Wagon Wheel Scholarship

Wagon Wheel Scholarship

Legend has it that people who worked and traveled on the Underground Railroad used secret codes to learn the routes from one safe place to the next. Many of these codes were passed using the Underground Railroad Quilt Code to guide fugitives to freedom. Because it was illegal in slave-holding states to teach slaves to read, slaves could not communicate with each other in writing. But, quilts and quilt patterns allowed slaves to communicate through storytelling and textile production. Complex messages were shared in stitches, patterns, designs, colors, and fabrics of the quilts created.

Certain patterns told slaves how to get ready to escape, what to do on the trip, and where to go. Once stitched, the coded quilts were “aired” out the windows of slave cabins, acting as secret maps for slaves ready to make the dangerous trek from South to North, from slavery to freedom.

The Wagon Wheel pattern was one of twelve patterns used in this method of communication. Wagon Wheel quilt pattern was used as a signal to slaves to pack all the things that would go in a wagon or be used during a long journey to escape using the Underground Railroad.

Award Details: 

Up to $1,000 payable the first year as 50 percent per semester to the university, college, junior college, trade or vocational school on behalf of the recipient, following proof of acceptance. Students selected for the award may reapply for future funding if GPA of 3.0 or higher is maintained.

Recipients will be selected based on adherence to the prescribed criteria, meaningful content and clarity of essay, and strong character determined by evaluation of complete applications. Student should demonstrate strong moral character and citizenship during high school years or in years between high school and college.

Eligibility Criteria: 

  • Applicant must be a Black student
  • Graduating from or past graduate of a high school in Nowata, Osage, or Washington Counties in Oklahoma
  • Unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher in high school
  • Planning to attend university, college, junior college, trade or vocational school
  • Well-written essay, explaining how you hope to use your education and your field of study to strengthen and support the Black community (first-time applicants only)
  • Well-written essay, explaining what steps you have taken to prepare yourself for success as a college student (first-time applicants only)
  • Well-written letter to the Scholarship Committee, reflecting on your previous year of college (past recipients who are re-applying)

Required Addendums:

  • Official high school transcript
  • First page(s) of FAFSA Submission Summary, up to and including the Student Aid Index number. Refer to FAQs for more information.

Wagon Wheel Scholarship

Scholarship Application Form

Student/Applicant Legal Name(Required)
I am a:(Required)
Student/Applicant Address(Required)
Please provide an e-mail address that you will continue to use following graduation.
Race(Required)
Please enter a number from 2.5 to 4.0.
Please separate each item with a comma, and provide dates in parentheses. For example: Student Council (2019-2020), Soccer Team (2021-2022), Soccer Team Captain (2020), Band (2019-2020). If none, please write N/A.
Please separate each item with a comma, and add dates of employment in parentheses. For example: Freddy's Fry Cook (2019-2021), YMCA Lifeguard (2020-2022), YMCA Head Lifeguard (2021-2022). If you have no employment history, please write N/A.
In 500 words or less, explain how you hope to use your education and your field of study to strengthen and support the Black community.
Hidden
Max. file size: 16 MB.
Only applies to first time applicants. Please upload file as a PDF, 12pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, 200-500 words, and include your name at the top.
In 500 words or less, explain what steps you have taken to prepare yourself for success as a college student.
Hidden
Max. file size: 16 MB.
Only applies to first time applicants. Please upload file as a PDF, 12pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, 200-500 words, and include your name at the top.
In 500 words or less, write a letter to the scholarship review committee, reflecting on your previous year of college.
Hidden
Max. file size: 16 MB.
Only applies to past recipients who are reapplying. Please upload file as a PDF, 12pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, 200-500 words.
I acknowledge that I must provide an OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT to the BCF prior to the application deadline.(Required)
Your OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT should be delivered electronically by your school counselor/administrator or e-transcript service (like Parchment) to scholarship@bartlesvillecf.org. Transcripts may also be mailed by the counselor/administrator or e-transcript service to the Bartlesville Community Foundation office at 208 E. 4th St, Bartlesville, OK 74003. Transcripts should NOT be prepared or printed by the applicant.
Max. file size: 16 MB.
Please upload the first page(s) of your FAFSA Submission Summary, up to and including the Student Aid Index number. (Refer to FAQs for more information.)
Are you related to any Bartlesville Community Foundation employees, Board members, or Scholarship Committee members?(Required)
By typing your name, you are signing to acknowledge that all information provided in this application is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and that you, the student, completed the application and any required addendums/essays. You should understand that the intent of the Bartlesville Community Foundation and the Scholarship Committee to collect and maintain this data, specifically your term grades and transcript, is to determine your eligibility for this scholarship. Your information will be used for no other purposes.
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