Named after the first African-American priest in the United States, the Father Augustine Tolton Scholarship is a need-based full tuition scholarship that will be awarded to one family from each of Quincy's four Catholic parishes: Blessed Sacrament, St. Anthony, St. Francis and St. Peter. Father Tolton was a graduate of a Quincy Catholic elementary school and is currently being considered for sainthood.

"We believe naming the scholarship in honor of Father Augustine Tolton is fitting, because just as a Catholic elementary school education transformed his intellectual and spiritual life, the recipient children could potentially have their lives transformed by a Catholic elementary school education as well," said Paul Rittof, executive director of the QCES Foundation. "The foundation is very grateful to the donors who are making this scholarship possible. Many children will benefit from their tremendous generosity."

The scholarship will provide full tuition for each child in the four awarded families. The scholarship is renewable until all school-aged children in the family graduate from eighth grade, provided the family continues to meet all eligibility requirements. Scholarship applicants and recipients will need to annually complete a scholarship application and submit the Private School Aid Service application form to be considered or reconsidered for the Father Augustine Tolton Scholarship. Since the scholarship is need-based, the names of scholarship recipients will remain confidential.

Current QCES families, as well as those families whose children are actively participating in their respective Parish School of Religion (PSR) program, are eligible to apply for the scholarship. The complete scholarship application packet, including detailed eligibility requirements, will be available Feb. 1, in the office of each of the four Quincy Catholic Elementary Schools, on each elementary school's website and the QCES website, www.quincycatholicschools.com. The application deadline is Thursday, March 15 at 4 p.m.

For more information about the Father Augustine Tolton Scholarship, contact Paul Rittof at the Quincy Catholic Elementary Schools Foundation, at (217) 779-3157 or .