Scholarships

Once you have completed so many service hours, people may tell you that “You are a very valuable volunteer!” or “Thanks for all your hard work and dedication.” But, did you know you may be eligible for an award or college scholarship?

Check out these valuable resources:

Michigan Promise Scholarship

The Michigan Promise Scholarship was established by the Michigan legislature in 2006 (Public Act 479) for the high school graduating Class of 2007 and after. The award provides $4,000 to high school graduates for successfully completing two years of postsecondary education. Students must qualify with their Michigan Merit Exam. Currently, funding for the Michigan Promise Scholarship is unavailable at the State level. Please check back at a later time for more information.

Kalamazoo Community Foundation

Are you a dedicated student? Aspiring athlete? Talented musician? Community volunteer? If so, and you plan to take your talents and abilities with you to a trade or technical school or two- or four-year college or university after high school, these pages will provide you with important and helpful information about scholarships available through the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation administers a scholarship program that each year helps local students pursue higher education. Click here to view/download the current Area Scholarship Guide to Higher Education.

President’s Student Service Awards

All full time students from kindergarten through college who contribute at least 100 hours of service to the community are eligible for the President’s Student Service Award Gold Pin and a Presidential Certificate. Students 5 to 14 who have performed at least 50 hours of service within a 12-month period will be eligible for the silver award pin and certificate. For more information contact: President’s Student Service Scholarships at 888.275.5018, send an email, or visit their website: www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

This award is designed to recognize students in middle and high school who have demonstrated exemplary, self-initiated community service. Any student who is 11 to 18 years of age, or in grades 5 through 12, at the time of application, is eligible for this scholarship. The applicant must describe an individual community service activity or an individual’s significant leadership in a group activity, that has taken place during the previous year. This must be completed and submitted to the school principal by October 30th. For more information, click here.

Awards include:

• School Honorees- certificate of recognition from their schools.
• State Honorees- $1000, a silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC for a national recognition event.
• National Honorees- $5000, a gold medallion, and a trophy for their schools.

Visit Youth Service America

(YSA) at www.ysa.org to learn more about the following awards:

HASBRO Teens With The Courage to Give Awards
American Red Cross Woodrow Wilson Award for Exemplary Youth Volunteer Service
Annual Youth Achievement Awards
Colgate’s Youth For America Award
Chevron-Times Mirror Conservation Awards Program
Cheesebrough-Pond’s National Hero Award
Do Something Brick Award for Community Service
Joseph G. Phelan Award
Lewis Hine Award
National Public Service Award
National Wildlife Federation National Conservation Awards Program
National Youth Crime Prevention Youth Service Awards

Angels In Action Award

Rewards children ages 5-15 for performing acts of kindness which benefit their community or charity. They are honored with a $10,000 savings bond and a family trip to Disney World.

Awards for Excellence In Corporate Community Service

The Points of Light Foundation recognizes companies with effective volunteer programs that are linked to their business objectives.

Buick Achievers Scholarship Program

To be eligible for the Buick Achievers scholarship, applicants must be high school seniors or high school graduates entering college for the first time in the fall of 2011; plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited four-year college or university for the entire 2011-12 academic year; and demonstrate an interest in the automotive industry. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have permanent residence in the United States. Other criteria include being a first-generation college student, female, minority, military veteran or a dependent of military personnel.

Information and applications are available at www.buickachievers.com.  Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2011, and scholarships will be awarded for the 2011-2012 academic year.

College Scholarships and Community Service Awards

To encourage and reward community service involvement, many companies and private foundations provide scholarships to college students and college-bound students. CharityGuide.org maintains this useful list with links.

The Congressional Award

The U.S. Congress awards a medal to young people ages 14-23, who set and achieve goals for volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness and an expedition.

Harris Wofford Awards

A recognition program for the youth service movement to honor the life work of Harris Wofford by making service to others the common expectation and common experience of every young person in America. This web page on Youth Service America’s site also gives information on grants to support National Youth Service Day projects.

Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program

Kohl’s Department Stores provide an annual opportunity for community members to nominate a child between the ages of 6-18 who has volunteered “above and beyond what is normally expected.” There are store-level winners, regional winners and national winners.

Temple Awards For Creative Altruism

Awarded since 1987 by the Institute of Noetic Sciences, the Temple Awards for Creative Altruism includes a $25,000 award fund which is divided biennially among one or more individuals. The recipients are people who have demonstrated, through their lives and works, the inspirational light of unselfish service motivated by love, the trans-formative power of caring, creativity and commitment.