J.Terry Tindall Memorial Scholarship

Funded by
$3,500
1 winner$3,500
Open
Application Deadline
May 29, 2025
Winners Announced
Jun 29, 2025
Education Level
High School
Eligibility Requirements
State:
Colorado
Education Level:
High School Senior
GPA:
3.0

“A person’s personal integrity is primary; there is no such thing as a little dishonesty. Without honor, real freedom—individual or societal—is an untenable ideal” ~ J. Terry Tindall

The J. Terry Tindall Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the legacy of an exceptionally unique man, who was a role model for not only his own children, grandchildren, and great grandchild, but for so many others whose lives he influenced and changed for the better. Terry Tindall gave hope to those who felt hopeless, built self esteem in those who felt broken, and lifted those, who had fallen along the wayside, to rise and succeed.

Terry was a trailblazer in athletics, education, and mentorship, doing everything in his power to provide for youth from all walks of life. He was a topflight educator, who privately tutored many children helping them to realize their untapped potential, innate gifts and believe in themselves. He tailored his tutoring and educational curriculums to meet the individual student’s need. He worked hard developing unique educational tools, resources, and programs for students of all ages and capabilities. His goal was to encourage academic, athletic, and artistic excellence in all students, while building strength, character, and integral life skills, as well as achieving academic excellence. Terry always enjoyed a challenge, and he believed that every student had the ability to succeed in school, and in life, no matter their circumstances. He particularly excelled in helping those who struggled with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral problems, those with special needs, and children with challenging home-life situations.

He juggled a full-time career and raised a large family of 12 children, while simultaneously working towards two bachelor’s degrees, and later a master’s degree. He was focused, driven, and devoted to his family and others in need.

This scholarship will continue to honor his beautiful legacy by assisting a student who encompasses his strengths of strong work ethic, integrity, and resilience. All Colorado Senior High School students who maintain a minimum 3.0-grade point average, while participating in community service, extracurricular school activities and/or holding down a job, while preparing to pursue further higher education (whether it be at a University, Community College, or Trade School) are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

To apply, please tell us about a situation that has occurred in your life where you have repeatedly failed or fallen short of your goal or expectation(s), how you handled it, and how you've been able to achieve success.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Published June 29, 2024
Essay Topic

Please tell us about a situation that has occurred in your life where you have repeatedly failed or fallen short of your goal or expectation(s).  How did you handle this failure? Have you been able to overcome your shortcomings and if so, how did you achieve your success?



400–586 words

Winning Application

aerian swenson
Haxtun High SchoolHaxtun, CO
My name is Aerian Swenson and I have had my share of difficulties in life. I was adopted when I was an infant after my parents were arrested. My grandparents, who raised me, were amazing role models. My grandmother was a CNA and because of that I spent my entire childhood tagging along, spending time in the nursing home and trying to help any way that I could. I believe that my grandmother and her work are what inspired me to go into the medical field. Being raised by my grandparents has made me a stronger person and I would never change the way my life unfolded. Despite my grandparents trying their best and giving me everything I could have ever asked for, they will never be able to help me get through college. After raising two children to adulthood, they are not in a financial position to even be surviving. A few years ago, my grandfather had a stroke and my grandmother broke her hip which resulted in them both having to retire. I have been picking up odd jobs and finding ways to make money for the last two years so that I could support my family in between their social security checks. Recently, I was working for my school, cleaning during and after school. I am a current senior at Haxtun High School and also am currently enrolled in a phlebotomy certification program through MedCerts. This program allows me to be a certified phlebotomist by the end of this school year. I plan to further my education in the medical field by attending The University of Arizona where I will gain my Bachelors in medicine. After that, I plan to attend medical school for four years and then further my education by getting an M.D.. I will then continue to further my experience by obtaining a surgical internship followed by a residency, where I will choose my specialty, which will lead to me becoming a full time surgeon. I believe that I will be a good match for this scholarship because it will give me the opportunity to pursue my passion of helping others, to further my education in the medical field, and to gain new experiences that will help me further develop my skills. If given this scholarship and the opportunity to further my education, I will become a more successful and useful citizen because I will be able to work in the hospital giving our community members the best care possible and hopefully furthering the development of medicine as we know it. Also, if I am given this opportunity, I will be able to provide for my grandparents in the ways they no longer can. They have raised me and given up everything for me, if I am given the opportunity to create a future for myself where I can provide for them in the same way I will be unstoppable. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Wryan Sutton
University of Colorado BoulderCOLORADO SPGS, CO
"I have Multiple Myeloma bone marrow cancer". Those are the words that came out of my mother's mouth when I was just 14 years old. And from then on, resiliency is the aspect of these three Mr. Tindall displayed that I resonate with most. And through many struggles like these, I fought to overcome these struggles and prove to myself I am stronger. As of right now, we are lucky enough to have my mother in remission, yet the thing about any cancer is the medication given starts to cause a multitude of other health issues over time. Since beating cancer, she has developed various other health problems causing me to have to step in not only as the role of her caretaker, but my younger brother's parental figure some of the time as well. It's definitely one of those things that you think will never happen to you and you think, "I don't think I would ever be able to handle something that hard." But now that it's happened, I've learned sometimes it's just a matter of getting through it no matter how hard it is because there is another side to get to. The definition of resilience is beautifully described as "The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). It's not something where you try to change the outcomes of situations but rather you do the best with what you're given. While having a sick mother who needs help, I've been able to adapt to helping my family, while also maintaining a determined, and hard-working mindset. I've stayed pretty busy and active in high school by balancing jobs, volunteering opportunities, extra-curricular activities, playing tennis, and caretaking. I've babysat, dishwasher, been a personal assistant/media manager, and even worked in the tech department of Target. Some extra things I've participated in are the Student Council, Link Crew, Tennis, Advanced Choir, Environmental Club, and ASL and Interpersonal Communications at Pikes Peak State College. My hard work is also reflected through my Scholastic Silver Key Poetry Award and my AP Scholar, AP Seminar and Research Certificate, and Outstanding Senior awards given through Doherty. While I work hard in school, I also work hard and show my care most in my volunteering work. Some ways I’ve taken action to care for my community are volunteering at Unified Bowling and Special Olympics, helping students with disabilities enjoy competitiveness, and awarding experiences involved in sports. Another important aspect of caring for my community I’ve helped with is to help with lower income families and individuals since I’ve grown up under that category. I have been lucky enough to engage in raising money for Care & Share, a local food bank, and volunteering at Christmas Unlimited, an organization dedicated to helping lower-income families obtain gifts for their children. Overall, I’ve been lucky to experience these amazing ways to help improve the lives of others struggling in my local community and I look forward to finding opportunities to do the same at whatever college I decide to attend. So many people have helped me in my life in so many different ways when I needed it, so if I could go to college and ultimately live helping people, I would be so excited. If you, who is reading this, decide to invest in me and my future, I would be so lucky and eternally grateful. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and consider me for this great opportunity.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is May 29, 2025. Winners will be announced on Jun 29, 2025.