Spirit of Youth Scholarship for Junior Members
UnconfirmedScholarship
This is a real program, but some details for the current cycle are not published or not yet confirmed. Check the official source before you plan around it.
- Award
- $1,000 per department/state winner; five division winners receive $5,000 instead. State awards are paid to the school for the first semester and must be used within 24 months of high school graduation. National awards begin with $2,500; later funds require re-enrollment and a 3.0 average, with six years to use the award. Initial enrollment certification is due within 12 months of notification.
- Timeline
- Mar 1The 2027 application will be posted in early October. The published annual deadline is at 11:59 PM Eastern
- Mar 1, 2026The detailed rules still name .
- How to apply
- The latest rules require an online essay response of at least 600 characters, recent high school grades and two nonfamily recommendations. One reference must be an educator or spiritual advisor; the other must address character, citizenship and leadership.
- What you'll need
- Recommendations
- An essay
- Membership in the sponsoring organization
- Who can apply
- The latest rules require a high school senior or equivalent who is or was an ALA Junior member, with three consecutive prior years of membership, current paid membership and at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Maintain ALA membership while receiving the scholarship and attend an accredited higher-education institution. The page still identifies 2023-25 membership and 2026 current dues; confirm 2027 requirements when published.
- Good to know
- Girls State alone does not establish ALA membership. The latest rules screen essays for originality and disqualify heavy AI use.
- Details
- No AI assistance allowed