The annual Times Observer Student of the Year Award will be made to one deserving county student.

“Regardless of what’s happening, the Times Observer is going to move forward with its Student of the Year program to honor the amazing students in Warren County,” Times Observer Publisher Robert Patchen said.

The award is a $4,000 scholarship — $2,000 contributed by the Times Observer and the other $2,000 by the Community Foundation of Warren County.

The program is open to high school seniors who live in the county and are educated here — including in public schools, private schools, and home schools.

The application process for 2020 Student of the Year is different from that of past years, according to Patchen.

“This year, we are making changes,” he said.

Application packets are available on the Times Observer website and by sending an email to Patchen at bpatchen@timesobserver.com.

“There is a seven-page application process,” Patchen said.

The first page is biographical and education information about the applicant.

“Pages two through seven are required work including some college-application-style questions,” Patchen said.

Applicants must respond to all questions, but responses to each question or situation are limited to one side of one page. All applications should have responses on all seven pages, but no additional pages.

“Incomplete applications and those that go over the space provided will be rejected,” Patchen said.

Completed applications are due no later than Friday, May 22. They may be submitted in hard-copy to the Times Observer, 205 Pennsylvania Ave. W., Warren, PA, 16365, or by scanning the original forms and emailing them to bpatchen@timesobserver.com.

“The Times Observer staff will select the student representative from each applying school or educational group,” Patchen said. “A panel of community judges will make the final selection of which deserving student becomes our 2020 Student of the Year.”