On May 19th, 2026, Farmington High School students, faculty, families, and scholarship sponsors filled the auditorium for one of the most anticipated nights of the school year: Scholarship Awards Night. The scholarship award ceremony is an annual event where members of the senior class are awarded scholarships based on factors such as leadership, involvement in athletics and community service. Through the counseling department, seniors have the opportunity to apply for a multitude of scholarships to assist them financially as they graduate high school and embark on their next steps. This year, there were 42 scholarships totaling $150,000 awarded amongst 69 FHS students.
Each scholarship has specific requirements for students to be eligible to receive. Some scholarships are based on specific career paths students intend to pursue, while others are broader and focus on topics such as leadership or community service involvement. No matter what field of study students are going into, there is likely a scholarship available to apply for.
Senior Sydnie Smith, one of the scholarship recipients, will be attending Liberty University in the fall to study Elementary and Special Education. She was one of many who applied for scholarships promoted by the FHS counseling department.
“My greatest advice for students who will be applying for scholarships is to start the process early. Create a list for yourself of all the scholarships you want to apply to and start each of them at least a month before the deadline,” advised Smith.
Mrs. Petersen, an administrative assistant in the counseling department, serves as the scholarship coordinator at FHS. Petersen plays an instrumental role in the entire process, collaborating with sponsors outside of FHS in order to understand the requirements for each scholarship and then relays this information to students. She works to publicize the scholarships as much as possible, updating the counseling website and creating and distributing informational materials
“We also manage ‘local scholarships’ that are overseen by a committee of administrators, counselors, teachers, and staff at FHS. Those scholarship decisions are made collectively here at FHS, since we know the students best and the sponsors have entrusted us to make these selections,” shared Petersen.
When it comes to preparing for the event itself, Petersen has multiple responsibilities to ensure the night runs smoothly. She takes the lead on gathering applications, collecting checks, and coordinating presenters for the ceremony. However, Petersen isn’t the only person working on the event behind the scenes. This evening is made possible by not only her hard work, but also with the help of the custodians and faculty, along with Gnazzo’s of Plainville who was contracted to cater and donated two servers to work at the ceremony.
“Scholarship Awards Night is truly the highlight of the school year! It showcases the incredible accomplishments of our students as well as the immense generosity of our community at large. By the end of the evening, my cheeks always hurt from smiling and my hands are sore from clapping—and that is exactly how I know the evening was a success,” reflected Petersen.
