How to write a winning scholarship essay - Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe 2018
The importance of getting editors
30 winning scholarship essays
Donald H. Matsuda, Jr., Truman Scholar
The Truman Scholarship competition requires that each applicant write a detailed policy statement. This is a rigorous academic paper about a topic of national or international importance. However, there is nothing that says you cannot seek help. In fact, we recommend that regardless of your essay topic—whether a policy statement or personal narrative—you find others to read the essay and provide constructive feedback.
Donald maximized the knowledge of the people around him when writing his essay. He says, “I obtained advice from at least 10 different people, professors, experts in health care policy, the director of fellowships, my honors research advisor, a number of other Stanford students who had won Trumans in the past, friends and parents.”
In fact, Donald credits his win to the many people who helped.
He says, “It’s a long process and requires quite a bit of emotional reflection. I really am indebted to them. I don’t think I could have been successful without their help.”
As a result of her efforts, Lindsay won a number of scholarships including being a National Coca-Cola Scholar, National Toyota Scholar and National React Take Action Award winner. At Harvard University, she is studying sociology and women’s studies as well as continuing her volunteer work as the founder of Strong Women, Strong Girls, designed to assist at-risk elementary school girls.
Organ donor project
Imagine a stadium filled with 100,000 football fans. The stadium would overflow with people, the sound of cheering would be deafening. Now, imagine the game has finished, but the fans are unable to leave. Instead they sit waiting, waiting for...the unknown. By next year, experts estimate that 100,000 people will be waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
For several months, my grandmother was a fan in that stadium, waiting for a sight-saving corneal transplant. My grandmother was fortunate to receive her transplant, thanks to the generosity of individuals who made the decision to become organ donors.
As a result of my grandmother’s experience, I realized the importance of organ donation and the need for accurate organ donation education. To meet this need, I developed a community service project during my sophomore year to provide teenagers with accurate organ donation information.
The Organ Donor Project was introduced with a three-day awareness event that included a pep rally, speakers day and fundraising paintball tourna-ment. Over 700 teachers and students participated in these awareness activities, 400 of which made the decision to become organ donors. As project founder, I procured over $5,000 in prize giveaway and in-kind donations, secured community support and coordinated the three-day event.
That same year, the Organ Donor Project was recognized at the International Community Problem Solving Forum for its outstanding service to the Dade County community with a first place international award.
The second year of the Organ Donor Project brought tremendous growth.
As a part of my efforts to increase teen awareness of the myths and misconceptions surrounding organ donation, I scripted an informational “Fact or Fiction” video. To make this video a reality, I secured the $10,000 in production costs from Burger King Corporation. The video received a Special Achievement Award from the Miami Children’s Film Festival for its outstanding educational value.
Also in the second year of the Organ Donor Project, I authored a step-by-step workbook designed to guide teenagers through the process of creating an organ donation awareness project. Recognizing the value of the student workbook, Hoffman-La Roche Laboratories underwrote its publication. This workbook is currently being utilized by the Transplant Foundation of South Florida in Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties as a part of its educational outreach efforts.
In response to the outpouring of enthusiasm demonstrated for the Project by educators at my school, I realized that classroom curriculum would serve as a means of educating young people of the need for organ donation.
Using the Sunshine State Standards for Education as a guide, I wrote interdisciplinary organ donation curriculum for grades 3 to 12. This curriculum was utilized by teachers at Southwest High, Riviera Middle and Cypress Elementary schools. The curriculum was recognized in a national contest by Co-NECT, Inc. for its outstanding community value.
Now in its third year, the Organ Donor Project has expanded into 17 schools nationally and internationally, through a partnership with the Interact Service Club. As project founder, I am coordinating the efforts of students at Southwest High School serving as “e-bassadors” to schools in the United States, Malaysia, Australia, Ireland, Costa Rica and Panama. Utilizing Internet resources and communication, the students are exchanging information and ideas for organ donation education activities. The schools involved are utilizing the Organ Donor Project Student Workbook, “Fact or Fiction” video and interdisciplinary curriculum to increase awareness of the need for organ donation in their communities. The final product of this col-laboration will be the creation of an International Organ Donation Information Exchange that will explore the cultural, legal and ethical implications of organ donation internationally. Through the efforts of the Organ Donor Project, thousands of teens have become aware of the desperate need for organ donation.