*Applications for 2019 awards are now closed. State-level honorees will be announced February 5, 2019.*
Applying for a 2019 award
By November 6, 2018, students must:
- Complete the application
- Complete the student/parent agreement
- Go to the "certification'" tab on the application, then email or print and deliver instructions for your certifier
- Certifiers can be your school principal or the head of a county 4-H organization, Girl Scout council, American Red Cross chapter, YMCA or Affiliate of Points of Light's HandsOn Network.
By November 16, 2018, certifiers must:
- Review all applications for your school or organization
- Select and certify top candidates for state-level judging
How the program works
In the United States, each program year begins in September, when information and application instructions are mailed to all middle-level and high schools in the 50 United States and Washington, D.C., and to local chapters of five officially designated local organizations: Girl Scouts of the USA, National 4-H Council, American Red Cross, YMCA of the USA and Points of Light's HandsOn Network.
Local Honorees are selected at participating schools and organizations in November. From these winners, an independent judging organization – International Scholarship and Tuition Services – names the top volunteers in each state and Washington, D.C. Results are announced in February.
Ten National Honorees are then chosen by a panel of prominent public figures, and announced in early May at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.