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100 Black Men of Metropolitan Saint Louis Scholarship 2026 Essay Competition

Thank you for your interest in the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Saint Louis
 
The 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Saint Louis scholarship is available to both current high school seniors and college students. Applicants must be enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in an undergraduate program at a U.S. accredited college or university.
 
Please read all information below prior to completing the application. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Applicants must: 
 1. Applicants must either be graduating high school seniors in 2026 or currently enrolled college students.

2. Submission of an official high school or college transcript is required.

3. Eligible applicants must reside in the Saint Louis/Metro East area.


4. High school seniors selected for the scholarship must provide Fall 2026 college registration letters.

5. To apply, candidates must complete an application form and provide a resume, headshots, and social media handles.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

1. Applications must be submitted by Sunday, March 15, 2026 by 11:59pm.

2. Attachments must include an essay, resume, headshot, and social media handles.

3. Applications will be reviewed by the committee.

4. Successful applicants will be notified of their selection by April 6th, 2025.

5. Winners will be presented Thursday, April 30th at 6p


ESSAY QUESTIONS: 

High School: (Two pages long, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font at 11-point size)

Trust is built when people and systems show consistency, care, and follow-through. This prompt invites you to reflect on moments when you felt supported—or had to depend on yourself—and what those experiences taught you about independence, leadership, and resilience.

Essay Question:
When Have You Had to Rely on Yourself? Describe a time when you felt supported or unsupported by a school, organization, or authority figure. How did that experience shape your confidence, independence, or approach to your own success?  

College: (Two and half pages long, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font at 11-point size)

Many students carry responsibilities that extend beyond academics. This prompt encourages you to reflect honestly on pressure—not to compare struggles, but to explore how responsibility, expectations, or limited resources shape your daily decisions and motivation.


Essay Question:
What Pressures Shape How You Show Up Each Day? Reflect on the academic, personal, or financial pressures you experience. How do these pressures affect your goals, mindset, or sense of responsibility, and what helps you continue moving forward? 


Essay Rating Criteria:

1.Development of Topic/Thesis: (30 points) Ensures thorough coverage of major points, providing adequate information for comprehension.
   
2. Progression: (20 points) Demonstrates a logical flow of information from start to finish.

3. Readability: (25 points) Maintains concise prose, capturing and retaining the reader's attention without unnecessary digressions.

4. Grammar: (15 points) Exhibits correct subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, proper sentence structure, and coherent paragraphing with transitional phrases.

5. Spelling: (5 points)

6. Punctuation: (5 points)


NOTES FOR CANDIDATES:  

Essays should reflect authentic personal voice and lived experience.

Content should demonstrate reflection, growth, and responsibility, not perfection.

Essays suspected of being AI-generated will be reviewed further and may result in disqualification, per competition guidelines.

If you have questions regarding the application, please direct your questions to Dr. Richard Marks or Dr. Damien Myers at essaycontest@100blackmenstl.com.  


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