Please read the guidelines carefully. If you have any questions, contact Jalaya Liles-Dunn at (202) 662-3669 or BTO@childrensdefense.org

Eligibility

Nominees for the Beat the Odds Scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Currently a junior enrolled in a public, or charter school in Washington, D.C.; Alexandria, Arlington Fairfax County public school systems in Virginia, or Montgomery or Prince George’s county public school systems in Maryland.
• Will graduate by July 2011.
• Following graduation, will attend college, technical or vocational training.
• Has overcome significant obstacles such as, but not limited to, poverty, disability, homelessness or abuse.
• Has achieved a grade point average showing marked effort, improvement or success.
• Will be available for meetings, photo shoots and interviews if selected to receive the scholarship.

Publicity

When you are considering whether a particular student is an appropriate nominee, please remember that the five scholarship winners will be recognized at a large benefit and in the media, and will speak at the Beat the Odds celebration. In addition, the winners will be the subject of mini-documentaries to be aired at Children's Defense Fund events. Your nominees, therefore, must be comfortable with being videotaped and with telling their stories publicly. For some young people, the publicity is difficult and they may not be suitable candidates. Please review these considerations with each student before he or she submits an application.

Application Requirements

The application deadline for the 2010 Beat the Odds scholarship program is Friday, June 11, 2010.

A complete packet includes the following:

1. Application

Download and complete the Beat The Odds application (.pdf).

2. Student Statement

Each applicant must submit a personal statement explaining how he or she has beaten the odds to succeed. The statement should also clearly indicate that the student meets the eligibility criteria listed above.

The student statement should be no shorter than one page and no longer than two pages, typed in 12-point font and single-spaced.

Please assist the student in completing his or her statement to assure that it sets forth all relevant details and that it is appropriately presented.

3. Letters of Recommendation

Each applicant must submit two letters of recommendation that set forth how the student has overcome the obstacles in his or her life and succeeded; the length of time the writer has known the student; how the student has demonstrated leadership skills; and any additional personal achievements the student has attained.

Letters of recommendation should be no more than one page in length, typed in 12-point font and single spaced.

One recommendation must be from a teacher, guidance counselor or other educator who can speak about the student both personally and academically.

• Educator Recommendation: If you are an educator yourself but do not feel you know the student well enough to write a detailed letter, please help the student choose another person at the school who is better suited. In addition to the items set forth in the previous paragraph, the educator recommendation should also discuss the student’s academic record, noting, for example, if the student has shown significant effort or improvement or has consistently excelled despite obstacles to his or her education.
• Additional Recommendation: The second letter of recommendation should also be from a person who knows the student well. It may be from a teacher or from any other individual the student chooses—for example, a coach, mentor, internship supervisor, clergy member or friend. Applicants may not submit letters of recommendation written by family members or relatives. Please help the student choose the best individual to write this recommendation. We recognize that the person who knows an applicant best might be a friend, and so we welcome letters of recommendation from students’ peers. However, if the student chooses to submit such a letter, please remind the student to make sure his or her friend follows these guidelines.

4. School Transcripts

Each applicant must submit a copy of a complete transcript from every high school attended, up to and including the most recent semester completed.