Scholarship Application

WGPO is pleased to offer a number of scholarship opportunities to its participants who could benefit from financial aid in the pursuit of higher education and/or their participation in the Marching Arts. In addition to completing the application process outlined in this section, students interested in the higher education scholarships (items A. and B., below) must be in their senior year of high school, or currently attending a college, university, or vocational institution to be considered. All scholarships are 1-time awards, and a new recipient will be selected each year. Recipients will be acknowledged at the closing of WGPO Circuit Championships.

Sport of the Arts Scholarship CLOSED

This scholarship is intended for a student who wishes to participate in a WGPO/WGI unit within the state of Oklahoma but may be unable to participate due to financial constraints.

Applications for this scholarship are intended to be in the form of nominations (letters of recommendation) submitted by the student’s current guard or percussion director.

Prior to making their nomination, if the nominee is under the age of 18, the director must meet with the nominee’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s), and determine the nominee meets the criteria for financial assistance.

The WGPO Vice President will review all applications and recommend the top five (5) nominees to the scholarship committee for final consideration.

The amount of the scholarship awarded will be $250.

This scholarship will be paid directly to the recipients’s guard or percussion account.

Scholarship applications will be accepted through February 20 and funds will by disbursed by TBA.

Marching Arts Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to help pay corps member dues while the recipient participates in any of the Drum Corp International (DCI) member corps during the summer season following WGPO Championships. Scholarship monies will be sent directly to the DCI unit of the scholarship awardees. WGPO will award at minimum $500 one time scholarship at minimum to one (1) candidate.

Eligibility Requirement
    • Application to be emailed to WGPO Vice President at vicepresident@wgpoklahoma.org by March 20th at 11:59 pm central time:
    • 500+ word essay response to “How has participation in WinterGuard/ Percussion/Winds affected my life? How will I carry these experiences into the rest of my life?” Please include the following in your essay: Financials: Total financial responsibility for your DCI season, including DCI fees, transportation costs, additional expenses.
    • Copy of your DCI contract
    • 2 Letters of Recommendation from non-family members
    • Current High-Res Photo

Higher Education Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding applicants(s) attending college, university, or vocational school in the summer or fall following the current season WGPO Championships. Scholarship monies will be sent directly to the higher education institution of the scholarship awardees. WGPO will award at minimum $1000 one time scholarships at minimum to two (2) candidates.

Eligibility Requirements:

    • Current high schools seniors Or students currently attending college, university or vocational school Active member of a WGPO competing unit for the current season
    • Application to be emailed to WGPO Vice President at vicepresident@wgpoklahoma.org by March 20th at 11:59 pm central time.
    • 500+ word essay response to “How has participation in Winter Guard Percussion/Winds affected my life?” Please include the following in your essay.
    • Academic progress: includes grade point average, class load, challenges that you’ve overcome in your academic endeavors.
    • Extracurricular activities: Including all specific scholastic, recreational and civic activities. Please identify specific roles, accomplishments, and responsibilities for these activities. Include the number of seasons (color guard, percussion, winter guard, or winter percussion).
    • Future plans: What are your plans and goals for post-high school education, both in academics and career focus. Where do you want to be in five years?
    • 2 Letters of Recommendation from non-family member.
    • Current High-Res Photo

Director Continuous Education Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to help pay professional development fees while the recipient participates in any professional development or training. Please note: Recipients will be required to present to the full membership about their time and things they learned at the training. Scholarship monies will be sent directly to the professional development organization of the scholarship awardees. WGPO will award, at minimum, a $500 one time scholarship at minimum to one (1) candidate.

Eligibility Requirements:
    • current head director, assistant director, or tech of a WGPO competing unit for the current season.
    • Application to be emailed to WGPO Vice President at vicepresident@wgpoklahoma.org by March 20th at 11:59 pm central time:
    • Name, email, and phone number
    • Professional Development event you would like to attend, total cost, location, dates, purpose of the training and why you want to attend.
    • Current High-Res Photo (of you coaching would be amazing)

**The Scholarship Committee adjudicators will be three elected unit representatives. The unit representatives will be elected by the Circuit membership at the fall meeting, serve a one-year term, and must be a color guard or percussion unit director in good standing with the circuit.