Yavapai County residents interested in pursuing education degrees are encouraged to apply for $1,500 scholarships from the Education Scholarship Endowment of Yavapai County.

Applicants must be graduates from an accredited public high school in Yavapai County, or must have lived in the county for no less than three years, have a 3.0 high school or college/university grade point average, and be committed to teaching in any grade from preschool through high school.

"These scholarships fulfill the mission of this foundation created in 2001 by Gladys Gardner, a former teacher who later served in the Arizona State Legislature and as a Yavapai County supervisor," said Robert St. Clair, board president. "Over the years, the foundation has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships."

Application forms are available at www.education-scholarships-yavapai.org or by calling the ESEYC office at 442-5139. Applications must be received by midnight, March 30.

In 2011, ESEYC gave $18,000 to qualified applicants.

This year, ESEYC will also administer an additional $1,500 scholarship funded by the Prescott Sunrise Lions Club for a prospective teacher who has either a visual or auditory disability or who will teach students who have visual, auditory or physical disabilities.

At the Jan. 21 board meeting, St. Clair of Prescott Valley was elected president, Cory Gardner of Prescott was elected vice president, Tim Carter of Prescott was elected secretary, and Ray Newton of Prescott was elected treasurer.

Other board members include Danny Brown, LeAnne Lawhead, Lisa Mauldin, and Bob Williams, all of Prescott, and Ron Minnich of Chino Valley. Founder Gladys Gardner is an ex-officio board member.