Community Service Scholarships Start at Five Years of Age!

Article Author: 
June McBride, Author and Founder Path to Scholarships® and Edudaris™

Young children as young as five years of age can begin applying to community service-based scholarships!  

Community service is defined as investing time and serving others outside the family as a volunteer. Community service allows us to develop character, build self-esteem, and instills a life-long lesson of how to give back, while allowing us an opportunity to explore possibilities that may lead to future careers. A majority of scholarships require community service. However, community service scholarships exist as a category all on their own. Documentation is crucial.

Community service needs to be documented in the following manner: 

  1. Person/Group/Organization
  2. Brief description of activity (2-3 sentences)
  3. Date and hours served
  4. Signature and telephone of a supervisor (Families member may not sign)                                                   

Community service is about quality of service over quantity of hours.

Show a commitment over time, with a minimum of one hour per month over four months. If you can serve more, that is even better. Get involved with helping others. Most scholarships require community service. Be sure to document your time. 

Community service scholarships want to know the following information:

1.  What was your commitment over time? (hours- daily, weekly, monthly, etc.)
2.  What difference did you make?
3.  What leadership role did you have?
4.  Were you a role model?
5.  How did community service make you feel? 

Some community service scholarships provide certificates and recognition of accomplishment instead of money. These awards can be added to the student's list of awards and recognition received.

View the list of scholarship and award opportunities.

Action for Nature, January 15, Ages 8 - 16 http://actionfornature.org/eco-hero-awards

Kohl's Kids Who Care, February 1 - March 15, Ages 6 - 18  http://www.kohlscorporation.com/CommunityRelations/scholarship/index.asp

Jesse Brown Memorial Youth Scholarship, February 27, Ages 21 and younger http://www.dav.org/volunteers/Scholarship.aspx

National Caring Award, Jan 1 - March 1, Ages 9 - 99  http://www.caringinstitute.org/caringawards.html

The Do Something Awards, October 1 - March 1, Ages 5 -25 http://www.dosomething.org/programs/awards_guidelines

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Awards, October 1 - March 1, Ages 13 - 18, http://www.fcclainc.org/content/community-service

Youth Action Net Award, February 1 - March 8, Ages 18 - 29 http://youthactionnet.org/index.php?fuse=apply

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, January 1 - April 30, Ages 8 - 18 http://barronprize.org/how-nominate

The Heart of America Christopher Reeve Award, Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, Ages 13 - 18  http://www.heartofamerica.org/scholarships.htm

Heroes of the Heart Gee Whiz Kids Award, Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, Ages 5 - 12 http://www.heartofamerica.org/scholarships.htm

Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholarships, October 5 - December 5,  Ages 5 - 25 http://sodexofoundation.org/hunger_us/scholarships/scholarships.asp

The Prudential Spirit of Community Award, Nov. 6, Grades 5th - 12th http://spirit.prudential.com/view/page

Do a Good Deed Contest (weekly), Ongoing (Win a computer!), Ages 5 - 18 http://www.doagooddeed.com/

Award Recognition Certificates Only

The President’s Volunteer Service Award, Ongoing, Ages 5 - 99  http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/

The Congressional Award, Ongoing, Ages 14 - 23 http://www.congressionalaward.org/youth/vps.php

The Jefferson Awards for Public Service, Ongoing, Grades 9th - 12th http://www.jeffersonawards.org

PBS Zoom into Action, Ongoing, Ages 5 - 18 http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/action/