To liven up the celebration of its 40th year in business that kicked off earlier this week, Cub Foods said it will award 40 high school seniors that plan to further their education with a total of $40,000 in scholarships to institutions of their choice.

Made possible by the Cub Cares Community Foundation, the 40 $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors with a minimum of a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale who show dedication in the classroom, provide service to their community and participate in extracurricular activities.

"These scholarships are a great way to celebrate Cub's 40th anniversary because they will help students achieve their long-term goals and pursue something truly meaningful to their futures and to the future of the community," said Brett Wing, chairman of the Cub Cares Community Foundation board.
 
Wing, who said it's the first time Cub Foods will award scholarships of this magnitude to the public, said the effort is "part of our ongoing, long-term commitment to helping youth achieve their dreams."

In other Cub Foods' 40th anniversary news, the Stillwater, Minn.-based Supervalu subsidiary is kicking off its fifth annual Round-Up program to benefit Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank. The program encourages customers to "round up" their grocery bills to the next dollar or higher, with the extra change benefiting Second Harvest Heartland member food banks in local communities. Customers will have the opportunity to participate at all Cub Foods stores through Sept. 27.

Established in 1968 as one of the nation's first discount grocery stores, Cub Foods currently operates 56 stores in the Twin Cities.