Alvin D. Sims Scholarship Program

The Alvin D. Sims Scholarship (ADS) program provides fifty (50) percent of tuition to 120 elementary school students that attend parochial and private schools. 

This program supports students who have a financial need and is based on their academic progress. After the first year in the program, students must maintain at least a “B” average to remain in the program. We predominately serve families on the west side of Chicago, however we do have students who either reside on the west side and attend a school in another area, or attend a school on the west side but live in another area. Currently we have eighteen very supportive and cooperative participating schools that our recipients attend. 

At the end of each year, the ADS sponsor an award ceremony brunch. The award ceremony is designed to reward the programs scholarship recipients who have worked the entire school year to become GREAT ACHIEVERS. In addition, the event will provide an opportunity for students to share in the success of their fellow recipients and at the same time encourages others to strive for higher academic success for the next year. The Award Ceremony Brunch has helped with promoting great images that stimulate self determination, empowerment, and self awareness of our students who are valuable ingredients to the success of our communities.

One of the past highlights of this event have included a panel of recipients who have graduated; they shared their success stories and what the Alvin D. Sims Program meant to them. The panel included high school, college, and college graduates. Every year, we have been privileged to have the Marcy-Newberry Association Children’s Choir to perform songs of inspiration.

Each summer ADS Scholarship Program attends a five-day camping trip and sponsors 25-30 scholarship recipients. “This adventure has proven to be educational and full of fun outdoor activities” states Jocquelline Kelly-Smith, Scholarship Coordinator, who chaperones the trip each year.

This remarkable program sponsored by an individual person, Mr. Bob Perkins, has serviced over a thousand families since 1989. The original intention of this scholarship program was to give low income students an opportunity to experience a diverse perspective of education. ADS Scholarship Program is a subsidiary of Marcy-Newberry Association, Inc.

The ADS Scholarship Program through the agency ensures that we provide the resources needed to promote positive self images in the children that we serve. Moreover, this unique program has provided many students and their families with one of the greatest gifts one can receive “A Quality Education”.~Jocquelline Kelly-Smith