Education a priority for the Legion

The American Legion sees an important need to support our youth as the cost of college tuition, books, and room and board continue to rise, making the ability to achieve higher education increasingly difficult. Therefore, the Legion offers a variety of scholarships to ensure young people are able to pursue their dreams of attending college and acquiring greater professional skills.

The Legion's six scholarships award from $1,000 to $20,000 to eligible high-school students. Below is a brief description of each scholarship, along with eligibility requirements. For more information and downloadable applications, click here.

• The American Legion Legacy Scholarship: for children of servicemembers who died on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

• The American Legion Baseball Scholarship: a Legion player must be nominated by their department (state) Baseball committee.

• Samsung American Legion Scholarship: For youth who are direct descendants of a wartime veteran (applicants who are direct descendants of Korean War veterans will receive special consideration) and involved in Boys State or Girls State.

• National High School Oratorical Contest: Students involved in this contest present speeches on aspects of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on the duties and obligations of citizens to our government.

• Eagle Scout of the Year: For youth who are an active member of a Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Scout Team, or Venturing Crew chartered to an American Legion post, American Legion Auxiliary unit or Sons of The American Legion squadron.

• The Eight and Forty Lung and Respiratory Disease Nursing Scholarship Fund: For nurses who are looking to advance their training in pediatric lung and respiratory diseases or to prepare for positions in clinical practice and management.

Additionally, understanding how to search for scholarships and prepare for higher education as a young adult isn't easy. To help with this process, the Legion recently launched its 2010 edition of Need a Lift? This handbook provides financial aid assistance, guidance on how to pursue scholarships, grants and loans, profiles of four-year colleges and university, sources for careers, and much more. Click here to order a copy of the book.