The Augustus L. and Jennie D. Hoffman Foundation Scholarship Essay Program was established in 1954 to encourage the study of local history and to provide scholarships for students in Wayne County schools. To be eligible, students must be seniors in a Wayne County high school.

Students were required to submit an original research paper, of a minimum of 2,000 words dealing with some aspect of Wayne County history or civic affairs. The papers were due on April 30 of each year and were judged by a panel of three judges.

To date, there have been over 600 Hoffman essays written on various aspects of Wayne County history or civic affairs. Complete sets are placed in the County Historian’s office, the Newark Public Library and the Sodus Library. Copies of essays written by their students are sent to each school and local library, along with copies of essays dealing with Wayne County in general and those pertinent to each town.

The Foundataion suspended the essay contest in 2004. This was a difficult decision but necessary because of the lack of funds to continue awarding scholarships to the contest winners.