You’ve heard of most of the popular and typical scholarships. But have you heard of the duct tape, duck calling and doodling or other unusual scholarships available every year?! Unusual scholarships are abundant all year long. Each month I’ll update this list with quick and easy scholarships for kids 13 and up to apply for.
There are hundreds if not thousands of ways to pay for trade school or college, no matter if it’s community, state or an Ivy League institution. Now that you’ve navigated your way through some unusual times for high school, take time to apply for some of the more unusual scholarships online.
Scholarships in Las Vegas
The city of Las Vegas Youth Neighborhood Association Partnership Program (YNAPP) offers grants of up to $2,000 for youth to create and implement neighborhood-based, service-learning projects of their own design. Applications are open now. The 2024-2025 application period is open Aug. 19 through Oct. 31, 2024. Application is made through Zoomgrants.com; details are available online here and at https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Residents/Education/YNAPP-Grant.
Sample projects include, but are not limited to, developing care packages; youth art/mural projects; reading projects; services for the homeless; building Little Free Libraries; and community cleanups.
Applicants, particularly first-time applicants, are urged to attend one of two applicant workshops, either in person or virtually. The in-person applicant workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. To register, click here. The virtual applicant workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. To register, click here. If you miss this year’s workshop, please email tmanor@lasvegasnevada.gov for a link to view the recording.
For more information or individual assistance, call Tara Manor at 702.229.5424 or email tmanor@lasvegasnevada.gov.
Here’s a quick list of easy and slightly unusual scholarships that teens, parents and grad students can apply for to supplement their higher education efforts.
Here’s a lengthy list of scholarships with this month’s deadline!
Mom tip – Once you sign up be prepared to be inundated with emails. Set up a separate email account for your scholarships, or for each scholarship if they are truly spammy. Check it at least once a week. This will save you from a cluttered inbox. You can see when you need to take action on your account(s) or if you won a scholarship. It also helps to narrow down the ways you want to interact with the site(s) to earn points.
I spoke with Rhea Watson, owner of My Scholarship Solutions, about how parents, and kids, can make the most of their efforts when researching and applying for funds for kids of all ages.
“We help scholars – and everyone is a scholar – plan, prepare, and progress through their scholarship processes,” she said. “We have multiple options to help scholars and scholar families to be successful at the scholarship game. She suggests you start your scholarship efforts today.
“There are scholarships for everyone at all educational levels, economic backgrounds, and ethnicities,” Watson said. “So, do not delay, start applying for and winning scholarships today.”
What age can kids and parents start to think about scholarships? Scholars and parents should start thinking about scholarships at birth. Since there are scholarships for scholars ages 0 – 99+ there is no reason to solely focus on the last year of one’s high school career. In fact in my book, “Educators Who Know What to Do”, my chapter reflects on College Prep in Kindergarten. Therefore, everyone, no matter how young or young at heart should be searching, for, applying to, and winning scholarships to help earn a free degree. Additionally, one of my clients, a six (6) year old phenomenon, started applying for scholarships when he was four (4) months old. Now, he did not win his first scholarship until he was two (2) years old and just recently found out he did not win a contest he entered for K – 12th graders. However, he has secured over $25K in college scholarships, grants, prizes, and awards! He was featured in Times Square, Yahoo! Finance, PeopleTV and a plethora of other media outlets for his ingenuity, creativity, craft, and community service. These attributes absolutely contributed to his scholarship wins and will help him to secure 100s of thousands to millions of scholarship dollars over his academic life.
What tips can you offer to apply for scholarships? 1. Start Early. When is Early? Right now. Whatever level of education you are, you can earn scholarships. However, and honestly, the scholarship application process should start at birth and not stop until one is no longer interested in obtaining free money for college. 2. Apply Often. Incorporate the scholarship application process into your curriculum. Make this activity a regular part of the educational process. 3. Do not turn any money down. Scholars should apply for all kinds of scholarships big and small, prizes and awards, local and national. Scholarships come and all shapes and sizes and every penny and/or prize adds up to big savings for scholars and their families. 4. Educate yourself on the college and scholarship processes. This can occur through do it for you services like mine at Scholarship Solutions or do it yourself opportunities like though my book or scholarship membership. Help is available to make sure your college and scholarship journeys are successful, take full advantage to help secure a free degree.
How can teens and parents prepare to apply for scholarships? In my book The Scholarship Doctor is In – 5 Easy Steps to a Free Degree – I highlight and expound upon the five easy ways a scholar can earn a degree for free. Specifically, scholars should have good grades – As and As. Scholarship organizations love 3.8 GPA and greater. 2. Have good test scores. Yes! No matter what you have heard test scores are important and you can start preparing right now. With Scholarship Solutions our scholars are age 10 when they begin test prep and taking ACT/SAT exams. Why? Because when they the exams are truly needed, as juniors in high school, we have already secured scores and the pressure is off with this portion of the application process. 3. Finish the top of your class. Now, this may fit more with scholars who are in parochial, charter, or public schools. Therefore, if you are schooled in this manner, finish in the top one – ten percent of your graduating class. 4. Have EXCELLENT volunteer history, extra curricular activities, and leadership positions. If you want a free degree these steps are the key!
Stuck at Prom Scholarship
Kids 14 years and older can enter for a chance at a $10,000 scholarship! Duck brand duct tape is asking kids 14 and older to design prom wear completely out of their products. It must be created and worn, either a dress, suit and accessories. Snap a phot and send to Duck with the application. Categories include workmanship, use of color, duct tape and originality.
Scholarship Points
Kids 13 years and older can earn points, enter drawings and win scholarships. Fill out the student profile form, which automatically enters you into the $10,000 scholarship giveaway. Sign up by June 15 for the latest round of giveaways and scholarship opportunities.
Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship
Complete a 500-word essay to one of two prompts and fill out the application to enter this $1,000 scholarship. Judges are looking for creativity, commitment to the cause of bullying and overall content. Deadline is June 30.
ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship
Teens 14 years and older can enter to win a $5,000 scholarship. Write a 600- to 800-word essay on why parents should be able to make privacy decisions for their children, or not. The goal of ExpressVPN Future of Privacy is to raise awareness of internet privacy and security. Deadline is August 31.
Leaders Save Lives
Not only is it a way to earn some funds for schooling, it can boost your college application and help the community! This scholarship program is for high school kids. Coordinate a summer blood drive, form a recruitment committee and bring in 25 pints while working with the American Red Cross for a chance to win $2,500. Every entry who brings in 25 or more pints of donated blood with their drive will be awarded a minimum of $50 Amazon gift card. Deadline is August 31.
