Youth Volunteer Scholarship

Aaron Joel Smith Youth Volunteer Memorial Scholarship

You’re never too young to make a difference. United Way’s Aaron Joel Smith Memorial Youth Volunteer Scholarship recognizes teens in south central Kansas who are active volunteers, giving back to their community through their time and talents.

The memorial scholarships honor Aaron Joel Smith, along with three of his classmates, who tragically lost their lives in a 1991 car accident. The awards are a tribute to Smith’s spirit of volunteerism and his involvement as a coordinator for the 1991 United Way fundraising campaign at Northeast Magnet School in Wichita. The scholarships have been granted annually to outstanding youth volunteers since 1992.

The program rewards three high school students with scholarships in the amounts of $10,000, $15,000 and $25,000.

Congratulations to our 2024 recipients.

$25,000 Recipient: Lakshmishree Sivakumar, East High School (Wichita USD 259)
$15,000 Recipient: Angela Davis, Eisenhower High School (Goddard USD 265)
$10,000 Recipient: Isaiaz Whitaker, South High School (Wichita USD 259)

APPLY NOW FOR THE 2025 SCHOLARSHIP

Now’s the time to tell us about your work to transform our community as a volunteer for an opportunity at one of these scholarships.

Eligibility

This scholarship is open to residents of Sedgwick, Butler, Barber, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Pratt, Sumner and Reno counties.
The applicant must be a junior or senior in high school.
The applicant must have volunteered a minimum of 200 hours outside of school and organizations/societies that require volunteerism.
Hours reported should be reflective of volunteer work completed during the applicant’s high school years (freshman – senior).

How to Apply

Complete the application below by 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Winners will be notified in the spring of 2025.

Download the Volunteer Log Template here. Add lines as needed. Please only include hours volunteered outside of school and organizations or societies that require it. Complete and upload as part of the application below.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

Name *

Email *

Home Address *

Address Line 1

City

State

Zip Code

Phone *

High School Represented *

School District Represented *

County School Operates In *

Grade Level for 2024 - 2025 School Year *

VOLUNTEER LOG

Are you a member of an organization or society that requires volunteer hours? *

Volunteer Log *

Click or drag a file to this area to upload.

Download the Volunteer Log Template above. Only include hours not performed as part of school or a requirement of an organization or society you belong to. Upload your completed log here as a .xls, .xlsx, or .pdf file.

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Complete each of the questions below. Provide specific examples, including the name of the organization and the type of volunteer work you performed. Each question is limited to 500 words.

How has your volunteer service impacted your community? *

How would this scholarship be impactful for you? *

Save and Resume Later

QUESTIONS?

Contact Logan Bradshaw, Director of Community Impact, at lbradshaw@unitedwayplains.org or (316) 267‑1321 ext. 4210.