Scholarships

The Island Estates Women’s Club is very proud of their commitment to the community and education. Every year since 1997, the IEWC has awarded college scholarships to deserving local high school girls. The club established a charitable trust for this purpose in 2012. In 2013, The Rita O’Neil Memorial Scholarship Fund, in association with the IEWC Scholarship Foundation, was created within the charitable trust to honor the memory of member Rita O’Neil.  In 2016, The Marie Wadsworth Memorial Scholarship Fund, in association with the IEWC Scholarship Found, was created to honor the memory of club member and President Marie Wadsworth.  The I.E.W.C. is proud to continue to support education and local students in their college studies. To date the IEWC has distributed over 70 Scholarships!

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In December of each year Scholarship applications will be available to young ladies graduating from Clearwater High School. Applications are due back by March of that year. The application packages will be sent to Clearwater High School Guidance Counselors, Clothes To Kids, posted on this IEWC website and available by contacting the IEWC Chairperson Mrs. Marilee Hoffman-Ferguson at 727-307-1691 or marileehoffman@gmail.com.

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Each applicant must complete the entire application which consists of community service, awards, need, essays, current transcripts and two recommendations.

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HISTORY OF SCHOLARSHIPS

The Scholarship Foundation was started in 1977.  College scholarships are awarded to deserving Senior High School young women each year.  In 2014 the Rita O’Neil Memorial Scholarship fund was created by her family, husband Craig Rubright and son Ryan Zirkle.  In 2016 the Marie Wadsworth Memorial Scholarship Fund was created by her husband Ken Wadsworth.  Both families plan to donate money on a yearly basis to fund their memorial scholarships.  The Rita O’Neill and Marie Wadsworth Scholarship award money is to be $3000 each year for each scholarship.

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Anonymous Donor Scholarship  Recipients

2019 - Giselle Gonzalez- Clearwater High School

            Riley Melvin- Clearwater High School

            Tillie Palmer- Clearwater High School

            Kiara Reckenwald- Clearwater High School

            Madison Saul- Clearwater High School

In 2020 we could not hold our annual Scholarship Fundraiser but due to the generous donations of our annual Scholarship memorials we were still able to award the following scholarships to Clearwater High School Graduates.

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Destiny Turner - Marie Wadsworth Scholarship

Courtney Fornshell - Rita O'Neil Scholarship

Danieliz Espada - MDA Scholarship

Mariya Lepou- MDA Scholarship

Belen Mejay-Perez - IEWC Fundraiser Reserves

Gabrielle Meyers - IEWC Fundraiser Reserves

Maria Wadsworth Memorial Scholarship  Recipients

2016 - Savannah Jean Howard- Clearwater High School

2017 -Hailey A. Woolridge- Clearwater High School

2018 - Maddison Ouimette- Clearwater High School

2019 - Lindsay Belcher - Clearwater High School

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2021

Alexa Nicolas-Lara - Marie Wadsworth Scholarship

Emily Pursley- Rita O’Neil Scholarship

Jordan Clark - MDA Scholarship

Dasia Crump- MDA Scholarship

Alicia Galvan-Cruz- MDA Scholarship

Ashly Sajeev- MDA Scholarship

Milena Kullaj- IEWC Fundraiser Reserves

Lauren Lopez - IEWC Fundraiser Reserves