Education

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Theme: “Let’s Play Santa for our Students!”

Education Program Overview

  • Purpose – to promote quality education for children & adults, especially those related to our military and veterans.
  • Donations are used to award $1000 scholarships to those not majoring in nursing.
  • This does not include PPP Nurses, Edna Mae Unfer, or Children and Youth Scholarships.
  • A unit must donate to this fund to sponsor an applicant for an Illinois scholarship.
  • The donations received will be awarded each year in the form of $1000 individual scholarships, (i.e., $10,000 = 10 scholarship winners).

Points of Emphasis

  • To encourage schools to invite veterans to speak in their classrooms
  • To provide scholarships for students who desire a college education
  • To Support legislation that establishes new scholarship opportunities
  • To support the Education program and scholarship opportunities of The American Legion

What can we do in our Communities?

  • Enhance respect for the sacrifices of our military heroes among school aged children by scheduling local programs at functions.
  • Search out home-schooled children who are entering college.
  • Join forces with The American Legion Post to present Veterans in school programs in your community.
  • Don’t forget to promote the events through local media and your own social media.
  • Support “Give 10 to Education, American Education Week and Teachers Appreciation week.
    • Participate in “Give 10 to Education” by collecting donations or purchasing items for schools in multiples of 10. A list of suggestions will be added to the Department website.
    • “Give 10 to Education” participation certifications will be available on the Department website for Units to print off.
    • Participate in American Education week, which is the week of November 17-21, 2025, remember to recognize all school personnel, not just teachers. Recognize school administrators and staff with special treats.
    • Promote Teacher Appreciation Week is the week of May 4-8, 2026. Contact local Parent Teacher Organization or school to see what your Unit could sponsor or donate.
    • Show your appreciation to teachers by designing and presenting certificates of appreciation
    • Provide Teacher Survival Kits with fun and helpful items such as candy and snacks, tea bags or coffee, restaurant gift cards or items for the classroom.
    • Cards for both American Education Week and Teachers Appreciation Week will be on our website for Unit to print out and use.
    • Encourage schools to participate in the Month of Military Child and Purple Up! Day in April to honor their students who are military children…
    • Sponsor a Purple Up! Day on April 15th in your school by providing purple items for your students to wear.
    • Present the Military Child Table at your school, Unit meeting or at your Post.
    • Sponsor a party for military children in your school.
    • Assist and support veterans pursuing higher education, collaborate with Student Veterans of America chapter or other student veterans’ groups at colleges and universities in your area.
    • Promote the Department Mildred R. Knoles Scholarship.

Scholarship Facts & Reminders

  • Inform schools in your community about National, Department and any Unit American Legion Auxiliary Scholarship opportunities offered
  • Use the matrix to assist you in the remittance of ALL the scholarship applications.
  • The American Legion Department of Illinois also some scholarships. Check out their website for more information.
  • Make sure the scholarship applications are provided to all local schools.
  • Make a donation to the Department American Legion Auxiliary Education Fund, before you hand out the applications to the school then you are one step closer to sponsoring a scholarship application and you don’t have to worry about the deadline of March 15, 2026.
  • Publicize the winners of any Auxiliary scholarships.
  • National Scholarships that are available are listed on the National website or by using the link on our Department website. All National scholarships must be submitted online by the applicant.
  • All applicants for Illinois will come to the Department Education Committee. The exception to this is the Junior Member loyalty scholarship.

The Education Committee needs the following information for Annual Reporting:

  • How you promoted Give 10 to Education?
  • How you participated in American Education Week and Teacher Appreciation Week?
  • How you participated in Veterans in Community Schools?
  • Any scholarships in your Unit? Describe the eligibility rules and amounts awarded.

National Scholarships include:

  • Children of Warriors National President’s Scholarship-to a direct descendant of a veteran with Legion eligibility for a senior in high school.
  • Non-Traditional Student– Eligibility to any veteran or active-duty military spouse. Returning to school after interrupted education. Beginning education later in life. Cannot be previous Spirit of Youth recipient .
  • Spirit of Youth Scholarship for Junior Members– Junior member, dues paid for last three years with current membership card. NATIONAL PRESIDENT PAM’S SPECIAL PROJECT!
  • Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship– Candidates for this award shall have been Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary, held membership in the American Legion Auxiliary for the past three consecutive years and be a paid member for the current membership year. Applicant must continue their membership in the American Legion Auxiliary during the scholarship period. No interruption in education for the completion of the Bachelor’s degree. At least a 3.0 GPA using 4.0 scale.

 

 

All of the National scholarship utilize an online application process. That means there is no Unit judging or elimination. All applicants for Illinois will come to the Department Education Committee.

Illinois Scholarships include:

  • Illinois Scholarship for Junior Members– Shall be/shall have been Junior members who are graduating high school seniors. Junior member, dues paid for last three years with current  membership card. May only apply once
  • Ada Mucklestone Memorial Scholarship– Graduating high school seniors
  • Mildred R. Knoles Scholarship– Students already in College
    • Students who have received an Education scholarship in the past may again apply for the Mildred R. Knoles scholarship in their Sophomore, Junior and Senior years in College and graduate work. This application should not be given to the high school counselors!!

 

Units need to read the rules carefully and contribute to the Department Education Fund before March 15, 2026. The Education committee does not want to disqualify anyone for carelessness. If you need to, make a checklist of everything required for each induvial scholarship application. Illinois scholarships remain at $1,000 each, and we will award as many scholarships as funds permit. The more funds that are donated means the more scholarships that can be awarded. Please think of new ways to raise funds for donations to the Education Fund. Please give early and give often!!!!

Each Unit may submit the following:

  • Only one application for all the Illinois scholarships, either Illinois Scholarship for a Junior member, or Ada Mucklestone Memorial Scholarship or Mildred R. Knoles Scholarship.
  • If you have additional applicants, please contact another Unit to see if they have donated to the Department Education Fund and can sponsor that scholarship applicant.
  • Please read carefully all the rules and application requirements for all the different scholarships. Make sure that the scholarship application and required paperwork are sent in before the deadline.

Please remember that Past President Parley has their Scholarship for Nurses and Children and Youth has their own scholarship also.

Key Education Dates:

  • National Education Week – November 17-21, 2025
  • National Scholarships due – March 1, 2026
  • Deadline to donate to Department Education Fund to be eligible to submit scholarship – March 15, 2026
  • Department Scholarships due to Department Committee Member – April 1, 2026
  • Purple up for Military Kids – April 15, 2026
  • Teacher Appreciation Week – May 4-8, 2026

Department Awards

  • RUBY’S CANTEEN DANCERS PLAQUE – to the Unit with best overall participation in the Education Program.
  • JANET’S HUGGIE BEARS PLAQUE – Recognition for the largest donation from a single source to the Education Fund by March 15th.

Personal Awards:

  • $10 to the  Runner Up to Ruby’s Canteen Dancers Plaque.
  • $10 to the Runner up to Janet’s Huggie Bears Plaque.
  • $10 to Unit that reports to me the most creative fundraiser for the Education program.
  • A Certificate to any Unit donating a full $1,000 scholarship or more including memorials.

Members of the Education Committee are: Kathy Cisna, Janet Bacon, & Melinda Davis.

Kathy Cisna  |  kfcisna@gmail.com  |  217-246-5795

Resources from National

  • Scholarship Press Release Template
  • Give 10 to Education Suggested Donation Items
  • How to Organize a School Supply Drive
  • How to Partner with Schools to Incorporate Mission Related Projects
  • Log into the National Website to Access these Items: Click Here

Department Resources

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