American Legion Scholarships
The American Legion family has several programs that provide college or advanced education scholarships in various forms for our community and our veterans in local, state, and national programs. This document provides brief descriptions and website links to access more information about these scholarships and programs.
I. Damascus American Legion Post 171 members work throughout the entire year to earn money to fund the scholarship programs they sponsor.
A. The Oratorical Contest scholarship program gets underway in December of each year. The actual competitions begin in January. High School aged students compete with orations they write about various aspects of our Constitution. Interested parties should click on the link below for more information. The Post provides monetary awards for a first, second and third place in the Post competition. The first place winner then goes on to compete in the Department of Maryland competition.
B. The Boys State program. This is a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government. At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments. Operated by students elected to various offices, Boys State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses, and recreational programs.
Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by the sponsoring post, a local business or another community-based organization.
Boys State participants may be eligible to apply for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship.
Details may be found at: http://www.legion.org/scholarships/samsung
C. Damascus American Legion Post 171 Scholarships for High School Seniors
The Damascus American Legion
PO Box 171, Damascus, MD 20872
(301) 253 – 0769 -- Scholarship@legionpost171.org
The Damascus American Legion Post 171, Damascus, Maryland announces the scholarship program for the school year 2023 – 24. Four scholarship grants in the amount of $2000.00 and two in the amount of $1500.00 will be awarded in the spring of 2024.
To be eligible for consideration, and applicant must:
1. Be a citizen of the United States.
2. Be a graduating high school senior with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher who will attend full time, in 2024, an accredited post-secondary academic institution, vocational, trade or business school.
3. Home school students must be in a state approved program.
Applicants will be judged on Scholastic, achievement, leadership, character, citizenship, school and community activities, work experience and the content and quality of their essay. THE DECISIONS OF THE SHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE WILL BE FINAL.
The application must be submitted and complete no later than 11:59 pm on April 1, 2024.
The successful recipients of the scholarships will be announced at their high schools Awards Ceremony or other appropriate time.
The scholarship grant will be sent directly to the university, college, or institution indicated by the recipient and credited to the student's account.
Please note: all applicant information will be deleted on conclusion of judging.
II. The Damascus American Legion Auxiliary Unit 171 scholarship program includes scholarships for female students who are interested in furthering their education in institutions of higher learning. Applicants will be judged on scholastic achievement, leadership, character, work experience, their submitted essay, and school and community activities. Complete details are listed on the scholarship application, which will be available in late January 2024 by clicking on the link below. For additional information, please contact Terri Nuccio-Youngs. For technical issues or questions, please contact Mandy Buckley.
A. High School Seniors General Scholarship Program. This year Auxiliary Unit 171 will be offering two scholarships, in the amount of $1,000, for female High School Seniors. Applicants will be judged as described above.
The application must be submitted and complete no later than 11:59 pm on April 19, 2024.
B. Medical Career Program. This year Auxiliary Unit 171 will offer one scholarship for females in the medical career field in the amount of $1,000. Students may be in High School or College and may be granted this scholarship award up to four times.
The application must be submitted and complete no later than 11:59 pm on April 19, 2024.
C. Girl's State Program. This is a participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government. At Girls State, participants learn the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments. Operated by students elected to various offices, Girls State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs.
Legion Auxiliary units select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring unit, a local business or another community-based organization.
Girls State participants may be eligible to apply for the Samsung American Legion Scholarship. Details may be found at: http://www.legion.org/scholarships/samsung
III. SAL Squadron 171 Scholarship
A. The SAL sponsors one additional Post 171 High School Seniors scholarship.
IV. The American Legion, Department of Maryland scholarship programs include their General Scholarship and the Oratorical Contest.
A. The General Scholarship is available to children and grandchildren of veterans. Applicants will be judged on scholastic achievement, leadership, character, their submitted essay, and school and community activities. Complete details are listed on the scholarship application which may be downloaded using the link below. Applications must be received no later than April 9, 2019.
www.mdlegion.org/Forms/genschlo.pdf
B. The Department participates in the National Baseball Scholarship Program. Post baseball participants are nominated by the Department to receive this scholarship. Information about this scholarship may be found at http://www.legion.org/scholarships/baseball
V. The National American Legion scholarship program includes several scholarships.
A. The Legacy Scholarship
B. The Baseball Scholarship
C. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship
D. The National High School Oratorical Contest
E. The Eagle Scout of the Year
VI. The National American Legion Auxiliary supports a number of scholarship programs that benefit veterans, the children of our veterans, and the members of the organizations within the American Legion Family.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, check out the scholarship link below for eligibility requirements, deadlines, and application forms.
https://www.alaforveterans.org/Scholarships
A. The Children of Warriors National Presidents Scholarship
B. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship
C. The Non-Traditional Student Scholarship is for members of the Legion family who are interested in improving their education or technical training.
D. The Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund. This program has three separate scholarship opportunities for participants in American Legion Auxiliary programs.
Scholarships
Scholarship information on the Legion website.
The American Legion offers a number of scholarships and other resources to assist young people in their pursuit of higher education. Each year, the Legion facilitates the awarding of millions of dollars in scholarships to high school students. There are opportunities for everyone, including kin of wartime veterans and participants in Legion programs.
NOTE: Each Post has it's own list of Scholarships and other Programs. Encourage your Legionnaires to place a high priority for the further education of our children. List the scholarships your Post sponsors. Use below as a model.
Boys State Scholarship
American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for high school students. It is a participatory program where each participant becomes a part of the operation of his local, county and state government.
Boys State has been a program of The American Legion since 1935 when it organized to counter the Fascist inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a similar program for young ladies called Girls State. At American Legion Boys State, participants are exposed to the rights and privileges, the duties and the responsibilities of a franchised citizen. The training is objective and practical with city, county and state governments operated by the students elected to the various offices. Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs.
High school juniors are selected by local American Legion Posts to attend the program. In most cases, expenses associated with attending this program are paid by a sponsoring American Legion Post, a local business or another community-based organization.
American Legion Boys State is currently conducted in 49 Departments of The American Legion. Hawaii does not conduct a program. As separate corporations, Boys States vary in content and method of procedure, but each and every Boys State adheres to the basic concept of the program - that of teaching government from the township to the state level.
Stanley Johnson Nursing / Health Science Scholarship
The Stanley Johnson Nursing / Health Science Scholarship is awarded to the student who continues his/her higher education pursuing a degree in nursing/medical or health science fields.
Stanley Johnson came to the United States from England at the age of 15. He worked for many years at the U.S. Challenge Company in Batavia, Illinois and later at Burgess-Norton in Geneva, Illinois. Stanley Johnson so loved this country that he joined the United States Armed Forces in World War I.
After being honorably discharged Stanley married Hattie Swan and together they worked tirelessly for the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. Stanley served 52 years as Treasurer American Legion Post 504.
This scholarship was established by the Johnson's in honor of his niece, Jean Johnson, who was a British nurse. Because of the importance of encouraging our youth to become future doctors, nurses or other health related professionals American Legion Post ___ has continued awarding this scholarship to date.