Nelson Hometown Scholarship recipients

Erica Wood, along with Logan Kircher, from left and John Paul Kain, received the Nelson Hometown Scholarship. Courtesy photo

McCOOK, Neb. --Three local students have been awarded the 2015 Nelson Hometown Scholarship, which is $1,500 awarded annually. John Paul Kain, Erica Wood and Logan Kircher, all 2015 graduates of McCook High School, received the scholarship.

John Paul plan to attend Nebraska College of Agriculture-Curtis, while Erica and Logan will both attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall.

Also renewing their Nelson Hometown Scholarships are Sarah Larington, who attends UNK; and Bailee Stang, who attends Mid-Plains Community College-McCook.

The scholarships are funded by the Nelson Institute Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, and administered by the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Eligible applicants must express a desire to return to southwest Nebraska sometime in the future. Special consideration will be given to those applicants expressing a desire to own and operate a business. The scholarships may be renewed. Recipients must attend one of the following colleges: The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska; Mid-Plains Community College in McCook or North Platte, Nebraska; or the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

The Nelson Institute Fund was established in 1998 by then-Governor E. Benjamin Nelson to promote economic development in southwest Nebraska. The McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. NCF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing strategic planning, education, training and financial management to 223 affiliated funds in Nebraska. Since its founding in 1993, NCF and its affiliated funds have invested more than $163 million in Nebraska.