Federated Bank

Providing Our Communities with Exceptional Banking

Scholarship Opportunity for Local High-School Seniors

Communities are living, breathing organisms – always growing, always changing. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders. It is important that healthy communities support local students as they invest in their education and build a future for themselves. In that spirit, Federated Bank is pleased to invite Illinois high-school seniors to enter a statewide essay-writing contest sponsored by Illinois community banks and the Community Bankers Association of Illinois (CBAI) Foundation for Community Banking.

CBAI Foundation Awards

The author of the best entry submitted to the CBAI Foundation by a participating Illinois high-school senior contest will receive a monetary award in the amount of $1,000 a year for up to four years of higher education. Up to 11 additional first place $1,000 awards and 12 second place $500 awards are available for students throughout the state. An additional $500 will be awarded to the high school of the overall winner.

Federated Bank Awards

In conjunction with the CBAI contest, Federated Bank will also judge the entries locally and select one entry from each Federated Bank location to receive a $500 award. The bank will then submit selected entries to the CBAI Foundation to be eligible for statewide competition. We are working with Iroquois West, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, and Clifton Central high schools to invite seniors to write one paragraph on each of these three topics:

  • The impact/importance of community banking to me or someone I know
  • The impact/importance of community banking to a business or agricultural concern in my area
  • The impact/importance of community banking to my community in general.

Contest Details

The length of the entry must not exceed two pages of typewritten copy, double-spaced, using 10- to 12-point Times New Roman font. Entries must be submitted to the bank or school by Tuesday, January 22nd at 5:00 pm.  More information on the contest is available at the bank and the schools.

Federated Bank is a member of the CBAI, a professional association based in Springfield which represents approximately 330 Illinois-chartered banks throughout Illinois. The CBAI Foundation, which was formed in 1996, offers the annual essay-writing contest to provide help to deserving students as they pursue their educational goals and to increase public awareness of locally owned banks and their contributions to the community.