Naperville Park District Seeks Applications for 10th Annual Officer David White Scholarship

Applications are being accepted now through April 1, 2016 for the 2016 Officer David White Scholarship. This scholarship honors the compassionate public service modeled by Naperville park police officer David White, whose actions helped save a young man's life in 2006.

The scholarship is open to an individual age 25 and under who either is a son or daughter of an active duty Naperville police officer, park police officer, or firefighter or someone who is serving in one of these roles themselves. Naperville Police Explorers and Naperville Fire Explorers also are eligible.

The scholarship is funded by an anonymous donor, who has provided $2,000 annually for the scholarship since 2007. In the donor's words, "The purpose of the scholarship is to inspire our next generation of public servants to care enough to exert the extra effort, to take a second look."

Naperville Mayor Emeritus A. George Pradel recently donated his remaining campaign funds to the Naperville Parks Foundation to further support the Officer White Scholarship. As a result, the 2016 scholarship fund is increased to $4,000, to be awarded either to one applicant or divided equally between two applicants, at the discretion of the scholarship panel.

The 2016 application and brochure and can be downloaded at http://www.napervilleparks.org/parkpolice and paper copies are available at the Naperville Park District Administration Building at 320 W. Jackson Ave. The deadline for submitting completed applications is Friday, April 1 at 5:00 p.m. The scholarship winner(s) will be recognized at the annual City of Naperville Police award ceremony at the Citizens Appreciate Public Safety event on May 12, 2016.