With college expenses, Heather Geidel wouldn’t have been able to afford a makeover.

However through the George Snow Scholarship Fund, Geidel received a $4,000 scholarship — and a new look for college.

The 17-year-old received a haircut, highlights, and make-up from the Greenroom Salon in Boca Raton this week.

“I like it a lot,” said Geidel, after the makeover. “It makes me feel pretty and better about myself.”

Geidel wasn’t the only one transformed. Nine other George Snow Scholarship recipients received makeovers from the Boca salon.

“We try to come up with things to give the scholarship winners that are over and above the financial commitments. And we thought this was a great idea to give them a fresh start for the next chapter in their lives,” said Tim Snow, president of the Boca Raton-based George Snow Scholarship Fund.

Snow began the organization in 1982 to honor his father George Snow, who lost his life in a helicopter crash two years prior.

“My dad used to be an educator, and while he was alive he used to help young people who tried to help themselves,” he said.

Each year the Fund donates scholarships to college-bound students based on “merit and need.” This year, 68 scholarships were given out totaling $275,000, Snow said. Some new scholarships included the Young Caregivers, which goes to those who take care of an ill loved one, and IT Women’s Charitable Fund, for women interested in the information technology profession.

Snow said his scholarship is unique in that it doesn’t end with money. Every Monday, scholarship winners receive a motivational e-mail. The students also have received free physicals and shots at the Boca Raton Community Hospital and attend a high school to college transition program. This is the first time recipients have received makeovers, Snow said.

“We feel that it’s important for students to know that someone is rooting for them and we try to give them every opportunity available to maximize their education,” Snow said.

That’s why Greenroom salon co-owners John Robert and Steven Jackson wanted to help.

“We’re always willing to give back to the community in some way,” John Robert said. The salon frequently donates to local and school charities, he added.

Robert said the students appeared to be having “fun.”

“They’re getting started in a new chapter in life and getting re-styled,” he said. “I think appearance and how you feel about yourself is important to your attitude. This will be a big kick for them.”

Cathy Trivigno, who received a $1,100 Single Parent Scholarship, excitedly awaited her new look.

“I’m a single parent and I don’t have much time to get this done. It’s amazing that they would think to do this,” she said.

The single mom said the scholarship is like no other and will make a “huge difference.”

“It’s a God send,” she said. “They really follow through and don’t just hand you a check and say have a nice life.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 22nd, 2006 at 7:30 am and is filed under Scholarship. Tags: College, Education, Scholarship, Student. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.