In order to be considered for the Judith A. Sanders Memorial Scholarship, an applicant must currently be attending Graves County High School or Mayfield High School as a senior. The student must also be planning to attend college to pursue a degree in a computer technology related field. This scholarship is awarded based upon answers to a series of essay questions that are designed to gauge the student’s passion for his or her intended career in computer technology as well as the student’s sense of citizenship and pride in their rural community. Applicants must be from Graves County.
Rural students often have fewer opportunities for exposure to technology than their urban or suburban counterparts, greatly limiting their ability to pursue tech-related careers. Growing up in rural Kentucky, RTF Founder Chris Sanders saw this problem first-hand and experienced how high-paying tech jobs can help end generational poverty in rural families and lift up entire communities. He started the RTF in 2008 to help introduce other rural students to the potential of technology careers and equip them with the education they needed to pursue those jobs.