As more and more families across America are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, many teenagers as well are becoming aware of this heartbreaking brain disease—from personal experiences in their own families, watching friends and neighbors, or involvement in community service.

In an effort to provide an outlet for teenagers to express their thoughts about Alzheimer’s disease and to engage the younger generation in this important cause, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is pleased to offer the AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship—an annual $5,000 scholarship to one deserving college-bound student.

The scholarship will be awarded to one student per year. The deadline for applications is February 15 of each year.

This scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for high school juniors and seniors (entering an accredited college or university within 12 months of the application deadline) to give thoughtful consideration to the impact Alzheimer’s disease has on their own lives and others in their family and community.

An independent committee selected by AFA will judge all timely submissions. Author identity will remain anonymous during the judging.

AFA will award the grand prize winner a $5,000 scholarship to be used toward the first year of the student’s college education.

AFA will notify the grand prize winner, along with a first and second runner-up, on April 1st. AFA will provide the scholarship payment upon receipt of official documentation of registration from the college/university that the student is attending in the following fall or spring (for example, a letter with proof of first semester’s payment from the registrar’s office). Should the scholarship winner fail to attend college within the stated time period, the scholarship will be given to the first runner-up.

AFA will post the grand prize winning essay on www.afateens.org to help inspire others. The two runners-up will receive a certificate of appreciation and their essays also will be posted on the AFA Teens Web site. AFA may publish the winning/runner-up essays in other media or utilize them for other publicity and informational purposes.


The mission of AFA Teens is to:

• Raise awareness among teenagers and the general public about Alzheimer’s disease
• Provide education, counseling and support to young family members
• Enable teens to share feelings and experiences with other teens and experts
• Refer teens and their family members to community programs and support services
• Help support the mission and objectives of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing optimal care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and their families.

Information and an application form are posted at www.afateens.org.

Website Address

http://www.afateens.org