LEWISTON – A unique college scholarship fund for elementary school students has been established, and will take affect for Montello Elementary School students graduating from high school in 2014, Peter Geiger announced Friday.

Geiger, editor of the Farmers’ Almanac and executive vice president of Geiger, is the founder of the Lewiston/Auburn Adopt-A-School program and coordinator of the Geiger/Montello Adopt-A-School partnership. He announced the creation of the scholarship last May during the 20th annual Night of the Stars. At that time, Geiger said some of the details weren’t worked out.

The scholarship was initiated with $100,000 in seed money from Geiger, who has pledged up to $25,000 in additional matching funds, in hopes of attracting other donors to the endowment. An anonymous donor has contributed $25,000. Geiger hopes the fund will total $175,000 by the time students begin to apply. The number and size of the scholarships will depend on how much is available.

The scholarship will help Montello Elementary School students who want to go to college. Starting with the class of 2014, Montello students will be eligible to apply for one of the scholarships during their senior year. Selection criteria will include need, academics, community involvement and work.

“The opportunity for post-secondary education should be made available to all deserving students,” Geiger said in a statement.

“Our theme for the last 20 years has been, ‘If you can dream it, you can achieve it!’ Those dreams will require a rigorous education, and I am delighted to make the resources available to those who get their start at the Montello School. I hope other business leaders will step up to the plate and join me in making resources available so that all Maine students have an opportunity to excel in life,” Geiger said.

The scholarship has been established with the Maine Community Foundation, a statewide organization that has partnered with donors and educators for 25 years to provide Maine students access to educational opportunities.