Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Youth Scholarship Program
In January of 2025 Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church established the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Youth Scholarship Program. The purpose of the Youth Scholarship Program is to promote and support the teachings and values of the Catholic Church by providing educational financial support through scholarship awards to parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church attending Catholic lower, middle and high schools. The operation of the Program is governed by a written resolution approved and signed by Fr. Gerry, which is available upon request or can be downloaded here, and is overseen by the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Youth Scholarship Program Committee working together with Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Business Manager Keith Brittan.

Who Is Eligible For A Scholarship?
In general, a scholarship may by granted to any lower, middle, or high school student under 18 years old who is a registered parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and who in the next academic year will attend Catholic High School, Saint Patrick Catholic School, Saint Pius X Catholic School, or Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School. A student parishioner who will be attending a Catholic School in Hampton Roads other than those listed also may be eligible in the discretion of Fr. Gerry.

How Do I Apply For A Scholarship?
The availability of scholarships will be announced in December of each year, and scholarship applications may be submitted from then through January 31. The application must include a completed application form provided by Blessed Sacrament, a personal statement explaining why the student should receive a Youth Scholarship Program award, an academic transcript from the student’s current school, and one to three letters of recommendation. The application and supporting materials must be submitted to the Business Manager by the application deadline.

How Are Scholarship Award Decisions Made?
The application and supporting materials are reviewed by the Youth Scholarship Program Committee, which makes a recommendation to Fr. Gerry. Fr. Gerry makes the final decision regarding awards.

How Much Are Scholarship Awards?
The amount of the scholarship awards depend on donations to the scholarship fund and therefore may vary from year to year. For the first year of the program’s operation the fund totalled $5,000, all of which was awarded. Awards can be made to up to five students for each academic year. Fr. Gerry decides how much each award will be.

When Are Scholarship Award Decisions Announced?
Decisions usually are made and announced during February.

How Do I Donate To The Youth Scholarship Program Fund?
To donate to the Youth Scholarship Program fund, please contact Keith Brittan or donate online at the link below.

Are Donations To The Youth Scholarship Program Fund Tax-Deductible?
Yes, donations to the Youth Scholarship Program fund are tax-deductible.

Can I Make A One-Time Donation To The Youth Scholarship Program Fund Tax-Deductible?
Yes, one-time donations to the Youth Scholarship Program fund are welcomed and appreciated.

Can I Make A Pledge For Recurring Annual Donations To The Youth Scholarship Program Fund Tax-Deductible?
Yes, pledges of recurring annual donations to the Youth Scholarship Program fund are welcomed and appreciated. The number of years you pledge is entirely up to you.

Are Donors To The Youth Scholarship Program Fund Recognized?
Unless a donor informs us that he or she wishes to donate anonymously, the name of each donor and his or her giving level designation will be announced on the Youth Scholarship Program bulletin board at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, in the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church bulletin, and on the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church website. The giving level designations are:

Up to $1,000:              “Learning”
$1,000 to $2,499:        “Faith”
$2,500 to $4,999:        “Character”
$5,000 and above:       “Service”

How Do I Get More Information About The Youth Scholarship Program?
To obtain more information about the Youth Scholarship Program fund please contact Keith Brittan or Ray Hogge.

Keith Brittan
Business Manager
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
6400 Newport Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23505
(757) 423-8305
keith@blessed-sacrament.com