2023 Changing Her Story Scholarship Contest

Eligible students can apply by June 2nd, 2023. Qualifying applicants will be invited to submit essays from June 5th, 2023 – June 16th, 2023.

The Changing Her Story Scholarship contest is tailored for high school senior female students, who are actively engaged in Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley Clubs and/or Programs, and have plans to continue their education after high school. Through partnership with the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee, BGCTNV seeks to use a portion of Strong Women Strong Future grant funds, to afford three scholarship awards to young women to support the desired outcomes of the SWSF network. Through these efforts, we hope to support more young women entering post-secondary education.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants for the Changing Her Story Essay Contest must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Female
• High School Senior, with proof of enrollment in post-secondary education
• Actively engaged in BGCTNV Clubs or programs during the 2022-2023 school year
• Able to obtain two references (personal & professional)
• Willing to write a 300-500-word essay

Application Requirements

To be invited to submit an essay, applicants must first complete the online application, with the following required information by June 2nd, 2023.

• Valid email address
• Status of BGCTNV engagement in after-school or College & Career Development programs
• Provide two reference names and contact information (one personal reference who can speak on the member’s character & one professional reference who can speak on the student’s character and qualities related to academic success and/or workforce success)
• Grade Point Average
• Confirm enrollment/acceptance of post-secondary education & course of study (Four or two-year college or university, or trade and certificate program)
• Confirm desired essay prompt

Upon successful completion of the application, someone from the BGCTNV will follow up with next steps to submit an essay. Applications will be vetted and scored, and twenty applicants will be invited to submit essays.

Essay Timeline, Prompts, & Scoring

All applicants will be contacted by June 2nd, with details regarding their status of progression to the next round, which is the essay submission. All applicants invited to submit an essay will be required to upload their essay between June 5th and June 16th, 2023. Details of how and where to upload essays will be provided. Applicants will select one essay prompt and compose a 300-500-word essay in respond to the prompt. The prompt options are as follows:

Prompt I: Investing in yourself in the short term can equip you to be able to invest in the people you care about in the long term. What’s your post-secondary plan to invest in yourself now, and how will your plan impact your future success?
OR
Prompt II: You can have the life you want. How would being part of a learning community, after high school, help you explore new interests, meet new people, and discover your career path?

• Essays will be scored on the following components:
• Purpose, Voice, & Personal Story
• Structure & Organization
• Ideas & Content
• Grammar & Spelling

There will be a first, second, and third place award. Winners will be announced June 28th, and invited to a reception and check presentation on July 6th.
To ensure we are able to reach applicants, please ensure you provide an active email address and contact information.

Prizes

There will be three awards, based on the scoring of essays. Awards range as follows:

• 1st place award is $3,000
• 2nd place award is $1,500
• 3rd place award is $1,000

More Information

For questions or more information you can reach out to Xavier Bridges or Kierra Jones.

Xavier Bridges
Email: Xbridges @ bgctnv.org
Phone: (865)310-7929

Kierra Jones
Email: Kyjones @ bgctnv.org
Phone: (865)232-1195