Students urged to look into scholarships

SistersGRO is an independent nonprofit organization that aims to support Sisters High School graduates in their journeys to higher education. The financial aid stems from local donors and organizations who provide an array of scholarships for SHS seniors to apply to.

This year there are 65 available scholarships, each with the goal of supporting a certain type of student or students. The 2025 senior class is made up of 107 students, all who are encouraged to apply, even if they have a lower GPA or are applying to a trade or art specific school.

Last year SistersGRO distributed 121 total scholarships to a group of 71 graduating seniors, everyone who applied received something.

“Our goal each year is to award scholarships to every student who completes a full application,” said SistersGRO Executive Director Regan Roberts. “But it’s not just financial support, it’s community recognition. We love this town and all of these students and donors do as well.”

This year there are six new scholarships being awarded: the Carl Rosier Scholarship, the Alexander MacCleur Scholarship, the Randy Burdick Memorial Basketball Scholarship, the (SFF Presents) Curt Kennedy Memorial Visual Art Scholarship, the SOQS Freddy Moran Memorial Scholarship, and the Bill and Judi Medical Scholarship.

All of these scholarships were introduced by caring and passionate community members. Brent MacCleur is one of these citizens. After his brother Alexander passed away at 16, his family started a scholarship at Myrtle Point High School in Eugene in his honor. After moving to Sisters three years ago he wants to give back to the community and hopes this scholarship provides aid to a student who may not be typically recognized in other scholarships.

“The idea is that this scholarship isn’t just for the straight-A, sport-oriented kids, but for some of those kids who may have fallen through the cracks. I realize that a lot of kids don’t have the support they need and our hope is that this scholarship will provide the help needed,” said MacCleur.

Justin Durham, president of Sisters Coffee Company, organized the Randy Burdick Memorial Basketball Scholarship, honoring his legacy as a SHS junior varsity basketball coach for over 20 years.

“Ryan Moffat, Chad Rush, Rand Runco, and myself began Outlaw basketball as a nonprofit to help and support youth basketball in Sisters,” Durham said. “Randy Burdick coached for over 20 years, beginning when SHS started in the early 90s and was an assistant coach with Runco before retiring in the mid 2010s. He passed away in 2021 after a battle with cancer. He was an incredibly hard worker, loved people and loved basketball. He cared about teaching, especially young men, the importance of work ethic and toughness.”

This scholarship is aimed towards students who have played varsity basketball their senior year of high school and display the kind of mental toughness Burdick was known for.

“I would urge students to take some time to think about what they’ve done in high school and who they are. Don’t be afraid to show us who you are, it’s a super safe space where everyone just wants to support you,” said Roberts.

SistersGRO is holding an informational meeting and pizza night at Sisters High School February 5 at 6 p.m., and all graduating seniors are encouraged to attend. For more information visit http://www.sistersgro.org.