The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education is looking for companies that want to help students who have powerful stories to tell about loss.

LIFE, Washington, is sponsoring a college scholarship program that will award 15 scholarships this year to students who submit essays describing the emotional and financial impact of losing a parent at an early age.

LIFE received almost 500 entries for its 2005 scholarship contest and it expects to get more this year.

LIFE says it will offer other industry organizations a chance to award additional scholarships to essay contest participants.