Westchester Chapter will be awarding three (3) scholarships for high school seniors/adults with hearing loss, to be used toward the pursuit of a college degree or vocational training. Each scholarship will be for $1,000.   Applicants must have applied to a college or vocational education program, wear a hearing aid(s) and/or cochlear implant(s) and have a grade point average of 3.0 or better. The scholarship is a one-time award. Application must be received by May 10, 2026. Please see the scholarship applications for more details. 

2026 Keep Rockland Beautiful Scholarship: This scholarship, created in loving memory of former KRB board member, Irfan Sabir, recognizes students who have shown dedication to environmental protection through their studies, community involvement, or personal action. Applicants should be committed to making a positive impact, whether through science, advocacy, education, or hands-on initiatives. Three scholarships will be awarded to outstanding applicants — $1,000, $750, and $500 — in recognition of their passion, leadership, and commitment to protecting the environment. A  letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or intern supervisor and a 500-700 word essay is required. Please complete the application online by April 14, 2026.