About Us

The Central Okanagan Bursary and Scholarship Society is a nonprofit group of volunteers, school counsellors and parents from public & private schools within the boundaries of School District #23. We were incorporated under the BC Society Act in 1984 as the Central Okanagan Bursary and Scholarship Society, able to hold funds in trust and to issue tax receipts. We accept and administer money from donors such as community or school groups, businesses, and individuals and each year act as a central body through which graduating Grade 12 students can apply for over 470  bursaries and scholarships. Criteria for these awards are set by the donor (for example: financial need, citizenship, scholastic achievement, athletic achievement, etc). These bursaries and scholarships are for students entering a college, university or other post- secondary institution in the coming year. In 2009 COBSS gave out a total of just over $323,000 and in the past nine years have handed out $2,843,697 to deserving students.  

Executive Board


President:
Janet Kluftinger
Vice-President:
Anne Pistawka
Past President:
Laurie Oliver
Secretary:
Theresa Leitch
Treasurer:
Debbie da Silva
Directors:
Loretta Davis
Deborah D'Ovidio
Administration:
Pauline Kirk
Director (counsellor):
Sandy Corrado
SD#23 Liason:
Gord Kirsch
Plus 35 school community members and school counsellors that comprise the membership of COBSS.

Our History

The Central Okanagan Bursary and Scholarship Society grew from a need to help young people pursue their education and training beyond secondary school. The expenses of post-secondary studies or trades and technical colleges, including tuition fees, reference materials, accommodation and transportation, deterred many promising students from seeking a higher education.

Several leaders of the educational and business community in the Central Okanagan joined forces to find a solution to this problem. Among the founding members instrumental in the (then called) Bursary Society were businessmen; Ken Harding of Westbank, former KSS Principals: Harry Dewar and Lou Dedinsky, and Rosemary King at the School Board. Thanks to their efforts to galvanize community support for this worthy cause, the number of bursaries available to students has grown from seven in 1971 to more than 460 in 2009. These bursaries represent an approximate $331,000, which is distributed to deserving local students each year.

Orginally incorporated in 1984, the Central Okanagan Bursary and Scholarship Society is an entirely autonomous body which administers professionally managed funds, in trust and perpetuity. Tax receipts are issued for donations.




"I am very grateful for the awards I have received, and also appreciate the time and effort everyone at COBSS
puts in to make such awards possible." (KSS Grad)