Ford Fund Recognizes the 2012 Blue Oval Scholars

June 10, 2012 - PRLog -- DETROIT, Mich., June 10, 2012 – Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services will celebrate student achievement by recognizing more than 130 Southeastern Michigan students from area high schools at its fourth annual Blue Oval Scholarship program.  The awards ranging from $250-$1000 will be presented at a celebratory reception on June 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

The Ford Blue Oval Scholar program rewards students throughout the country with scholarships to assist in their education. The seniors receiving grants on Thursday are all graduating from local high schools.  The program was started to encourage students to stay in school and pursue their post high school educational goals. Operational support for the program was provided by City Connect Detroit.  

During the four-year history of this local Blue Oval Scholar program, Ford has awarded close to $400,000 in scholarships to almost 600 area high school students.  The funds have been used to assist in tuition, book fees and other costs associated with post-secondary education. Blue Oval Scholar recipients have attended a wide range of two and four-year colleges throughout the nation.

“Ford is honored to again continue its legacy of supporting education in Southeast Michigan,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services.  “The Blue Oval Scholarship program is one of the many traditions where Ford encourages high school students to strive for academic excellence in the communities where they live.”  

Other Ford educational initiatives in Southeast Michigan include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, a national award-winning high school curriculum, and support for local education institutions including the Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies, a partnership with the College for Creative Studies, located in the New Center area.      


About Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. For more than 60 years, Ford Motor Company Fund has operated with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 25,000 Ford employees and retirees work on projects each year that better their communities in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com

Contacts:   Cheryl Hudson      
   Ntouch Communications Group       
   248.423.9205 x223      
   chudson@ntouchgroup.com