YMCA Scholarship for Civic Engagement
The YMCA Scholarship for Civic Engagement program provides a way to recognize teens in our community who are developing as leaders and making a positive impact in the Treasure Valley. The YMCA definition of Civic Engagement is "a person’s capacity to work with others to affect common interests, to see oneself as a stakeholder in public life, to value the mechanisms for democratic decision-making and to believe that individuals have a responsibility to contribute to their communities."
The YMCA Scholarship for Civic Engagement was created and funded at a very significant level by Ed and Dottie Stimpson in 1999. Ed and Dottie shared a belief that the truly unique and distinguishing characteristic of our democracy is our commitment to civic engagement and service.
To date, the Scholarship for Civic Engagement has provided almost $100,000 in college scholarships to 73 students who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to serving others. Many of these students have been the first members of their families to attend college and without this scholarship, they may not have been able to do so.
The YMCA Scholarship for Civic Engagement is for seniors at any high school in the area served by the Treasure Valley Family YMCA (Ada and Canyon counties) who have contributed at least 75 hours of service beyond that which may be required for school, church, Key Club or similiar organizations within the past twelve months. This scholarship is limited to one applicant per high school – see your guidance counselor before submitting the Idaho Community Foundation (ICF) Common Application. Click here to download the Application and Fact Sheet.
The scholarship award can be used at the student's choice of public or private junior college, college, university, vocational, or technical school. This is a “needs-based” scholarship and will be awarded on the basis of public service, not academic or athletic achievement.
For scholarship details and the ICF Common Application, please visit the Idaho Community Foundation website. Application deadline is April 1st, 2013.
For scholarship inquiries, please contact the following:
Treasure Valley Family YMCA – Leslee Hoover (208) 344-5502 ext 285 or Leslee.Hoover@ymcatvidaho.org
Idaho Community Foundation - Elly Davis (208) 342-3535 or edavis@idacomfdn.org
As a Y advocate, you already live and demonstrate our values every day: CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, and RESPONSIBILITY. But you can give voice to our values as well – and help support our cause. Get involved in the community. Write letters of influence. Organize. All it takes is a word, a step, a positive action – and you can help influence policies that support our cause. Help us by advocating for positive social behaviors, preventing and combating disease, and spreading the good word among community groups and decision makers.
Y advocacy might mean that you:
- Attend community meetings that impact social issues important to the community
- Learn about policy issues that affect the community and work to influence legislation
- Write a letter to your Congress member promoting and advocating Y causes
- Advocate on behalf of initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles and healthier communities
- Volunteer your time and expertise in the community – and instill our values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility along the way.
- Organize your friends, neighbors, and associates to become active as community advocates.
“This whole new experience has been pretty powerful.” Listen to Y member Kevin Falk talk about his life-changing experience and how the Y has helped him walk a new path in life.
