SIDNEY — Michael Denning, a freshman at Lehman Catholic High School, has been awarded a scholarship from the Ohio Knights of Columbus Charity Foundation to apply to his school tuition for the 2015-16 academic year. The $1,000 scholarship is one of just 40 scholarships awarded to students across the state.

A total of 418 applications were submitted and of those, 127 were from students attending Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Of the 40 scholarships awarded, 12 went to students in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

The Knights of Columbus scholarships are designed to help students who have financial need to continue their Catholic education. Since the program began in 1997, 588 scholarships worth over $580,000 have been awarded.

Selection is based academic success, school activities, church involvement, and community service. Applicants whose fathers are Knights of Columbus members may receive preference but it is not a requirement for applying. Students must complete an essay explaining the financial need and outlining how the scholarship would benefit his or her education.

Denning is the 12th Lehman Catholic student to be awarded a scholarship in the 19 years that scholarships have been awarded. The only other school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati with more winners is Mount Notre Dame with 13. Cincinnati Elder also has had 12. Only one student from each school may be chosen each year. There are 24 Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Dave Helmstetter of the Knights of Columbus traveled to Lehman to present the scholarship to Denning in front of his classmates and teachers after the weekly Mass. Denning is the son of Rick and Gail Denning, of Sidney, and is a member of Holy Angels Parish. He is an honor roll student at Lehman and plays soccer and baseball.