STUART — Applications are open for the Business Associates of Martin County’s annual $1,000 scholarship, which supports high school seniors in the county pursuing business, entrepreneurship, or leadership.
Celeste McKeefery, the association's current president, said the group is looking for a specific type of student.
"So the scholarship is for high school seniors who are interested in possibly going into their own business in the future. The majority of our members are small business owners, so we want to promote and encourage people who would like to go into their own business. We do very much want the scholarship to go towards somebody who does show some kind of financial need," she said.
The application, available through the Martin County School District’s Xello program, is open until Dec. 1.
For more than a decade, the organization, known as BAM, has awarded scholarships to hopeful entrepreneurs. The group also wants to build stronger ties with past recipients.
"I'd like to reach out to some of the previous recipients, some of whom I know are back within the community to see where they are now, to follow up with them and actually see if any of the recipients would like to become members of BAM," McKeefery said.
McKeefery said the goal is not just to provide financial support but to encourage students to stay rooted in Martin County as they establish themselves.
"A lot of people applying for scholarships or offering scholarships are not really scholarships for small business owners, and I think it's really good to encourage that, but also to get to know people and encourage young people to maybe come back into this community and see that you can be a business owner in our own community here," she said.
The scholarship committee chair, Mindi Fetterman, said in a release that the program reflects the organization’s mission.
“Our mission has always been to strengthen our community by investing in the next generation of leaders,” Fetterman said. “We are excited to once again provide opportunities for students who not only dream big but also want to make a meaningful impact right here at home.”
This year, BAM is introducing scholarship sponsorships to expand the program.
"One of our members, Amber Shirk, who is a VP of Seacoast Bank in Stuart, she came up with the idea of scholarship sponsorships, which we are just starting. In fact, Seacoast is our first sponsor. So I'm hoping that by doing this, by next year, we can start to increase the amount of the scholarship. I think the actual original amount was $500, and there were probably only one recipient when they first started," McKeefery said.
Scholarship recipients will be honored at a BAM breakfast event in early 2026, celebrated alongside community leaders and sponsors such as Seacoast Bank.