On Thursday morning, Bonner Springs High School hosted a special assembly that turned into a major opportunity for many Juniors and Seniors. Through a new partnership with VU Scholarships and the Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Education Foundation, students were surprised with real scholarship offers—totaling an astonishing $192,612,760.00 in potential awards.
This opportunity is made possible through the VU Scholarships program, which helps students connect with colleges and universities actively seeking to enroll students who match their academic and personal profiles. Parents opt in to securely share their student’s information with participating institutions. Colleges then evaluate the data and extend scholarship offers to students who meet their admission and award criteria—before any applications are even submitted.
VU Scholarships is designed to create a more student-centered scholarship process by simplifying access to funding and opening doors for students who might not have otherwise known these opportunities existed. Students can receive multiple offers and explore schools where they are already valued and wanted.
“College can feel out of reach for many students simply because of the cost. What they may not realize is how many scholarship opportunities they qualify for based on their academic merit alone,” said Teresa Snyder, College & Career Advocate at BSHS. “VU Scholarships flips the traditional process—students discover their eligibility first, much like athletic recruiting, which helps guide their college decisions. It’s incredibly validating for students to see their hard work paying off and opening doors they never imagined. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack—but now, the needle finds them.”
The Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Education Foundation played a key role in helping launch this initiative at BSHS, showing a strong commitment to student success and postsecondary planning.
As college costs continue to rise, this program offers hope and tangible support to families and students planning for the future. The Class of 2025 and 2026 now have a head start on their journey to higher education—with scholarship offers already in hand.
For more information about VU Scholarships and how it works, visit vuscholarships.com.