Students can now apply for Elks scholarships

High school seniors who are U.S. citizens may now apply for the Most Valuable Student Scholarship Contest sponsored by the Elks National Foundation.

First-place winners each receive a $60,000 four-year scholarship. Second-place winners are awarded a $40,000 scholarship and third-place winners receive a $20,000 scholarship.

Scholarships of $4,000 will go to the runners-up. The foundation will award scholarships to 500 national finalists.

Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks Club. Males and females will compete separately. Applicants are judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

The deadline to submit applications is Fri., Jan. 12. Submissions must be filed with the applicant's nearest Elks lodge.

Applications are available at the Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge

No. 2477, 158 Conejo School Road, Thousand Oaks, or by mailing a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the Elks National Foundation, 2750 N. Lakeview Ave., Chicago IL, 60614.

Forms can also be downloaded from the Internet: www.elks.org/ scholarship.mvs.cfn.

Scholarship winners will be announced around May 15, 2007. For more information about the program, go to www.elks.org/enf/scholars.