The Everette N. Warren Scholarship
Sponsored by the Friends of the Gaston County Public Library
Amount: $1,000 (subject to funding)
Deadline March 10, 2026
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED!
Description
The Friends of the Gaston County Public Library created this scholarship to honor Everett Warren’s commitment to the organization and to support the library’s mission of serving Gaston County residents. This initiative reflects the library’s dedication to being a vital, inclusive, and evolving resource that fosters a connected, collaborative, and engaged community through literacy, recreation, and lifelong learning.
A maximum of two awards may be granted per scholarship cycle, depending on available funding. The scholarship funds will be disbursed directly to the educational institution chosen by the recipient and will not exceed the actual costs of tuition, books, fees, supplies, room, and board, or other expenses directly related to educational needs. Recipients are required to pursue a full course of study. If a student fails to maintain satisfactory academic performance or exhibits unsatisfactory personal conduct, the scholarship recipient will no longer be eligible for the life of the fund, or funds will be withdrawn.
Selection of the Scholarship Recipient(s)
A committee comprised of members of the Board of the Friends of the Gaston County Public Library will select the scholarship winners. Any Selection Committee member who has a child, grandchild, sibling, or other immediate family member applying for a scholarship will recuse themselves from participating in that year’s selection process.
Eligibility
The rules under which the scholarships will be awarded are as follows:
Recipients shall be residents of Gaston County and hold a valid library card with the Gaston County Public Library System.
Recipients may be any person attending an institution of higher learning in the fall of 2026.
Special consideration will be given to those affiliated with the Gaston County Library through employment, volunteer service, or programming.
Before scholarship funds are released, recipients must provide proof of enrollment at an institution of higher learning. Institutes of higher learning include accredited colleges, universities, community colleges, and technical schools.
Scholarships are a one-time gift and are not automatically renewable. Recipients are eligible to reapply for each year they are enrolled in school.
Basis of Award
The selection committee will consider the following factors when judging applicants for scholarship awards:
1. Life Aspirations
2. Character/Service to the Community
3. Academic Achievement
4. Qualities of Leadership
5. Financial Need
Applications are made available in early February of each year. For more information on the Friends of the Gaston County Public Library Scholarship, please contact: www.friendsofgcpl.org
2025 Scholarship Essays and Winners
Zahra Batool
As I write this, I sit in my local public library, taking in the silence and the other multitudes of students, kids, parents, and strangers who are here to do their own thing. If that in itself, does not describe just how valuable libraries are, I don’t know what will. Not all of them are students, not all are kids, and not all are parents—everyone who has something to do, can come to this communal building and read to their child, work on homework, scholarships, or even use the free computers. Libraries have, and always will be, hubs for interaction, assistance, and education. Its multi-faceted purposes reflect perfectly among the patrons who go in and out of the revolving doors. They provide a haven of books, movies, and educational activities to stimulate young minds, all the while also assisting with documentation, historical records, and the more stressful, adult, aspects of life. The library doesn’t judge nor discriminate against who you are, remaining a free tool for everyone, regardless of age, class, race, or gender. It is one of the only places where people happily come to gather to read, write, work, or even play. The library will always be a wonderful resource for small or large communities, wishing to find a new cult classic—or a new program to enrich their kid with. It offers itself to everyone and anyone, even me, a young student in need of a quiet place to work, on–coincidently–a response about its usefulness.
Grace Cera-Isbell
I have seen firsthand the many ways a library is valuable to its community. Libraries offer a community within one. People come together with shared interests such as Comicon, study groups, book clubs, or family activities. A library is a safe space for many where they can gain information, access materials, join a club, or attend events.
Libraries play a vital role in informing the public by hosting information events for all ages. For example, I aided in organizing a teen event at the Gaston County Public Library to educate youth on how to build a resume. In addition to providing informative sessions, libraries give the public access to technology they may not have. Printers, computers, and the internet can all be used in both sections of the library, adults and children. Kids can go online to play educational games while adults have the materials to work in a quiet, efficient setting. Libraries are very welcoming and give the community a safe building. In the case of a natural disaster, a library will keep its patrons safe by offering them supplies such as shelter and water. Volunteering over the summer, I know how much a library can bring life and fun to a community. Libraries are great at hosting events like crafts, live music, science showcases, and much more.
Overall, libraries are vital to a community and help it thrive. Libraries have the ability to help so many people in different aspects of their lives whether it’s job hunting or a fun place for the kids. The value of a library could never be replaced in a community.
