the Cailloux Foundation

June 7, 2011
KERRVILLE — A new recipient has recently been added to the roster for the Cailloux Scholarship Program. George “Cody” Katerle, 201l salutatorian from Junction High School, is the most recent recipient of the Cailloux Scholarship Award. He had been selected as an alternate for the award in May. Katerle will attend the University of Houston in Houston and major in computer information systems.

This year’s recipients were chosen from graduating high schools seniors in Bandera, Harper, Ingram, Kerrville, Mason, Medina, Nueces Canyon, Leakey, and Rocksprings. When Mason High School senior Yolanda Gonzales discovered that she had been selected as a Gates Millennium Scholar as well as the Cailloux Scholarship she was able to release her Cailloux award to benefit another student. The Gates Millennium Scholar Program (GMS) pays all costs associated with higher education including graduate school for certain areas of study. Gonzales was one of 1,000 students from across the country to receive the award. GMS, established in 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. GMS scholars are limited to African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American recipients.

“Her achievement should encourage other students to complete national scholarship applications as well as local ones,” said Cailloux Foundation Assistant Executive Director Ben Modisett, “Students like Yolanda and Cody from small schools can and do win valuable scholarships that have an impact on their future”, he added.

The Foundation established The Cailloux Foundation Scholarship Program in 2000 to benefit graduating seniors from selected Texas Hill Country high schools. The awards are up to $12,000 per recipient annually and are for undergraduate study only. The scholarships are renewable for up to four years for a maximum multi-year award of $48,000 per student. Scholarship recipients attend four-year public or private colleges or universities in Texas. The 2011-2012 program will have 75 freshmen through senior level students participating as scholarship recipients. 

The applicants met or exceeded a minimum Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score requirement of 1022, or a minimum American College Test (ACT) score of 22. They also have a minimum grade average of 85 and are in the top one-third of their class. Scholarship applications were made available to any interested senior graduating from an eligible high school and meeting the academic and financial eligibility requirements. Eligible high schools include Bandera High School, Ed Brune High School at Big Spring Ranch near Leakey, Center Point High School, Comfort High School, Fredericksburg High School, Harper High School, Ingram’s Tom Moore High School, Junction High School, Leakey High School, Mason High School, Medina High School, Nueces Canyon High School near Barksdale, Our Lady of the Hills Catholic High School in Kerrville, Rocksprings High School, Tivy High School in Kerrville, and Utopia High School in Utopia. The application for next year will be available November 1, 2011 through February 1, 2012 and may be accessed at www.caillouxfoundation.org.

Final selection of recipients for the scholarship awards were overseen by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS) of  Nashville, TN. ISTS utilized standard comprehensive recipient selection procedures in making the final selections including the consideration of past academic performance, financial need, statement of career goals, educational aspirations, work experience, unusual personal or family circumstances, leadership skills, participation in school and community activities, recommendation letters, and an essay. 

The Foundation’s mission is to perpetuate the vision of founders Floyd A. and Kathleen C. Cailloux. Contact the Foundation at 830-895-5222 or view the scholarship section of this web site for additional information.