 AFA Teens for Alzheimer's Awareness
College Scholarship
Overview and Instructions
As more and more families across America are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, many teenagers as well are becoming aware of this heartbreaking brain disease—from personal experiences in their own families, watching friends and neighbors, or involvement in community service.
Recognizing this, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a national nonprofit organization, has created a division specifically for teens, AFA Teens. Its goals include raising awareness among teenagers and the general public about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; providing education, counseling and support to young family members; enabling teens to share feelings with other teens and experts; and referring teens and their family members to supportive services.
In a further effort to provide an outlet for teenagers to express their thoughts about Alzheimer’s disease and to engage the younger generation in this cause, AFA is pleased to offer the AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship—an annual $5,000 scholarship awarded to one deserving college-bound student each year.
The deadline for applications is February 15 of each year. This scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for college-bound students to give thoughtful consideration to the impact Alzheimer’s disease has on their own lives and others in their family and community. Students are required to submit an autobiography and write a 1,200 to 1,500 word essay that answers the following questions:
• How has Alzheimer’s disease changed or impacted your life?
• What have you learned about yourself, your family and/or your community in the face of coping with Alzheimer’s disease?
To qualify, students must be a U.S. citzen or permanent resident and must also enter a four-year accredited college or university within 12 months of the application deadline. An independent committee selected by AFA will judge all timely submissions. Author identity will remain anonymous during the judging. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
AFA will award a $5,000 scholarship to the grand-prize winner, a $500 award to the first runner-up and a $250 award to the second runner-up. AFA will require these applicants’ social security numbers in order to process payment. On April 15, AFA will notify the grand prize winner and runners-up. AFA will provide scholarship payment to the winner and runners-up upon receipt of official documentation of registration from the college/university that he or she is attending in the following fall or spring (for example, sending a letter with proof of first semester’s payment from the registrar’s office). Should the scholarship winner fail to attend college within the stated time period, the scholarship will be given to the first runner-up (initial award will be deducted from the new payment.)
To help inspire others, the winner and runners-up will agree to have his or her name and city published, will agree to have his or her essay published on the AFA Teens Web site—www.afateens.org, will provide AFA with a photo to be used for publicity purposes and for distribution to the media, and will be available for interviews with the media if required. AFA will also retain the right to publish the essay of the winner and runners-up in care ADvantage magazine and allow media to publish selected excerpts.
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