Scholarship
The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the annual National Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship Awards for students completing twelfth grade (or final high school year) in 2024 who are planning careers in government service. Scholarship applicants must be citizens of the United States. The Trustees and Members of the Foundation, mindful of the significance of the important event in our nation’s history that occurred at Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, believe that if our country is to continue to progress, we must have thoroughly trained, dedicated young people to carry on our government’s work in future years.
Each interested student is invited to write a one-page essay stating why he or she plans a career in government service including any inspiration to be derived from the leadership of George Washington in his famous crossing of the Delaware. This essay must be accompanied by a recommendation from the high school principal or guidance counselor evaluating the student’s achievements, along with transcripts, national testing scores, and other supporting information of the applicant’s choice as described in the Official Rules.
We award a variety of scholarships every year. Each scholarship will be paid, as long as the student meets the requirements of the college chosen. Students planning to attend one of the Military Academies or who have been awarded full four-year tuition scholarships will be eligible for an award.
In past years, winners attending will have their expenses paid for transportation, food and housing in Pennsylvania for the weekend, to attend the Scholarship Awards Ceremony. All winners are required to attend the Scholarship Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Saturday April 20, 2024, to win their scholarship. The Scholarship Awards Ceremony and Luncheon will begin at 11 am at the Washington Crossing Inn, right next to Washington Crossing Historic Park.
We invite you to explore our website, which contains all of the information candidates should require to prepare and submit an application, including:
The program’s Official Rules, requirements, and procedures
A complete, downloadable version of the program information published on this site
Thank you for your interest in our National Scholarship Competition. To be considered for this year’s program, applications must be POSTMARKED no later than January 15, 2024. We highly recommend all applicants send their applications Priority Mail, if at all possible. Last year a number of applications took many weeks to arrive. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Eligibility
Competition open to all high school senior who are U.S. citizens and are planning careers of service to the United States in local, state, or federal government. All awards are for one year.
To Apply
A complete scholarship application must include THREE (3) copies of a double-spaced COVER PAGE containing the following information, double-spaced, in the following order:
Applicant’s full name (nickname in parentheses)
Applicant’s home address (street, city, state, zip code)
Applicant’s home telephone number with area code
Name of Applicant’s school
Applicant’s school address (street, city, state, zip code)
Applicant’s school telephone number with area code
Number of students in senior class / number of students in school
Name and title of Principal / Guidance Counselor recommending Applicant
Name(s) of college(s) preferred: first three choices in order of preference
How did the Applicant learn of the Scholarship Program? What search engine did you use, if any, to find the Scholarship?
Is Applicant a high school senior? (Y / N)
Applicant’s date of birth
If applicable, PA county of residence (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery)
Applicant’s home e-mail address
Applicant’s cell phone number
Do you have a relative who is/or has served in our Armed Forces? If so, state their relationship to you and when they served
Note: You are welcome to send a photograph with your application. We highly recommend all applicants send their applications Priority Mail, if at all possible. Last year a number of applications took many weeks to arrive.
Application Rules
A CONTESTANT’S COMPLETED, SELF-DESIGNED COVER PAGE SERVES AS THE “APPLICATION FORM.”
THREE (3) COPIES OF A ONE-PAGE ESSAY not to exceed 300 words stating why the Applicant is planning a career in government service including any inspiration to be derived from the leadership of George Washington in his famous crossing of the Delaware.
Statement will be confined to Viewpoint, Attitude, and Purpose in career choice. Essay must be typewritten in not less than 12 point type, double-spaced, on a single page. Be sure printing equipment is in appropriate condition. Faint essays will not be read.
THREE (3) COPIES OF A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION from the Applicant’s high school principal or guidance counselor containing an evaluation of the Applicant’s accomplishments both academic or otherwise, particularly any preparation relevant to his/her career choice.
THREE (3) COPIES OF THE APPLICAN'T’S HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS + SCORES from a national testing program such as the SAT, ACT, etc. Transcripts and scores may be photocopies.
THREE (3) COPIES OF A RESUME, BIOGRAPHY, HONORS, AWARDS, ACTIVITIES, and any other documentation the entrant, the principal, or the guidance counselor may wish to submit (e.g. other recommendations, class rank, or GPA).
If you use abbreviations to note a group for which you are a volunteer or a member, please make it clear what that group abbreviation stands for—as in NHS, National Honor Society, FBLA, Future Business Leaders of America, etc. Do not assume that others understand what your abbreviation means.
The above information is to be assembled into three dossiers. ALL information is to be collated in the above order and STAPLED together in the upper LEFT corner.
Transcripts and letters of recommendation are to be collated with the rest of the dossier and MUST NOT be mailed separately. Where school policy requires confidentiality, the student will submit the three dossiers to the school which will collate the transcripts and/or letters of recommendation in their proper place in the dossiers WITHOUT SEALING THEM IN SEPARATE ENVELOPES and place the school’s official seal on the outside of the envelope in which the dossiers are to be mailed. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the rejection of the application.
The three dossiers are to be mailed together, UNFOLDED in one, flat, 9”x12” envelope. Affix correct first class postage; applications with postage due will be returned to sender. We do not recommend going to the extra expense of express mail or overnight delivery services. Check the box for no signature required before mailing. You may enclose a photo if you wish, but we will not be able to return that photo to you. We highly recommend all applicants send their applications Priority Mail, if at all possible. Last year a number of applications took many weeks to arrive.
In past years, winners attending will have their expenses paid for transportation, food and housing in Pennsylvania for the weekend, to attend the Scholarship Awards Ceremony. All winners are required to attend the Scholarship Awards Program on Saturday April 20, 2024, to win their scholarship.
JUDGING
The judges’ decision will be based on Understanding of career requirements, Purpose in choice of a career, Preparation for such a career, Qualities of Leadership exhibited, Sincerity, and Historical Perspective. The Board of Judges will consist of at least six (6) Trustees of the Washington Crossing Foundation, at least one former scholarship winner, and a prominent educator. Semi-finalists may be interviewed by telephone as part of the selection process. All finalists will be interviewed by telephone.
NOTIFICATION
Semi-finalists and finalists will be notified of their status in March. Winners will be notified by April 1st (confirmed by mail). Winners’ names, city, and state will be posted on the WCF website by June 30th.
We acknowledge every application within three (3) weeks after the application deadline. Notify us if you did not receive an e-mail. Please check your spam/junk folder first.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
Applications must be POSTMARKED by January 15, 2024, and addressed to:
Washington Crossing Foundation
P.O. Box 503
Levittown, PA 19058-0503
The Foundation does not accept and will not consider applications submitted in any other manner, including e-mail.
All entries become property of the Washington Crossing Foundation and may be used as the Board of Trustees shall decide. By accepting an award, winners grant permission to the Foundation to release their names and the names and addresses of their high schools to the media and to post them on the internet.