Deborah Ann Parsons Memorial Scholarship

Funded by

Anonymous

Eligibility Requirements

Education Level:

High school senior

School Name:

Gloucester High School

State:

Massachusetts

Background:

Financial need

Education Level:

School Name:

State:

Background:

High school senior

Gloucester High School

Massachusetts

Financial need

Deb Parsons was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1956. She graduated in 1974 from Gloucester High School and in 1976 from Bay State Junior College. Deb served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, where she was a jet engine mechanic. She traveled extensively across the U.S., but always returned to Gloucester. Deb was an avid crafter and self-taught artist, adding color and beauty to her world through countless paintings, etchings, cross-stitched items and woodcrafts. She had a generous heart and love for children.

The Deborah A. Parsons Memorial Scholarship is intended for a responsible Gloucester High School senior with demonstrated need who is seeking to continue their education at a four-year college, two-year college, or trade-school. Any high school senior at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts who has demonstrated financial need may apply for this scholarship opportunity. However, preference will be given to those seeking a degree or certificate and/or apprenticeship in the fields of the visual or performing arts, or the industrial arts, including trades.

To apply, tell us why you want to pursue a degree in your chosen field. If you’re pursuing performing or fine arts, upload a link to a video performance, submit an art portfolio with at least three pieces pictured, or link to a personal art portfolio webpage. If you include a video performance, submit a link to your video as a public YouTube link or a Google Drive link. Settings should be set to "public" or "anyone with the link can view." If we can't access your video, it won't be considered.

Selection Criteria:

Ambition, Drive, Impact

Scholarships for High School Seniors Military Scholarships High School Scholarships Need-Based Scholarships Art Scholarships Essay Scholarships Massachusetts Scholarships Performing Arts Scholarships Scholarships for Trade School Memorial Scholarships Free Scholarships Low-Income Scholarships

Published March 2, 2026

Essay Topic

Why do you want to pursue a degree or certificate in your chosen field or trade?

400–600 words

Winners and Finalists

July 2026

Winners

Alyssa E

Gloucester High

Gloucester, MA

Winning Application

Alyssa E

Gloucester HighGloucester, MA

My name is Alyssa Drew Estime, and I am a senior at Gloucester High School in Massachusetts. I am one out of six children; my mother has five girls and one boy. I used to live in Long Island, New York. During my time in New York, my family and I faced a lot of struggles. We were jumping from shelter to shelter. My mom didn’t want us to live in a harmful shelter any longer, so she worked long days and night shifts at Walmart as a department manager, so we could afford to live in an affordable hotel suite. In the year 2015, we faced the hardest challenge of them all: we lost our grandma. Our mother had no time to grieve because she had to care for the 6 of us; her family did not offer to assist her at all. Shortly after this setback, my mother became a single parent after leaving a domestic relationship. When I was little, I used to enjoy spending time with my dad, until he started to take out his anger on me. After years of my mom and siblings facing abuse, the domestic violence worker told my mom it was best for us to leave, so in 2018, we moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts, to live with my aunt, and in 2020, we moved into our own place. I had to go to a new school, and I struggled a lot with learning and making friends. I compared myself to others. I was less social. I found out I had a learning disability, but that didn't change me. I continued to strive for academic excellence in my classes. When I was entering 7th Grade, COVID hit, and we were forced to be inside and couldn't be around people. I started to feel sad, struggling with my emotions, and I began to feel trapped in an overwhelming depression and anxiety. My grades dropped, and my attendance became low. I started therapy and mentoring to help manage my feelings, and I discovered that I love expressing my emotions through art and baking. When I started high school, I experienced a significant eruption of anxiety, and despite the challenges of forming friendships, I made an effort to concentrate more on my studies and my attendance, and I started getting straight A’s. Along the way, I realized that I wanted to be a Police Officer in the K9 Unit, helping people, and working with animals was something I had always wanted to do. I started to push myself to work harder. So I can achieve those goals. I picked up a part-time job as a barista to help my mom. Due to my hard work, I received academic rewards from Great Attendance, from English to Algebra, from Science to History, and from honors recognition to high honors. Then I received an invitation to apply to a national honors society, which I was very grateful for. I recently got accepted into Monroe University, where my mom is going to graduate in June. I was able to show my siblings that you can be diagnosed with a learning disability, depression, and anxiety, and still achieve everything you wish. Being granted this scholarship will provide me with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the legal mindset and the Criminal Justice System, and to embrace a new experience and social life.