Educational Programs Committee

Chariman: Philip J Vicknair

Information from Supreme for this committee:

• Support education vocally in front of your own children. If a young person hears his parents criticize his school and teachers, he is not likely to have confidence in them or get much out of his class work. Even before a youngster starts school, he can sense whether his parents consider school work a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or a tedious bore to be endured. Instill a respect for education in children.
• Encourage potential dropouts to stay in school. Persuade those who have dropped out to return. Help students overcome the barriers to proper education they may face — learning problems, home life, etc. Stress to these students and their families what the future holds for dropouts. Thousands of students drop out of school every day. The unemployment rate for dropouts is twice that of high school graduates.
• Question, examine and reinforce what is taught in school. Don’t hesitate to voice your opinion to officials if you are not pleased and satisfied with the education being provided to children in your community.
• Take an active interest in the sex education programs in local schools. Consult experts in religious education and adolescent psychology. Council members and their families could spearhead the development of materials and programs that could assist and fill out whatever local schools may be doing in the area of sex education.
• Award scholarships at Catholic high schools and colleges to qualified Squires and sons and daughters of council members. Hold an annual scholarship competition.
• Support Catholic schools. Help continue the tradition of a Catholic education for children by raising money to help defray the cost of tuition at a local Catholic grade school or high school. Present scholarships to qualified students, volunteer council manpower to help schools with maintenance and upkeep, and support tax assistance for parents who choose to educate their children in Catholic schools.

Information from Supreme for this committee:

• Take part in the Knights of Columbus Essay Contest on “The Responsibility of the Catholic Citizen in a Free Society.” The essay contest is open to all Catholic students graduating from elementary schools (8th graders) and high schools (12th graders). Participants prepare compositions based on a theme taken from Church writings. Essays should be between 500 and 750 words in length. Winners will receive their awards either at graduation, at an awards ceremony or at a similar function arranged by the school and sponsoring council. Judging is done on a 100-point scoring system. Certificates for first, second and third place winners, and certificates of participation for all entrants are included in the Essay Contest Kit #(EA-KIT). It is recommended that councils consider monetary awards in the range of $100 to $350 in Savings Bonds or the cash equivalent to the first place winner. Conducting this contest in the Catholic schools will help strengthen the bonds between the Order and Catholic schools. The goodwill generated can be a springboard to additional programs in service to the school. It can also help in recruiting faculty and administration members — as well as fathers of the participants — into your council. In addition, it can assist recruiting down the road as participants turn 18 and remember their participation in the Knights of Columbus Essay Contest.
• Numerous programs concerned with providing scholarships to members and their dependents are sponsored by the Supreme Council. Among the scholarships are: Francis P. Matthews and John E. Swift Educational Trust Scholarships, Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships, John W. McDevitt (Fourth Degree) Scholarships, Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria (Canada) Scholarships and graduate fellowships. Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships — A total of 62 Catholic college scholarships (which are not limited to Fourth Degree members), each in the amount of $1,500 per year, are available to members and sons and daughters of members or deceased members of a council in the United States entering their freshman year. Twelve scholarships are available at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and 50 are available to students attending other Catholic colleges in the United States. Four of the scholarships are designated for Columbian Squires. These scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence and are renewable. Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria (Canada) Scholarships — Twelve scholarships (which are not limited to Fourth Degree members) at colleges or universities in Canada are available to Canadian members, sons and daughters of Canadian members or deceased Canadian members entering their freshman year of a Canadian university. Scholarships, each of $1,500 per year, are awarded based on academic excellence for one year and are renewable. John W. McDevitt (Fourth Degree) Scholarships — The academic based scholarships of $1,500 each are administered in conformance with the rules governing the Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships and are available to members, wives, widows, and sons and daughters of members including members who died while in good standing at the time of their death (not limited to Fourth Degree members). Francis P. Matthews and John E. Swift Educational Trust Scholarships —A scholarship fund has been established to provide scholarships to the children of a member in good standing who, while serving in the military forces of his country in a combat zone, is killed by hostile action or wounded by hostile action resulting within two years of permanent and total disability, and for children of a member in good standing who, while in the lawful performance of his duties as a full-time law enforcement officer or firefighter, died as the result of criminal violence directed at him. The scholarship includes the expense of tuition up to $25,000 per year for undergraduate studies leading to a bachelor’s degree at a Catholic college. Knights of Columbus Graduate Fellowship at The Catholic University of America — The fellowships are for work in the fields offered in the Graduate School. The fellowships cover tuition and an allowance for living expenses, and may be renewed annually up to three years. Bishop Charles P. Greco Graduate Fellowships — Bishop Greco Graduate Fellowships are available for full-time graduate study leading to a master’s degree in a program designed for the preparation of classroom teachers of people with intellectual disabilities. The maximum grant is $500 a semester ($2,000 total), renewable upon evidence of satisfactory performance and subject to the discretion of the Committee on Fellowships. The applicant must be a member of the Knights of Columbus in good standing, or the wife, son or daughter of such a member or deceased member. Refer to the booklet, Financial Aid to Education (#951) for more information about any of these programs, or write directly to the Department of Scholarships, P.O. Box 1670, New Haven, CT 06507-0901.
• Establish one or more scholarships to Catholic high schools or universities.
• Present a Knights of Columbus award for scholarship to be given at commencement ceremonies.
• Plan an “Open House” for high school students and ask recent college graduates who are members of your council to talk about their college experiences, cost of education, recommended courses, etc. Provide information on careers and scholarships.
• Sponsor a “College Fair” for prospective college students. Invite representatives of surrounding colleges to talk with high school students, distribute literature, answer questions, etc.
• Hold a “Career Fair” for high school and college students. Invite representatives of different career areas to give a presentation about the career paths they’ve chosen and the opportunities each offers.
• Conduct a Spelling Bee contest for elementary schooled aged boys and girls.