AUBURN – Charles E. Ridlon, deputy for Maine, has announced that the Maine Scottish Rite Valleys in Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Portland and Rockland are offering $93,000 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors and college students enrolled in an accredited college with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a scale of 4.00.

A student must be the child or a grandchild, niece or nephew, of a Scottish Rite Mason, a member of a youth organization sponsored by the Masonic fraternity or a graduate of one of the 32 Masonic Learning Centers for Children in Maine.

Members of the Scottish Rite are also eligible. In addition, Ridlon announced that the two 32 Masonic Learning Centers for Children in Portland and Bangor will receive $10,000 each toward their endowment fund.

The funds come from the Scottish Rite Abbott Scholarship Fund and an endowment of $1.4 million left by the estate of the late Arnold and Eleanor Veague.

A total of 27 scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $6,500 each, will be awarded on June 1 at the annual meeting of the Scottish Rite Council of Deliberation in Augusta. The deadline for applications to the Valley offices is April 2.

One may apply for the scholarships by asking for an application from Richard Dolby, Valley of Augusta, 317 Water St., PO Box 2177, Augusta, ME 04338-2177, or Kenneth Richardson, Valley of Androscoggin, 21 Allen Ave., Lewiston, ME 04240-4842. The applications are also available on the Scottish Rite Web site at www.supremecouncil.org.