Community Service-Based Scholarships?

I volunteer a lot in the community and wondering if there are scholarships that require community service? Any tips on how to approach this?

Definitely, there are plenty of scholarships out there that prioritize or require community service. Here's a general approach to finding and applying for these scholarships:

1. Identify Scholarships: Start by doing an internet search for "community service scholarships." This will provide you with a broad list to start with. Your high school counseling office may also have a list of local scholarships that prioritize community service. Your service organizations (for example, the place where you volunteer most frequently) might also offer scholarships.

2. Understand Eligibility Criteria: Not all community service scholarships will be relevant to you personally. You'll need to check the eligibility criteria for each scholarship, which may require certain types of service, a particular number of service hours, or may be tied to a certain institution or field of study.

3. Prepare a Strong Application: Scholarships often require applicants to write an essay or personal statement. Given your extensive community service, it's likely that you have plenty of experiences to write about. In your essays, go beyond just stating what you did - discuss the impact of your service, how it affected you, and why you believe it's important.

4. Secure Strong Recommendations: If the scholarship requires a recommendation, consider asking someone who can speak to your commitment and the quality of your service. This could be the leader of a volunteer group, a community member you’ve served, etc.

An example of a well-known community service scholarship is the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This program honors middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level. Another example is the AXA Achievement Community Scholarship, which provides one-time $2,500 scholarships to high school students dedicated to making a positive impact in their communities.

Remember that application deadlines and processes for scholarships can widely vary, so keep track of the specific requirements for each one to make sure all your hard work pays off. Good luck!