Jewel Osco, the monetary sponsor of the Pulaski Day Scholarship Program, has again selected The Polish Museum of America to facilitate its 3rd annual scholarship program. The five scholarships will be presented at the annual Official State of Illinois Pulaski Day Celebration to be on Monday, March 5th, in the Sabina P. Logisz Great Hall, during the 10 a.m. program. The PMA will select 5 recipients, each of whom will receive a $1,000.00 scholarship applicable for the 2012 school year. High school seniors and college students are encouraged to apply. Submissions must be received no later than Tuesday morning, February 29, 2012, by 11 a.m.
To participate, candidates must submit an essay in English (not to exceed 500 words, footnotes excluded) on the following subject: The Polish Museum of America Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of its Opening. Applicants are encouraged to be as creative as possible, and are welcome to visit the PMA, visit the PMA website at PolishMuseumOfAmerica.org, or call to speak with one of the staff at (773) 384-3352, weekdays between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Essays should be accompanied by a personal statement on the student’s academic and career goals, community involvement, personal interests, extra-curricular activities and/or any recent achievements. Entries are to be typed, double-spaced, and will be submitted in English. Applicants must be residents of the metropolitan Chicagoland area, and must include their first and last name, email address, phone number and school address with their entry. Please send the entries to: [email protected] or fax to 773-384-3799.
Candidates must also attend the official scholarship announcement held at the Polish Museum on Monday, March 5th, to be awarded their scholarship by representatives of Jewel Osco, with a photo session after the program. Each check will be mailed to each recipient the week of March 5th.
In recent years, guests at the Pulaski Day celebration have included then-US Senator Barack Obama, Governor Patrick Quinn, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, US Senators Richard Durbin and Mark Kirk, guests from the Polish government, military and Polish Embassy, and other distinguished political and community leaders. A short program of speakers will take place, during which the Jewel Osco Pulaski Day Scholarship recipients will be introduced, and a public reception will follow. Admission and parking are free.
In Illinois, the first Monday of March honors Polish-born Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, a famed cavalry officer in Poland, who joined the American Revolution and became a hero and a source of great pride for Polish-Americans.