Children of Warriors National Presidents' Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary

Opening thought We owe our servicemembers a great deal — and we should also recognize the children who grew up in military families. One concrete way to do that is by helping those children afford college. The American Legion Auxiliary’s Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship does exactly that. Quick facts - Number of scholarships for 2026: 15 - Amount: $5,000 each (grants, not loans) - Distribution: three scholarships awarded in each of the Auxiliary’s five divisions Divisions (three scholarships awarded per division) - Central: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin - Eastern: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont - Northwestern: Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming - Southern: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia - Western: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington Who is eligible - Direct descendants of veterans who served during the American Legion’s eligibility dates: April 6, 1917 – November 11, 1918, and any time after December 7, 1941. - Membership in the American Legion Family is NOT required. - Applicants must be high school seniors. - The scholarship is for attendance at an accredited institution of higher education. - Applicants must have completed 50 hours of verified community volunteer service during high school. Required application materials (prepare these in advance) - Proof of the veteran’s service: copy of discharge papers (DD-214) or, for active-duty service members, a copy of their most recent set of orders. - High school transcript (official or photocopy of most recent grades). - Documentation verifying 50 volunteer hours during high school. Note: screenshots of online portals are not acceptable; see the ALA Scholarship FAQs for acceptable forms of verification. - Two letters of recommendation: - One from an educator or spiritual advisor who knows your academic performance, extracurriculars, leadership, and character. - One from another non-family individual who can speak to your conduct, citizenship, and leadership. (Letters from family members are not accepted.) Application rules and judging - Essays: each required essay answer must be at least 600 characters long. This minimum ensures full, thoughtful responses. - All essay submissions will be reviewed with AI-aided tools to check originality and detect AI-generated content; applicants who rely heavily on AI may be disqualified. - Deadline: Completed applications are due on or before March 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern. - Judging criteria (all levels): 40% Academic Achievement, 30% Character/Leadership, 30% Essay/Application. - The decision of the judges is final. 2026 essay prompt As a descendant of a veteran, what lessons did you learn from your family’s military service? How has that impacted your life and how do you hope to honor that legacy as you make plans for your own future? Practical tips from a teacher - Treat this like a short portfolio: organize your documents clearly, label attachments, and keep copies. If the application system allows, combine everything into a single PDF in a logical order. - For the volunteer verification, get written confirmation from the organization(s) (signed letter or official form) well before the deadline. Don’t rely on screenshots. - For the essay: answer the prompt directly, use specific examples, and keep your voice authentic. Meet the 600-character minimum and avoid over-reliance on AI — show your own perspective. - Ask recommenders early and give them a summary of your activities and achievements so their letters are specific and useful. If you want, I can help you outline the essay or review a draft before you submit.