AUGUSTA, Maine — Ahead of high school graduation, thousands of Maine students and their families eagerly applied for scholarships in hopes of lightening the load of tuition.

Some students would receive scholarship offers from colleges themselves; rewarding achievements and enticing high performers to enroll on their campus.

Most of these awards would be given out based on academic, athletic, or artistic prowess. One Maine nonprofit handed out its latest round of scholarships based solely one one thing that's hard to measure - character.

On one May morning, Cony High School counselor Beth Russell led me to a classroom that looked to be filled with students awaiting their next lecture. Upon closer inspection, I saw adults sprinkled in the crowd.

Russell left and soon returned with a nerv

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