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IBPF - Scholarship
 Iowa Black Powder Federation
Scholarship Program		 IBPF - Scholarship


2011 Scholarship Winners!

Jessie Eichelberger   -   Student at University of Northern Iowa

Kelley Bilbrey   -   Student at Grandview College

Lucas Bilbrey   -   Will be a student at DMACC this fall
Congratulations to this years IBPF Sholarship winners!


2012 Scholarship

Eligibility
  1. Students should be graduating seniors.
  2. Students must be pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education (i.e. Junior College, Community College, Technical College, College or University)
  3. Students are not required to have previously or currently participated in the black powder shooting sports.
  4. Students must submit an essay based on their interpretation of the "Preamble to the Constitution of the Iowa Black Powder Federation" and associated Constitution.
  5. Student and/or student's legal guardiean are not required to live in Iowa but must be a current member of the Iowa Black Powder Federation in good standing.
  6. Students must submit completed essays to a member of the Iowa Black Powder Federation board of directors by March 1.
  7. Members of the Iowa Black Powder Federation board of directors and their families are eligible to participate in this program.
Essay
  1. Write a brief essay as previously outlined.  Essay should be type-written, dated and should not exceed two pages.
  2. The Preamble to the Constitution of the Iowa Black Powder Federation can be found in our hand-out leaflet and on our website at www.iowablackpowderfederation.net/about_us.html.
  3. Please also include the following information: Your name, address, a phone number you can be reached at, your high school graduation date and your college of preference.
Selection Process
  1. At the annual spring Iowa Black Powder Federation meeting (generally held during the month of March) all scholarship program essays will be presented to the board of directors.
  2. At the meeting the board of directors will review submitted essays and select a winner that meets the eligibility requirements.
Scholarship Amount
  1. Each scholarship winner will receive a minimum of $250.00.
Disbursment of Funds
   
    Students may use their scholarship at any accredited institution of higher education (i.e. Junior College, Community College, Technical College, College or University).  The money must be used for tuition, books fees and housing.  The Iowa Black Powder Federation will work with the student and the college financial aid officer in determining the payee when the check is issued.  This will ensure the greatest benefit to the recipient and avoid violation of eligibility requirements.  This is a one-time award for one year.

Presentations

    A member of the Iowa Black Powder Federation board of directors or appropriate designee will officially present the scholarship award to the winner.

IBPF Board Member - Terry Kamstra

I’m writing to you this month specifically about the IBPF scholarship program. 2012 will be our second year for this membership benefit. In the first year we were honored to have three remarkable young adults meet all the eligibility requirements & each received scholarships. Remember, the minimum amount is $250 each but that can grow based on the number of participants & the success of our raffle which is what funds the program.

Here is a brief review of the programs main features. Eligibility includes that the participant or their guardian be an IBPF member, that an essay be completed and that said essay be turned in to the board of directors by March 1st. The essay is based on the participant’s interpretation of the Preamble to the Constitution of the IBPF. Scholarship winners will be selected at the spring IBPF meeting. And the scholarship winners will receive a minimum of $250. Complete details about the program & last year’s winners can be found on our website www.iowablackpowderfederation.net by clicking on the scholarship sub-title.

Now I’d like to share a few thoughts about the essay. I’ve talked to a few high school Guidance Counselors and they all say the same thing. That students often don't know how to begin writing essays and they are intimidated by the competition. They figure that they can't possibly write well enough to win anyway, so why bother? Well it’s up to us to remind them that $250 (possibly more) is worth the bother and to help eliminate the feelings of intimidation. I think a good confidence builder would be to tell the person writing the essay something like this, “While the writer needs to be familiar with the IBPF’S Preamble to the Constitution, the essay is more about the person writing it. We want to know about the author, their thoughts, their beliefs and their ideas. Think of the essay as writing about yourself, something you know more about than anyone else”. That message should help build confidence. We should further encourage the person to go online as there are many sites available to help with scholarship essays. How to start the essay, how to transform your thoughts into written words, how to arrange segments of the essay in the correct order, ECT. There are essay tips, examples, sample outlines and everything needed to direct the completion of the document.

            Regarding the possibility of not submitting a winning essay I can only reference last year’s results.  Three people participated and the IBPF raffle supported rewarding each with $400. Please do not perceive this as a guarantee of winning, I just want all potential candidates to know that the likelihood of being awarded a scholarship is higher than you may think.

           As board members of the IBPF our intent for this program was to do something for the youth of our organization, for those seeking higher education and for our members. We want to provide a way to give something back that is both meaningful and useful. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished, excited about our future and eager to give a “hand up” to anyone interested.

A final thought about the program. As members we are the ones funding this program and as such share a fundamental responsibility to promote participation. The program’s success or failure depends on us. If you know someone that qualifies please initiate contact with them. In the end they will be grateful that you took the time, that you demonstrated an interest in them, that you cared about them.

Thanks, good luck and I hope you enjoy the next few months as we prepare for another season of shooting comradely.

Terry Kamstra
4692 280th Street
Sheldon, IA  51201
712-348-1513
mckinley280@netllc.net

 

Preamble to the Constitution of the "IOWA BLACK POWDER FEDERATION"

    We, a group of people with a deep abiding interest in black powder firearms do, band together to form the IOWA BLACK POWDER FEDERATION to promote the safe use of black powder firearms for hunting and target shooting; to encourage the collection and display of black powder firearms as a means of passing on to the emerging generations a sense of their history and importance in the building of our nation; to promote and encourage the high level of craftsmanship required in the building of safe, dependable black powder firearms for modern use; and to establish an organization that will provide opportunities for black powder shooters to engage in shooting on a state wide basis.