WHO WE ARE

Rufus Edmisten established the Super Kids Scholarship Program in 1989 as a way to ensure that worthy students obtain the development, support and education they need as a foundation for independence and success. We support students who have shown they can overcome adversity. This foundation accomplishes this by mentoring young people who have the potential to become high achievers who have been recommended to the program by a community member. Since the program's inception, the Foundation for Good Business has awarded over 90 scholarships to Super Kids, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from high school. Since these students' families are unable to provide them financial assistance in most cases, the Super Kids' scholarship may be the only way they can afford college. The Foundation serves as an Educational Advocate to assist in supporting and developing these students so they will succeed in school and life.

The process for determining who the foundation supports normally begins with a recommendation of a student from a member of their community. This recommendation could come from a teacher, guidance counselor, neighbor or anyone who knows the student very well and realizes the student is a deserving candidate from the assistance that the Super Kids Scholarship Program can provide. The foundation targets students in middle and high school normally before the senior year. This enables us to work with the candidate and assist them with other recommendations for grants, scholarships etc. that could also help with their post high school education.

Once the recommendation is received from the Foundation, we contact the student and their parent as well as the person who is submitting the recommendation and invite them to meet with several of the Foundation’s board members in Mr. Edmisten’s office to discuss the program and their individual needs.

The family then completes required documentation needed for Mr. Edmisten to take to the board for review and approval.

After the board approves, the foundation starts building a relationship with the individual students to help guide them by reviewing their current needs before post high school education and assisting them with these needs to successfully complete high school and to move forward with the college application process and then the transition to college or technical school.

While we work closely with their financial needs in college, we also provide services such as resume support, mentoring, assisting the students with internships and other employment opportunities that can help to offset college loans.

Each year the Super Kids Foundation hosts a fundraiser at the North Carolina Farmer's Market restaurant. This foundation depends on the generosity of our neighborhood businesses including Gypsy Gilliam, the owner of the NC State Farmer’s Market Restaurant. We also depend on individual donations throughout the year, http://www.specialsuperkids.com/ in order to make these dreams of higher education a reality for these exceptional young people.