According to America’s Debt Help Organization, the average college graduate in 2016 had $37,172 of debt. This comes from massive amounts of student loans, but there are other ways to pay for college like scholarships and grants. In fact, they covered 34% of college costs in 2015-16. As a way to help offset some of the costs of secondary education for local members of Mason County, the Mason County Extension Homemakers, under the supervision of the Mason County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, give out several $500 scholarships. In 2018 alone, they were able to give out 12 scholarships. There are academic requirements that the applicants must meet as well as be the child or grandchild of a Mason County Extension Homemaker. Applicants can be either seniors in high school or in college and can receive a scholarship up to two times. 

The money for these scholarships comes from several fundraisers that are organized throughout the year. Twice a year the Extension Homemakers hold an indoor yard sale. At the spring yard sale, they sell flowers just in time for Mother’s Day and mums in the fall with proceeds going to the scholarship fund. In 2018, they raised approximately $300 from those sales. During the spring election, the Extension Homemakers sold and delivered homemade lunches consisting of sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit, dessert, and water to poll workers and local businesses and were able to raise approximately $600. The biggest fundraiser for scholarships in 2018 was their Scholarship Bazaar. In early November, each Extension Homemaker club sets up a booth and can sell baked goods, homemade crafts, holiday décor, and other items. They also make and sell lunch to community members who are shopping at the bazaar. Each club keeps half of the money they raise and gives the other half to the scholarship fund. In 2018, over $3,000 was given to the scholarship fund from the clubs and $500 was given from the food being sold. That will help give at least 7 scholarships in 2019 to local students.

The recipients of these scholarships have been able to move from the local community college onto larger state schools like the University of Kentucky and Morehead State University. One of the recipients from 2017 and 2018 is a young woman studying Family and Consumer Sciences Education at Western Kentucky University and gives credit to the Mason County Extension Homemakers for helping her find her love of FCS. Another 2018 recipient is currently studying at Princeton University.