Education

Scholarships

Hope Scholarship
HOPE makes Georgia different. And the HOPE Scholarship Program gives students the promise they need to make a difference in their future.

HOPE stands for Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally. Since its inception in 1993, more than $3.5 billion in financial assistance have been awarded to more than one million deserving Georgia students attending state colleges, universities and technical colleges. Financed by the Georgia Lottery, the scholarship pays for the tuition, books and fees of high-achieving, eligible Georgia students who maintain a "B" average. The financial aid offices of 105 post-secondary schools in Georgia determine HOPE eligibility.

Education and graduation are the keys to economic prosperity, both for Georgians and the state's economy. Together they build a strong foundation for today's young people and ensure a future full of hope.

FFA Cheek Scholarship
A two-year, $4,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an Early County High School senior and active FFA member for outstanding achievement. The $175,000 Cheek Scholarship Fund, established by the Rice Foundation in honor of Lt. Colonel Earl H. Cheek, recognizes the historical importance of agriculture to the local economy.  Col. Cheek is a former Early County High School agriculture teacher, a renowned Future Farmers of America educator and honored veteran of World War II.  In addition he is a University of Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame, honored for his impact on hundreds of young people and agribusiness leaders in the southeastern United States.

Georgia State Scholarship
Each year, two Early County High School students who expect to pursue a Gerontology Degree at Georgia State University are awarded the Rice/Early County Scholarship. Established by the Charles and Catherine B. Rice Foundation, the scholarship, which includes a $10,000 annual stipend renewable for up to four years, helps students in Early County study gerontology at Georgia State University, and hopefully return to Early Country to work with the area’s growing elderly population.