Farmers-Merchants National Bank Scholarship

• Scholarship Information
• Previous Scholarship Winners
• This Year's Scholarship Winner

Scholarship Information

The Farmers-Merchants National Bank, with offices in Paxton and Melvin, has provided financial services to the area since 1914.  In keeping with its tradition of community service and commitment to the education of future civic and business leaders, the Farmers-Merchants National Bank of Paxton established an educational scholarship.  This scholarship was first established for the 1999-2000 school year.  Over the past nine years, Farmers-Merchants National Bank has provided $64,000 in scholarship money.

The intent of the award is to assist a graduating high school senior living within the Paxton-Buckley-Loda and Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley school districts to continue his/her education beyond high school at a university, college, or trade/vocational school.  The Paxton-Buckley-Loda Education Foundation administers the application and selection process for the award of one $8,000 scholarship, which consists of up to four $2,000 annual award payments made to the institution of higher education where the student is enrolled.  To be eligible, an applicant must have maintained a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average based on a 4.0 system through the seventh semester of high school.  Applicants are evaluated on three criteria: academic achievement, participation and leadership in school and community activities, and a written essay.

Applications are available at GCMS and PBL High School guidance offices and at the Farmers-Merchants National Bank branches in Paxton and Melvin.  Scholarship information and Application forms are also available through the following links:

Scholarship Information (printable version)

FMNB Application Form as a PDF file

FMNB Application Form as a Microsoft Word Document

Applications for the 2007-2008 school year must be mailed directly to the following address and must have a postmark dated no later than February 15, 2008:

PBL Education Foundation
FMNB Scholarship
P.O. Box 192
Paxton, IL  60957

Any application not postmarked by February 15, 2008, will be ineligible for consideration for the scholarship.  For more information concerning this scholarship, please contact pbl@pblfoundation.org.

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Previous Scholarship Winners

2008:  Lauren Heap, GCMS (see story below)
2007:  Todd Epps, GCMS
2006:  Mark Frichtl, PBL
2005:  Jessie Niewold, PBL
2004:  Emma Hanford, PBL
2003:  Robert Unzicker, GCMS
2002:  Casey Pulley, GCMS
2001:  Hannah Diedrich, PBL
2000:  Chris Nelson, PBL
 

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This Year's Winner

Farmers-Merchants National Bank and the Paxton-Buckley-Loda Education Foundation presented the bank’s ninth annual $8,000 scholarship to GCMS senior, Lauren Heap.  She maintained a straight A average at GCMS and was an Illinois State Scholar.  During high school, Lauren was very involved in musical activities including the chorus, band and drum line (captain).  She was also a four-year cheerleader where she was the captain and was a member of FCA. 

Lauren Heap, a senior from Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley High School, was awarded the ninth annual Farmers-Merchants National Bank Scholarship by Tom McCabe, Farmers-Merchants National Bank President.

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