LADD — North Central Bank is announcing a scholarship competition that enables Illinois high school seniors to enter a statewide essay-writing contest.

The contest is part of a program sponsored by Illinois community banks and the CBAI Foundation for Community Banking to increase public awareness of locally owned banks and their contributions to the community. A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 a year for up to four years of higher education will be awarded for the best essay submitted to the CBAI Foundation. Up to 12 additional first-place $1,000 awards and 13 second-place $500 awards are available in each of the regions. An additional $500 will be awarded to the high school of the overall winner.

North Central Bank will also offer up to $500 as a local scholarship award. The bank is encouraging all local high school seniors to submit short essays on the following theme: “How do community banks make dreams come true?”