Harlan County residents, organizations and businesses can help reward the area’s best and brightest students for their academic success by contributing to the Harlan County Community Scholarship Fund.

Honoring students from Harlan Independent Schools and Harlan County Schools, community scholarships in the amount of $1,250 are awarded, along with $750 Harlan County Soil Conservation District Scholarships. Winners will be announced at the annual Harlan County Community Scholarship Banquet on May 3 at the Harlan Center.

“Harlan County will once again be well represented in college classrooms in the fall; we have some of the brightest seniors in the Commonwealth competing for scholarship dollars at this year’s banquet,” said C.D. Morton, the Harlan Independent Schools superintendent who alternates with Harlan County Schools Superintendent Brent Roark in overseeing the board of directors from year to year.

“There have been many generous contributions in the past and we certainly hope that we will see those again this year,” said Roark. “Even if you can spare only $25, $50 or $100, that certainly adds up when you need to raise the $5,000 necessary to present the students the scholarships on May 3.”

Scholarship recipients attending Harlan High School and Harlan County High School will be honored at the annual banquet, held at the Harlan Center on May 3 at 6:30 p.m.

In addition to the Harlan County Community Scholarships and the Harlan County Soil Conservation District Scholarships, numerous organizations utilize the banquet to present scholarships to their honorees.

Donations to help continue the scholarship program are being accepted. The tax-deductible contributions may be mailed to: Harlan County Community Scholarship Fund, Inc. ATTN: Ken Jones, Treasurer, 106 South Cumberland Ave., Harlan, KY 40831.

Questions about the fund may be directed to Ken Jones by calling 606-573-2838, Roark at 573-4330 ext. 2018 or Morton at 606-573-8700, ext. 6204.

Tickets for the banquet are on sale for $15 and may be purchased at the Harlan Daily Enterprise, Harlan County High School, Harlan High School or Cumberland Elementary School.

The scholarships are based on five areas of performance. These include evidence of promise as a leader, evidence of well-defined college and/or career plans, evidence that referees have positive assessment of the applicants, evidence of high school performance and evidence of academic achievement as measured by standardized tests.