WC&EJ Thornton Tools of the Trade Scholarship
Continuing education after high school is important and can set a student up for a lifetime of success and independence.
However, going to college is not the only way to attain these benefits and expand one’s mind. Trade schools and vocational programs offer a great alternative to a traditional college degree. These fields, from masonry to construction to cosmetology and beyond, are critical to our society and offer many opportunities for stable, well-compensated employment as well as the ability to become one’s own boss or start a business.
This scholarship seeks to help provide funding for vocational and alternative career students to obtain the tools they need for their chosen trades.
Any low-income individual currently enrolled in a trade or vocational program, or planning to start a trade or vocational program by August or December 2025 may apply for this scholarship opportunity, but women and those underrepresented in the trades are preferred.
To apply, tell us why you decided to pursue your chosen career field or vocation.
Please write a brief essay telling us why you chose this vocation or field.
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FAQ
The application deadline is Jul 1, 2025. Winners will be announced on Aug 1, 2025.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Aug 1, 2025. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.