Bonita Shores offers three $500 college scholarships for high school seniors in that community, but in 2025 nobody applied. Longshore Lakes in North Naples offers $2,000 scholarships for students at Aubrey Rogers and Gulf Coast high schools, and last year only four students applied. There is a lot of local money out there waiting for students – they just need to fill out applications.
“That is a message that we try to convey,” said Kimberly Dickerson, Collier County Public School district’s school counseling coordinator. “Those national scholarships are flashy, and students know about them. But we have some great scholarships here.”
The Collier Community Foundation administers more than 300 scholarships. Lee County Schools lists almost 150 local awards on both the district website and the XELLO website.
CCF created the Scholarship Connector which lists all local, state, and national scholarships. They have been checked for legitimacy and have links to the applications. Students can take an information quiz that will spit out the scholarships that they are eligible for, so they don’t have to wade through hundreds of sites. A common link allows students to apply for multiple scholarships with just one application.
“The scholarships run the gamut of criteria,” said Laura Bidireanu, director of education scholarships for CCF. “Some are merit based, some are need based, some are based on interests or background.”
Bidireanu said it is important for seniors to check the deadlines. She also offers this advice for students: “Take your time, show who you are, what sets you apart from your peers, what you are passionate about, and what you want to pursue after high school.” She also noted that “letters of recommendation are more important than facts and figures like your GPA.”
CCF visits all the local high schools to advise students on applying, and encourages them to seek out as many scholarships as possible.
“Don’t take for granted the smaller local scholarships that are available. Every little bit counts,” Bidireanu stressed.
High school counselors are also a good source of information and guidance on scholarships, Dickerson said.
“Seniors have a lot to do, so it is important to be organized and to set aside time just to look for scholarships,” Dickerson advised. “Using the Scholarship Connector is a great tool. Look for those local scholarship dollars and spend some time applying. People will be surprised at how many organizations want to support them. Every little bit helps. They add up to something significant.”
The Class of 2025 in Collier County Public Schools earned $38.5 million in scholarships. Dickerson hopes the 3,500 members of the Class of 2026 this year will secure even more.
Lee County 2025 seniors secured more than $70 million in scholarships. This year there are 7,370 public school seniors in Lee County public schools.
Start early
Lee County uses a Florida service called Xello and then adds local scholarships into the program. Xello includes scholarships for students in grades 6-12 so not just seniors should be looking at it, advises Meredith Berry, coordinator for Lee County School counseling services. Xello also lets students filter the scholarships that they are eligible for, and it has some that offer one application for multiple opportunities.
Lee County high schools not only have guidance counselors, they also have a college and career specialist at every location. These specialists go into the classrooms and have individual and group meetings with students, but Berry admits that more needs to be done.
“We do have scholarships locally that students don’t apply for, whether it is that they don’t know about it or the time frame for when it is due,” Berry explained.
She wants students to learn about scholarships when they are still in middle school.
“My goal is to see that students leave middle school and have a scholarship awarded to them, so they already have that scholarship readiness,” she said.
Local nonprofits are helping students start the scholarship process early. Champions for Learning encourages students beginning in eighth grade to apply for scholarship money. Those that secure a spot in Take Stock in Children in eighth grade can secure a two-year pre-paid scholarship if they complete the program and graduate. But the application closes in October, so they need to apply soon.
“It is an opportunity for every student in Collier to apply,” said Kristin Carolan, senior director of student programs at Champions for Learning. “No essay is required. It is first-come, first-served. If you are eligible, you get it.”
Free money
Those that offer scholarships hope more students will take advantage of this free money for their education. Sharon Newman, who does publicity for Voices of Naples, says her organization gives out two or three music scholarships each year to students who plan to major in vocal (or related) studies in college.
“The number of applications has varied from one to six, averaging three,” Newman stated. “Recipients may request additional funding after their freshman year in college.”
Sarah Savary, chair of the Longshore Lakes scholarship committee, also hopes to see more students apply this year.
“One of the things that I find is not too many people apply, and I keep telling the counselors to promote it,” Savary said. “There are so many scholarships on the website. What is nice about our scholarship is it goes directly to the student once we have confirmation that they are going to a school. It does make a difference. People should be more aware.”
Karin O’Leary, president of the Bonita Shores Club, said there were seniors in the community last year, so it was surprising that no one applied.
“It requires effort, and there are service hours they have to do,” O’Leary said. “I think they don’t know about it. With Bright Futures, they don’t think they need anything else, but they can use it for books or whatever. There are some kids who are motivated, but there are other kids who are not. There are tons of scholarships out there, but the kids need to apply for them. It is free money.”
Top 5 Tips for Scholarship Applications
- Start Early
Don’t wait until senior year—many scholarships are open to middle schoolers. - Be Organized
Set aside time each week just to research and apply. Keep a deadline calendar. - Show Who You Are
Essays should highlight your passions, goals, and what makes you unique—you are more than just a GPA and test scores. - Secure Strong Recommendations
Letters from teachers, mentors, or community leaders often carry more weight than numbers. - Apply for Local Scholarships
Don’t overlook smaller, community-based awards. They add up and are often less competitive than national scholarships.