The United Wilmington Youth Foundation Annual Essay Scholarship Program designed to honor Latino Heritage month and promote unity and cultural awareness in our community. The UWYF Scholarship Program began with the restoration of La Maravilla Mural and its meaning in the Mexican-American Culture. The UWYF Scholarship Program will be held in the coming months of 2020. The winning applicants will received college scholarships courtesy of United Wilmington Youth Foundation (UWYF).
1ST PLACE RECIPIENT WILL RECEIVE: $2,000
2ND PLACE RECIPIENT WILL RECEIVE: $1,000
3RD PLACE RECIPIENT WILL RECEIVE: $500
When writing your essay, please answer one or more of the following questions:
- How has your heritage, family and the community impacted your desire and motivation to obtain a college degree? Please summarize your college and career goals.
- Who is your Mexican, Latino/a, Chicano/a hero and why is this person significant to you?
- How has society or local examples of cultural history (i.e. La Maravilla Murals or Art) impacted your self-image?
- What social change would you make in your community if you were empowered to do so?
Eligibility:
- All applicants must be high school seniors during the academic 2017-2018 year, currently attending public high schools including, but not limited to Phineas Banning High School, Avalon High School, Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy and Port of Los Angeles High School
- All applicant must have a 2.5 GPA or higher
- All applicants must complete at least 10 hours of volunteer work with United Wilmington Youth Foundation
- All applicants must submit unofficial transcripts from the high school
Rules:
Each submission must include a cover letter containing the applicant’s name, address, high school, phone number, email address and two (2) brief paragraphs:
- Summarizing his/her college and career goals
- How student is involved in the community
In addition to the essay, each applicant must create a 3 to 5 minute video where you share with the viewer about yourself, what you love about our community and how you would improve it. Please submit your video clip to scholarship@uwyf.org or upload it to YouTube and email us your link to the video.
Winners must be present at the Latino LA Festival on Saturday, October 7, 2017, 2:00pm to 6:00pm. Winners will be announce at the festival. The scholarship winner will receive their monetary check at the winner’s high school during their Scholarship Award Night.
Essay Length:
- Entries must be typed in size 12 font
- Double spaced
- Between 700 and 1,000 words.
- Essays not meeting the word count requirement will be eliminated
- The essay title or added footnotes do not contribute to the word count
Judging Criteria:
- All applicants will be judged based on essay and video
Checklist for your UWYF Scholarship Program application:
- Cover Letter + brief paragraphs
- Essay
- Video Clip
- High School Transcripts reflecting a 2.5 GPA or higher
Deadline:
Friday, September 22, 2017 (must be received via email before midnight). Late submissions will not be accepted.
Promotional release:
By submitting your entry, the applicant hereby grants the United Wilmington Youth Foundation permission to publish and/or include essays, videos and photos related to the scholarship program on marketing materials and website.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Liz Hernandez Hanna, Vice President at liz@uwyf.org
Good Luck! We look forward to your applications!
