Year in review: Point Roberts Dollars for Scholars

Supporting Local Students

in Unique Challenges

As part of Scholarship America’s national network of locally based, volunteer-driven Dollars for Scholars chapters, Point Roberts Dollars for Scholars (PRDFS) is committed to mobilizing our community to support the post-secondary education success of our students.

Dollars for Scholars chapters like ours play a vital role in helping hometown students achieve their educational goals. We raise scholarship funds, establish endowments, provide assistance with college readiness and the financial aid process, and distribute scholarships each year.

Located in a very small and remote community in Washington state, Point Roberts is a peninsula off Canada, which is accessible only by boat or through Canada. With a year-round population of approximately 1,200 residents, limited businesses, and both grade school and college students, our community faces unique challenges.

One of the biggest hurdles for our local students is our remote location. The closest U.S. college is over 55 miles away, requiring students to cross the Canadian border, travel through Canada, re-enter Washington, and continue to the campus – all without the availability of public transportation. Consequently, local students typically cannot live at home while pursuing post-secondary education.

Additionally, Point Roberts’ small size provides limited local job opportunities for students to earn funds for their education. These challenges underscore the importance of PRDFS in our community. Our scholarships and support are essential for enabling local students to achieve their educational aspirations.

Despite these obstacles, 2024 was a successful year for PRDFS. Thanks to the generosity of our financial partners, we raised over $18,000 to support the students of Point Roberts. These donations allowed us to increase scholarship amounts and offer $1,300 per student.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our financial partners who contributed $5,000 or more during the 2024 fundraising campaign:

• Whidbey Telecom
• The Helen & Jose Colton Foundation

Thank you for your continued support in helping our students to overcome challenges and reach their educational goals. To learn more or contribute, visit pointroberts.dollarsforscholars.org.