Watertown Foundation Scholarships

Since 1926, the Watertown Foundation has provided support to local high school seniors pursuing college education. The Foundation transitioned from loans to scholarships in the late 1980s and has awarded over $900,000 to hundreds of local students.

Geographic Scope: Watertown and Oakville, Connecticut

Eligibility Requirements:

• Graduating high school senior with plans to attend college or trade school
• Residency in Watertown or Oakville for at least three years (regardless of secondary school attended)
• Two teacher and/or guidance counselor recommendation letters
• List of activities and contributions to school and community
• Financial need as determined by FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI)
• Student essay required
• Scholastic transcript from guidance counselor
• SAT or ACT score report if available

Award Details:

• Award range: $1,500 to $5,000
• Most scholarships are one-year awards
• Several scholarships are renewable for all four years of college, dependent on satisfactory academic performance
• Awards based on scholastic record, test scores, essays, extracurricular and community involvement, and financial information

Available Named Scholarships:

• Antonacci Family Foundation/Watertown Oakville Chamber Of Commerce Scholarship for STEM (Watertown High School only) - preference for technical education, STEM careers
• Fletcher Judson Memorial Scholarship (Watertown High School only) - academic excellence and exemplary community service
• Kathleen M. Scully Memorial Scholarship (Watertown High School only) - pursuing degree in education
• Ricky Bozzuto Memorial Scholarship (Watertown High School only) - scholastic excellence in mathematics, physical sciences, IT
• Watertown Oakville Chamber Of Commerce Business Scholarship (Watertown High School only) - business-related field of study
• William H. and Margaret E. Eppehimer Memorial Scholarship (Watertown High School only) - volunteerism, preference for sales/marketing/business
• David Woodward Scholarship (any secondary school) - vision and leadership in improving lives
• M. Heminway Merriman 2nd Scholarship (any secondary school) - contribution to Watertown through community improvement
• Northwest Community Bank Scholarship (any secondary school) - preference for finance, accounting, business management
• Town of Watertown Scholarship (any secondary school) - GPA, financial need, community service
• Watertown Foundation Past Presidents' Scholarship (any secondary school) - community service
• Watertown Foundation Scholarship (any secondary school) - community contributions and strong scholastic record
• William and Janet Dunbar Scholarship (any secondary school, renewable) - strong scholastic record, strength of character
• Joyce Mordenti Scholarship (any secondary school, NOT based on financial need) - female-identifying students, ability to overcome adversity, attending Connecticut public university/college/community college
• Reinhold and Katie DeWitt Scholarship (any secondary school, NOT based on financial need) - academic excellence, sensitivity to others' needs, cooperative skills

Financial Information:

• Scholarship Committee uses FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) to determine financial need
• Students with extraordinary financial circumstances (e.g., parent unemployment) should explain in application

Contact Information:

• Address: P.O. Box 117, Watertown, CT 06795
• Website: watertownfoundation.com

Scholarship Application Process

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (next deadline: March 25, 2027)

Key Instructions:

• Complete all application fields; incomplete applications will not be considered
• Submit online only (no paper submissions)
• All required documents must be uploaded

Required Application Components:

1. Scholarship Selection
   • Select up to three scholarships in priority order
   • Some scholarships are restricted to Watertown High School graduates only
2. Personal Information
   • Full name, email, phone
   • Current address with state and ZIP code
   • Years lived in Watertown/Oakville
   • Current high school
3. Family Information
   • Parent or Guardian name
   • Parent or Guardian place of employment and position/title
   • List any siblings
4. Activities and Experience
   • Extracurricular activities (most important to applicant)
   • Community service activities
   • School-related activities
   • Work experience with place of employment
5. Higher Education Information
   • Intended academic major
   • Intended career goal
   • Whether applicant has financially committed to a college/university/school
   • Name of committed institution (if applicable)
   • List of colleges, universities, or trade schools applied to
6. Required Documents to Upload
   • Student Essay (approximately 2 pages, double-spaced, 11 pt. font)
   • Choose one topic:
   • What have you learned about yourself through a mistake, adversity, failure, or challenging time?
   • What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree and why are you a good candidate to receive this scholarship award?
   • Transcript and SAT/ACT Scores (obtained from guidance counselor)
   • Student Aid Index (SAI) from FAFSA Submission Summary
7. Photo Consent Agreement
   • Must read and agree to consent statement
   • Foundation will use photographs, video images, audio clips, and recipient names on website and social media
   • Grants unlimited rights to use images in perpetuity worldwide without additional compensation
8. Signatures
   • Student signature required
   • Parent signature required
9. Optional
   • "Any Additional Information You Feel Is Important" field available
   • Explain extraordinary financial circumstances if applicable

File Upload Requirements:

• Accepted file types: doc, docx, pdf
• Maximum file size: 40 MB per file