Irene McCracken Arnold Memorial Scholarship

Quick Facts

Amount
$5,000 total

Required Education
NHS Graduating Senior

Required GPA
3.0 or higher

Application Deadline
2026 Submissions Closed

NCF - Nowata Community Foundation - Plant, Seed, Root, Branch, Fruit

Scholarship Details

Up to $5,000 total. Payable as $2,000 for freshman year, $1,000 for sophomore year, $1,000 for junior year, and $1,000 for senior year.
After the first payment, all subsequent payments will be made after verification of all renewal requirements being met by the student.
Renewal requirements include: proof of enrollment and a continued 2.5 GPA or higher. These requirements must be verified by an official transcript from the student’s school.

Eligibility Criteria

Nowata High School graduating senior.
3.0 or higher unweighted GPA.
Service to school, defined as involvement in school activities, clubs, service organizations, school government, pep squad, etc.
Attending university, college, junior college, trade school, or vocational school.
Well-written essay addressing why you feel you deserve this award.

Required Addendum

First page(s) of FAFSA Submission Summary, up to and including the Student Aid Index number. To start a free FAFSA application, visit studentaid.gov/fafsa.
Official Nowata High School transcript.

Application Deadline

The application period for 2026 scholarship submissions is now closed. Please check back December 1, 2026 when the application period for 2027 scholarships opens.

Questions? We can help.

General Scholarship Questions

Not necessarily. It is dependent on the scholarship requirements. If you meet the scholarship requirements, you may apply.
Eligibility is dependent on the scholarship requirements. Some scholarships require applicants to attend specific schools. If you meet the scholarship requirements, you may apply.
You can apply for as many scholarships for which you are eligible.
Gifting is dependent on available funding. In some cases, only one award is granted. In other instances, more than one award may be granted.
The NCF Board reviews the applications and make recommendations to the BCF Board. Together, the NCF and BCF boards make the final award decisions.
Scholarship winner announcements will be made at Nowata High School award assemblies.
If the winner is not a high school student or unable to attend the assembly, the NCF or NHS will contact them directly.
If you are awarded a scholarship, the NCF will provide you with an Award Letter and Acceptance Form. This form is to gather information from you about your college choice and must be returned to us.
Scholarships paid in the first semester will be sent directly to your school’s Bursar’s Office in late July or early August. Scholarships that are renewed or paid in the spring semester will be sent to your school’s Bursar’s Office in early January.
The NCF requires proof of enrollment and an official transcript after each semester to ensure you continue to meet the qualification requirements of your scholarship.
These requirements should be provided to NCF no later than July 1 for fall payments and December 31 for spring payments. Keep in mind, an official transcript may take time to request from your school.
For inquiries, you may contact us by phone at (918) 601-0905 or by email at scholarship@bartlesvillecf.org. Please allow 1-2 business days to receive a response.
You can also find more scholarship opportunities and FAQs on our affiliate’s website.

Scholarship Application Questions

We consider the applicant to be related if the relative is one of the following: spouse/domestic partner, child, grandparent, parent or sibling (including in-law, adoptive, half-, step-, foster), aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or cousin.
An unweighted GPA calculates your overall average grade on a 4.0 scale, without regard to the difficulty of your coursework. Whereas, a weighted GPA reflects both grades and course levels.
You must provide your unweighted GPA when giving GPA information. This number will be confirmed using your official transcript.
An official transcript is required in order to verify your GPA and course work. Transcripts are considered official when they have a qualified school official or administrator’s signature and the school seal embossed on the document.
Students can usually request a transcript from your high school counselor or college registrar’s office. Most schools offer an online service (like Parchment) for requesting transcripts. For this, you should have an option to “Request a Transcript” in your school account.
If you are homeschooled, your homeschool administrator should send your transcript with an official copy of your coursework from 9th through 12th grade. The transcript should also list your academic years, grades, and credits earned. The transcript must be signed and dated by the homeschool administrator to be considered official.
An official transcript must be sent directly to us by a school counselor, administrator, or e-transcript service (like Parchment). A photocopy or digital copy prepared or printed by the applicant will not be accepted.
Your official transcript can be sent to us at scholarship@bartlesvillecf.org or by mail to Nowata Community Foundation, 208 E. 4th St, Bartlesville, OK, 74003.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is a form you must complete and submit to receive various forms of financial aid from the federal government, such as grants and loans.
Colleges use the FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for other types of aid, such as college specific scholarships.
The NCF scholarship process requires that you complete your FAFSA to assure that you are tapping all potential sources of college funding. FAFSA data is only considered for awards with “financial need” in the scholarship criteria.
To complete the FAFSA form, go to the Federal Student Aid website at studentaid.gov/fafsa. There is no fee to complete and submit the form. You should never pay for scholarship or FAFSA information.
You should expect to register for your FSA ID and receive that ID in 24-48 hours before you can begin the FAFSA application.
Log in to FAFSA.gov with your account username and password (FSA ID). Keep in mind that we are asking for the first page(s) of your FAFSA Submission Summary, not your application.
The full Summary can be a 12–14 pages. We only need the pages up to your SAI number. The SAI is the Student Aid Index, and it is used by your school to determine your federal student aid eligibility and build your financial aid offer.
Please do not submit scholarship applications until you are able to attach your processed FAFSA with SAI number. If you do, your application will be considered incomplete and not be eligible for consideration.
For addendum reception inquiries, feel free to check with us by calling (918) 601-0905 or sending an email to scholarship@bartlesvillecf.org.
If you sent your transcript through Parchment, you can check online to see if it has been downloaded.
Your application and any relevant attachments and/or addendums will be reviewed by the BCF staff and any relevant scholarship committees.