Homer Foundation awards $77K in scholarships to students
Published 4:30 am Thursday, May 28, 2026
The Homer Foundation continues to provide crucial financial support to advance post-secondary education for local students and future community leaders.
This year, the foundation awarded 25 scholarships totaling $77,000 to area students. The scholarships support students pursuing a wide range of educational and career goals, and are supported by permanent endowed funds created through the generosity and vision of community donors.
The program also relies on dedicated educators, including Homer High School and FLEX School counselor Sue Rennolds, as well as volunteers who review applications and guide a fair selection process.
“I always love coming together with these committees and working through these tough decisions,” said Lauren Seaton, office and programs manager at the Homer Foundation. “Seeing so many people volunteer to support these students really highlights our strong sense of community.”
There was an increase in applications this year, especially from other service areas such as Seldovia, with 92 students applying for 25 scholarships. The foundation stated that the “highly-qualified” applicant pool made for a competitive process.
A new scholarship was introduced this year as well, and awarded $6,000 each to two deserving students. The LFI Scholarship was created by an anonymous donor and focuses on supporting students who demonstrate strong goal-setting abilities.
When one applicant shared doubts about pursuing a career in art, Gary Lyon, chair of the Ptarmigan Arts Scholarship committee, said that he also had doubts when he first started out.
“I did it anyway, and honestly, I still have them some days,” he said. “This is our way of saying, ‘Here’s what we can offer — we hope you go for it.’”
Since 2000, the Homer Foundation has awarded 394 scholarships totaling more than $573,000.
This year’s recipients are: Morgan Carlson-Kelly, Charity Gordon, Gracie High, Tung Tran, Anna Springer, Aletha Gall, Hannah Klima, McKenzie Hansen, Marina Co, Sierra Mullikin, Ellen Barrett, Keagan Niebuhr, Jen Hankins, Ludmila Martushev, Martin Molodih, Erin Griffith, Jack Witten, Cassidy Carroll, Caden Latta, Scottlyn Lyons, Michael Geagel, and Zach Kudla.
“Thanks to donors and ongoing community support, these scholarships will continue investing in local students for generations to come,” the foundation stated.
The foundation added that scholarships are for more than just students. Local Voznesenka educator Zach Kudla also received a $1,000 Educator’s Professional Development Scholarship as he pursues his master’s degree in school counseling.
