SANDPOINT — Each year, community members and organizations hands out thousands of dollars in scholarships to Bonner County students.

"I am absolutely amazed at the generosity of our community to help students with postsecondary costs," said Jeralyn Mire, Sandpoint High School postsecondary counselor.

While the list includes mostly Sandpoint area organizations, any Bonner County senior is eligible to apply for many of the opportunities in this year's list of more than 60 scholarships.

The Elks Community Scholarship, for example, is open to anyone in Bonner County enrolling in a professional/technical institution, college or university in the fall. Leslie Marshall, scholarship coordinator for the Elks, said one of the missions of the Elks is to encourage postsecondary education, so the group gives away $6,200 a year to as many applicants as possible.

In addition, some of the scholarships are awarded to Bonner County students in college for continuing education. A new scholarship this year, the John Porter Memorial Scholarship, is offered to any Bonner County high school senior and continuing college students from Bonner County.

Each organization has its own requirements, from student interests to minimum GPA, but there is something for just about everyone, Mire said.

"The variety of scholarships is fantastic," Mire said. "... And the reason people give scholarships is phenomenal."

One of her favorite examples, Mire said, is the bus drivers who get together and raise money for students who were bus riders throughout their school years.

These scholarships are available to Sandpoint, Clark Fork and Lake Pend Oreille high school seniors, who have a minimum 3.5 GPA, with preference given to students who are active in the community.

The process has gotten much easier over the years, Mire said, as Panhandle Alliance For Education helped streamline the process through a common format. For the past four years, Mire said they have been able to add new scholarships easily.

To make it easier on students, a common application is used for the scholarships. The common application is a base application that asks for the students information, activities and essay. Each scholarship has a separate cover page and packet for the student to fill out. Mire warns not to copy and paste answers. Each should be written out in a thoughtful manner.

Any Bonner County student can access the scholarship list and applications through the Sandpoint High School website at sites.google.com/a/lposd.org/shs/home. Click on the big red "Counseling Center" button halfway down the page, then click the "scholarships link," followed by "local scholarships."

The left column links are the local scholarships that use the common application. It is important to download the application and save it, otherwise any work will be lost. All of the scholarships available are listed on the page, complete with eligibility information.

Students are encouraged to apply for as many as possible, because when it comes to postsecondary education, every little bit helps, Mire said.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.