Buck Up Scholarship.....The POWER in SHARING some of your most difficult moments....

The Buck Up Scholarship Committee has determined the recipients of this years scholarships. There was $2000 worth of scholarships available. There was a total of 93 applicants.

There are a few IMPORTANT things I want to SHARE with you, regarding what this process/cause/idea has taught me...

1) We have 93 leaders in our community that have EXHIBITED the COURAGE & STRENGTH to BUCK UP when they are called to. They are also WILLING to SHARE their story for the betterment of others. Let that fact alone allow ENCOURAGEMENT to soak into your bones.

2) The committee, myself, & anyone who reads some of these essays (from recipients & non-recipients) will FOREVER be changed....in a good way.

3) The IDEA of what this scholarship could help provide could have NEVER encompassed what it ACTUALLY provides....that is worth WAY more than the money. The money just makes their walk a little easier. Sometimes LIFE CAN BE HARD & the way we handle it is what develops our character. I was humbled to help provide a SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT....to CreAte and avenue where people can POSITIVELY affect others....to see in black and white, the burdens that people have had to bear....which no one else may have ever known about...if they weren't asked.

Over the next few weeks we will SHARE their essays with all of you.

I want to also share....that last year's kick-off event ALMOST didn't happen & because of the ENCOURAGEMENT & HELP of a friend we just BUCKED UP &  made it happen.

$1000 Scholarship Recipient:
Katherine Winkles
Brenham ISD

Katherine came to the aid, in a MIGHTY big way, to two fellow teens & has developed a "passion to prevent the physical self harm that takes place among teens." She continued to fight for the safety of her one friend and says: "I could have backed down, but I didn't and because of that someone who is a dear friend now has a safe home.... I learned that if the cause matters to you, then backing down is never and option."

$500 Scholarship Recipient:
Tyler Copeland
Round Top - Carmine ISD

Tyler has made the decision, through the experience of his Mother's illness & passing, to give back to the community & the departments that helped his mother & family during the trying times of his Mother's illness. He has taken the first steps in that decision by volunteering with the Carmine Volunteer Fire Department. His words: "I want to help and give back to others like they helped Mom."

$500 Scholarship Recipient:
Phillip Ho
Brenham ISD

Phillip moved to the United States from Vietnam when he was 8. The only English words he knew were "yes" & "no." He made a conscious decision his Sophomore year of high school to focus on his future  & appreciate the sacrifices his parents made by coming here. His Words: "I am trying to make their sacrifices my accomplishments, and by doing so give back to America and my community, what they have graciously given to me." He will be the first in his family to attend college.

I want to ENCOURAGE all the applicants that will not receive a scholarship THIS year, to APPLY AGAIN! There is no age limit on this scholarship. If you have a financial NEED for education & a WILLINGNESS to share your story - this scholarship is available to you.

BUCK UP BABY! Go ENCOURAGE someone today! It could make all the difference in their lives!

BUCK UP!! Scholarship

SOOOO....if you haven't heard yet...The BUCK UP SCHOLARSHIP FUND will award $2000 in scholarships THIS April!!!

I feel SO blessed to be able to foster THIS. 

The vision began with my journey into entrepreneurship. The whole...giving up money & being BROKE for a while, while I grOW my business journey. Boy did my PRIDE get in my way, for a loooooong time. I felt the strugGLE of NEEDING money to get you to the next step & having to ask someone for it...which is something I also took PRIDE in not having to do. So once I DIED to myself in that aspect & moved on with my journey I realized the NEED to CrEaTe a way to HELP others in that regard. I mean...it was a BIG hurdle for me. Totally slowed me down...until I worked through it...

The way I see it....God doesn't put things on your heart and visions in your head - if he's not going to equip you with the tools & people to get you there. It took me a minute to REALLY believe that though. The more you relinquish control over certain aspects of your life, the more you become aware of your fear of the unknown. Everybody has it. I can tell you though...that the REAL journey starts when you Buck Up Baby & turn it loose to God. 

This brought me back to my Senior year in High School... If Ms. Janda was still with us - she could testify to the number of hours I spent at the typewriter in the school library...filling out applications. I talked to someone else who is on a scholarship committee for another organization & they told me the number of applicants go down each year. I think a total of 2 had applied this past year. BUCK UP BABY & GET TO FILLING THOSE OUT. There's people out there that wanna HELP YOU! They just have to know about you. 

My DEEP ROOTED HOPE for this scholarship is that we can make a difference in SOMEONE's life & be a source of ENCOURAGEMENT, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, & GUIDANCE to someone that is mustering up the COURAGE to pursue a dream. This scholarship is open to adults advancing their education also....because....it's just okay to change your mind or add more tools to your tool bag. I want people to SHARE their story too, because that is what ENCOURAGES others...to know that someone else can IDENTIFY with their journey in one way or another. 

I had a BA Degree & a professional career that I was good at, but sometimes your SPIRIT is calling you to MORE.

We are in the process of getting the details together for the NEXT event, so be prepared & ON THE LOOK OUT FOR MORE INFO!! We'll be updating our website regularly, so BOOKMARK it!: BUCK UP AUCTIONS WEBSITE 

So you might wanna know WHO can apply for the scholarship(s) & WHAT it will take to get it & WHEN it will be awarded so.....HERE'S THE DETAILS: (ALL the participating High Schools should have this information also: RTC, Burton, Fayetteville, LaGrange, Brenham, Giddings)

Applicant must be pursuing higher education in any of the following: College, University, Jr. College, Trade School, Licensing School, or Clergy-related education. This scholarship will be open to anyone within the 30-mile radius seeking higher education, which includes the cities & school districts of: Brenham, Giddings, LaGrange, and everything in between (Round Top-Carmine, Fayetteville, & Burton). Proof of residency will need to be provided along with scholarship essay.

Scholarship Monies will be paid directly to the school of choice. The winners will have 6 months to enroll in their choice of higher education.

Applicant must be a graduating high school senior or older. This could be a returning student, adult going back to school or pursuing some sort of license, or a graduating high-school student.

The applicants that are awarded the scholarships MUST be willing to share their essays to the general public in any form that the Scholarship Committee deems as a positive way to share the purpose of this scholarship.

Must also be willing to come to the following year’s event & share the progress of your journey & how the scholarship has helped you.

The scholarship committee is comprised of 5 members from the community with backgrounds in education, leadership, civic organizations & development, & business owners.

If a family member of a committee member chooses to apply for the scholarship, that committee member will step down from the committee & the Buck Up Auctions staff will nominate 3 people for the vacant committee chair. The existing committee will than vote in 1 of the 3 nominees to be appointed as committee member.

As the applications come in, the Buck Up Auction staff members, will number the applicants, so the committee is not aware of the actual person applying, until the winner(s) are selected.

This year $2,000.00 of scholarship will be awarded. The number of scholarships awarded and the amounts will be determined by the committee.

Deadline to submit essay is April 2^nd. Scholarship recipient(s) will be chosen & announced on or before April 30^th.  

Mail information to:

Buck Up Auctions

Scholarship Committee

390 Vogel Lane

Carmine, TX 78932

INFORMATION SHEET

buck up

 verb

:  to become encouraged :  brace up

–Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Buck Up: To rise to a challenge, to do something others are unable to – urban dictionary

Applicant Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Agree to share your Buck Up Story?

Why are you applying for this scholarship?

Where will you use this scholarship, if awarded?

Please list all organizations & extracurricular activities you are involved in.

Please choose ONE of the essay topics, on the next page, to write about.

Essay Topics:

Please write an essay over ONE of the two essay topics below: (Please keep to 2 pages or less)

1)      Give us an example of an experience where you have had to "BUCK UP" and do something that pushed you out of your comfort zone & how that made an impact on your life & possibly others.

2) Tell us about an area/idea/dream that you have either:  not mustered up the courage for, are currently in the process of, or feel as if you missed out on the opportunity to “Buck Up.”  

New Year-New Plan

So 2014 was a GREAT year for Buck Up Auctions. It was our first FULL year in business, with me working FULL-time at it. I have referred to this first year as a test market. We've done several fundraising auctions, several consignment auctions, & several estate auctions. We have learned some things that work, some things that don't work, that there is a lot we want to learn, and that we are BETTER than what we give ourselves credit for. We've seen, faced, & dealt with ALL kinds of critics. We've raised money for our SCHOLARSHIP program & will be able to give out $2000 of scholarship $$$$!!! As I sit here gazing at the business model me & my friend Christie worked on at the beginning of last year - I am ENCOURAGED to see that We've:

• Built NEW relationships, with KEY people that can help grow the business.
• ACCOMPLISHED some of the KEY activities we set out for ourselves at the beginning of last year.
• Correctly identified our VALUE propositions, which hold true & we have some to ADD.
• UTILIZED many of the marketing channels we identified and know what works and what doesn't. 
• FOLLOWED-THRU on some VERY Out-of-THE-Box marketing strategies & they had a POSITIVE impact on the business.
• IDENTIFIED the NEED to DEEPEN our customer relationships.
• Become AWARE....REALLY AWARE of our VALUE to organizations, causes, and individuals & walk more CONFIDENTLY & FIRMLY in our PURPOSE & PLAN. 
• Now have ACTUAL models to help us determine a more accurate cost structure for the different auctions we conduct. 
• Identified other POTENTIAL revenue streams that we hadn't previously thought of. 
• AND...that we are still here, with MORE team members, & EAGER for what 2015 has to offer.

Tomorrow the Buck Up Auctions TEAM will get together to BRAINSTORM the 2015 PLAN & forge FORWARD. I can PROMISE that it will include EDUCATION, more OFFERINGS, MORE IDEAS, More Out-of-THE-Box ideas, & MORE ideas of GIVING-BACK, SHARING our Gifts & TALENTS, & HELPING others. 

I KNOW the groWTH I've had, personally, this year & KNOW that with the INCREASED knowledge, confidence, & experience that I now have.....2015 is going to BuSy & EXCITING!!

BUCK UP BABY & COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE!!!

Heather Schoenst Kaspar

TXL 17037