Los Barrios de Amarillo
Scholarship Policies

Los Barrios de Amarillo funds follow the scholarship guidelines established by the Internal Revenue Service.  Those guidelines are as follows:

Official IRS Guidance Relating to Scholarships:

• Student loans can be either secured (Revenue Ruling 63-220, 1963-2 CB 208) or unsecured (Revenue Ruling 61-87, 1961-1 C 191)
• Scholarships/loans can be based on need (Revenue ruling 66-103, 1966-1 CB 134) or merit (Revenue ruling 690257, 1969-1 CB 151)
• Housing, books and supplies qualify as appropriate assistance, but may be included in the recipient’s income (Revenue Ruling 64-274,
• 1964-2 CB 141 and Revenue Ruling 76-336, 1976-2 CB 143)
• National honor society that recognizes scholastic achievement (Revenue ruling 71-97, 1971-1 CB 150)
• Provision of housing and food services to students (Revenue Ruling 67-217, 1967-2 CB 181)
• Subsidized meals for college coaches and athletic teams (Revenue Ruling 67-291, 1967-2 CB 184)
• Student aid that is disguised compensation is no a charitable or educational activity (Miss Georgia Scholarship Fund, Inc. v. Commissioner, 72 TC 267 (1979))
• Educational assistance to pre-selected, specifically-named individuals is not charitable or educational (Revenue Ruling 67-367, 1967-2 CB 188)
• Scholarship assistance may qualify as charitable or educational even though eligibility is limited to members of a single fraternity (Revenue Ruling 56-403, 1956-2 CB 307)

Procedures for Receiving and Distributing Scholarship Funds

·The President of Los Barrios de Amarillo will work with a Scholarship Screening Committee charged with the duties of following these set guidelines for determining who the recipients of scholarships will be for the next school year.

·The Scholarship Committee must be composed of persons who insure that they will:

Be objective.  Scholarship Committee Members will excuse themselves from any interview or discussion of an applicant with whom they may have a current personal or familial relationship.  (This excludes professional relationships.)

Be able to maintain and adhere to strict confidentiality ethics.

Be able to attend every applicant interview.

Participate in rank ordering the students applications first, measuring the applications against the Ranking Matrix Guidelines.  Following the interviews, the committee will participate in rank ordering those interviewed with at least five alternatives selected.

 The Screening Committee will review the Ranking Matrix Guidelines each year prior to the scholarship deadline.

·    Los Barrios general scholarship application is distributed to high schools in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.

·    Deadline for acceptance of completed applications is by 5:00 p.m. on March 15^th.  Applications are to be dated upon submission to the front office at Wesley Community Center, 1615 South Roberts, Amarillo, Texas  79102.

·    Applications who are deemed eligible for an interview will be contacted by the Screening Committee and given an interview appointment.  Selected scholarship recipients are notified by a phone all and an award letter and are invited to the Annual Hispanic Graduate Scholarship Banquet.

Applicants will be considered for either of the following scholarships:

A.  Undesignated Scholarship (Unrestricted-non-endowed scholarship)

• Funds generated by the membership via fundraising activities and private donations.
• Deadline for donor funds to be applied to the current fiscal year awards is April 1^st.
• All applications will be rank ordered by the Scholarship Committee and individual interviews will be scheduled.  Following the completion of all individual applicant interviews, the potential scholarship recipients will be rank ordered on their overall interview presentation and selections of those receiving a scholarship will be determined.  Five alternates will remain eligible for scholarship should additional scholarship funds be made available.

B.  Designated Scholarships- (Restricted endowed Scholarship)

• Donors may participate in the selection of the recipient following an established Scholarship Screening Process that is set by another entity or group other than Los Barrios.  Documentation of the other entity’s screening process may be required and should be made available upon request by the President.
• Funds are contributed directly to Los Barrios Scholarship fund and distributed to both the Registrar’s Office and the student recipient.
• Donors can also participate in the Los Barrios selection process by selecting three potential scholarship candidates of their choice in the area of study determined by the donor and the Scholarship Committee makes the final selection.
• Donors can request the Scholarship Committee to provide 3 to 5 potential candidates for the Donor to select.
• Donors can choose to select an alternate scholarship applicant from the Hispanic Graduate Banquet pool of applicants that ranked in the top 10% during the screening process but were not selected due to any of the participating organizations limited scholarship funds.
• Private Donors who elect to support scholarship funding for any of the five alternates remaining from the Los Barrios scholarship screened applicants group, must return all applications to the Scholarship Committee and insure the confidentiality of all applicant information.
• One scholarship a year will be designated as the Reverend Jacinto Alderete Scholarship Award and will be given to deserving student who will be studying Education.  This scholarship can be used at any Texas state college or university.
• One scholarship a year will be designated as the Daniel Y Myrna Raffkind Scholarship Award and will be given to a deserving student who will be studying Social Work at Amarillo College or West Texas State University.
• Private Donors can elect to contribute to the Los Barrios Scholarship Fund and designate their gift be awarded to any given student from a specific community, area of study, or a particular minority.  The award will be given in that donors name or designee.  Those applicants considered for this award will be required to meet the Barrios Scholarship requirements and complete the screening process.

Core Selection are:

• GPA must be 3.0
• Consider financial need
• Attended a Step Up to Success Youth Leadership Conference
• Be of Hispanic descent
• To attend Amarillo College or West Texas A&M University
• Other objective requirements as determined annually by the Scholarship Committee.

Distribution of Scholarships:

• Los Barrios Scholarships will be awarded to the recipient and the Registrar’s Office to either Amarillo College or West Texas A&M University).  Half of the scholarship amount will be awarded per semester.  Students are to present their semester enrollment schedule to receive their award.

Respectfully Submitted for Membership Review
Belinda Gonzales Taylor, Member 6/28/06