SPARTA, Mich., Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ChoiceOne Bank (NASDAQ: COFS) ("ChoiceOne") is pleased to announce the Annual ChoiceOne Scholarship Program designed to provide needs-based scholarships for graduating seniors in the local communities the Bank serves. The scholarships are for students who want to obtain a Bachelor, Associate, or Certificate.

As the local community bank, ChoiceOne wants to encourage and reward graduating seniors who are motivated to obtain Bachelor, Associate, or Certificate. ChoiceOne will award 12 one-time scholarships of $1,000 to each recipient for their first year of college or toward a certificate program. Six winners will be selected from both the West and East markets the Bank serves in Michigan. One ChoiceOne employee's child will also receive a scholarship.

"We are committed to the families and youth in our communities across Michigan," said ChoiceOne Bank President Michael J. Burke, Jr. "Our high school seniors are the next generation of leaders, and we believe it's important for them to realize the benefits of being raised and educated in a caring and supportive local community."

Scholarship Essay Requirements 
The ChoiceOne Bank Scholarship Program began accepting applications January 16, and will remain open until Saturday, March 18. To apply, students are asked to write a 500 word or less essay about one of their community-service experiences. In the essay, students will want to describe why they became involved in the community service, who benefited from the service and what personal accomplishments they gained from helping their community. Students must submit their application and supporting documents such as their completed online application, their high school/home school transcripts, or GED documentation, by the deadline date. See choiceone.bank/scholarship to complete the Scholarship Application.

This scholarship will be paid directly to the college by ChoiceOne Bank.

Who Is Eligible 
Eligible candidates include high school seniors and GED recipients in the current calendar year who have not started college classes, home school students with documentation of high school equivalency and college eligibility in the communities ChoiceOne Bank serves and are planning to attend an accredited two-year or four-year college, or obtain a program certificate, in Michigan in the fall of 2023. ChoiceOne Bank serves communities in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, Lapeer, St. Clair and Macomb counties.

"We find helping the high school students in our communities extremely beneficial," said Burke. "It is our hope that our students return to their roots to raise their families and grow their businesses, and our communities thrive with their excelled education. Writing this essay for a potential scholarship has helped our youth understand the importance of community service."

About ChoiceOne Bank 
ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Sparta, Michigan, and the parent corporation of ChoiceOne Bank. Member FDIC. ChoiceOne Bank, named one of America's Best Banks by Newsweek for three consecutive years, operates 35 offices in parts of Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Macomb counties. ChoiceOne is an approximately $2.4 billion-asset bank holding company making it the 10th largest bank holding company in Michigan based on asset size. ChoiceOne Bank offers insurance and investment products through its subsidiary, ChoiceOne Insurance Agencies, Inc. ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc. common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "COFS." For more information, please visit Investor Relations at ChoiceOne's website choiceone.bank.

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SOURCE ChoiceOne Financial Services, Inc.