FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

January 13, 2025   

The Highlights Foundation to Award 50+ Scholarships in 2025; Introduce 9 New Special Scholarships

Aspiring and published storytellers are encouraged to apply; deadline is February 10

Honesdale, PA – Today, the Highlights Foundation officially opened its scholarship window, with plans to award more than 50 scholarships to aspiring and published children’s authors and illustrators.  Writers and illustrators are invited to apply by February 10.

The foundation offers general scholarships from its Inspire Fund, as well as special and named scholarships for specific recipients. This year’s available scholarships will include nine new  scholarships, including:

• South Asian Storytellers Scholarship – For South Asian storytellers (funded by author Rajani LaRocca).
• Overlook Foundation Scholarship – For storytellers with a science and nature focus.
• Alicia D. Williams Scholarship – Supports a single parent who is passionate about writing for children and young adults.
• Soon Ok Scholarship – For a transracial adoptee storyteller (funded by author Liz Kleinrock).
• The Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adolf “Breaking Barriers” Scholarship – For children’s book writers and poets.
• Rebecca Dykes Writers Scholarship – For a storyteller impacted by femicide
• Katey Howes Maker Scholarship – To encourage fellow storytellers to build a better world for our children.
• Neurodiverse Kidlit Scholarship – For neurodivergent storytellers.
• Linda Elovitz Marshall and Bob Marshall Scholarship – For a writer or illustrator.

The foundation’s scholarship program—one of the largest programs for children’s authors and illustrators—makes awards based on:

• Seriousness of purpose, including time and effort devoted to craft.
• Talent, displayed via a writing or art sample.
• and financial need.

“Our scholarships are an investment in the future of children’s literature, and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the work that we do,” said George Brown, Executive Director of the Highlights Foundation. “This support ensures more storytellers can work on their craft and continue to bring new creative visions to life.”

Highlights Foundation scholarships are made possible through generous donations from supporters who believe in the foundation’s mission: to positively impact children by amplifying the voices of storytellers who inform, educate, and inspire children to become their best selves. 

Our scholarships help ensure that inspiring stories for children are told. For example, Jennifer Liss, a 2022 scholarship recipient, completed the first draft of her middle grade novel WIDE EYE during her scholarship-funded visit to the Highlights Foundation retreat center.

“I viewed my scholarship as an opportunity to deepen my craft, focus on my novel, and meet like-minded writers. All those things—and much more—came to fruition. Having four days to focus exclusively on my craft was an invaluable gift,” she said.

For a full list of available scholarships from the Highlights Foundation, visit  https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/scholarship-list/.

The foundation will host a scholarship information webinar on Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. ET to celebrate the new scholarships and provide information for those interested in applying. Applicants can register for the scholarship info session here: https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/free-hfgather-2025-scholarship-celebration-and-information-session/.

To contribute to the Highlights Foundation Scholarship program, donate online at https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/donate-online/.  

CONTACT: 

George Brown, Executive Director, Highlights Foundation (George.Brown@highlightsfoundation.org)