Discover, Preserve, and Celebrate!
Napa Landmarks’ Student Scholarship Program provides students a chance to connect with Napa’s local landmarks in a meaningful way. This is your opportunity to share your thoughts on what makes our county’s heritage special and why it matters to our community. Submit an essay, video, or narrated slideshow to qualify.
We can’t wait to see your creative and inspiring submissions. We offer $1000 scholarships to 15 students annually and have awarded $59,000 to aspiring scholars in our community since the beginning of the program in 2019. That’s 59 lives changed. Together, let’s celebrate and protect the unique stories that make Napa County one of a kind!
Applications are closed for 2025! We will inform the schools of the 15 students who are selected for the scholarship. Thank you for your support and interest in this important program.
Read below for more information about the scholarship and selection process.
Here’s how you can join this exciting opportunity:
Application Deadline: Complete the form online and postmark or email your materials by March 17, 2025. If you have issues with the form, please let us know by March 10 at info@napacountylandmarks.org. Link here to complete the online application form.
Eligibility Criteria: Students enrolled at Napa County High Schools, Napa Valley College, Napa Valley Independent Studies, or Napa Valley Adult Education applying for (and eventually accepting) admittance to a four-year state or university program.
Scoring the Applications: A volunteer Scholarship Committee will review all applications using an
Evaluation Rubric. Please reference the rubric to better understand the scoring criteria, which includes: local landmark name and place, why the landmark has significance for you, why the landmark should be preserved, how it connects to the community identity and history, and quality of original work. The committee recommendations will then be certified by Napa County Landmarks and the winners notified through their school staff or counselors. Scholarship payments are routed through your school/school counselor after they have received verification of enrollment in a four-year university program.
Application Details:
Step 1: Discover a Local Landmark That Speaks to You
- Think about a place in Napa County that inspires you, tells a story, or feels like the heart of your community. It could be a building, a stone bridge, a beloved neighborhood, a park, a garden, or any site tied to a favorite memory or a special place to visit with your family, for example. Identify and describe the landmark.
Step 2: Share Its Story and Future
- Tell us why this landmark matters—both to you and to Napa County. What makes it irreplaceable? How does it connect to your community identity or history? What would you say, do, or create to ensure its legacy lives on through historic preservation or similar community efforts?
Step 3: Choose Your Format to Shine
- You can express your vision in one of these ways:
- Written Essay: Write approximately 500 words capturing the landmark’s importance and its role in your community.
- Creative Video or Slideshow: Film a video or narrated slideshow where you bring the landmark’s story to life—give a tour, interview others, or even act out a community rally. Be creative! Three to five minutes is a good length. See more instructions below on submitting video or other media.
Step 4: Submit your Entry
- Written Essay: Use the submittal box on the online form for your written essay. We suggest you write it in another program, save the file, and copy the text to the online form.
- Video or Other Media: See the instructions and use the link below to submit video or other media.
- If you prefer to send your essay or video via email or hard copy, submit the online application with your name and information, and label your essay or state your name in your video. Then email your entry to info@napacountylandmarks.org with the subject line “Landmarks Scholarship Application.” Or send your materials to Napa County Landmarks, PO Box 267, Napa, CA, 94559. Entries must be emailed or postmarked by March 17 to be eligible for review.
Scholarship Submission Policy. By submitting an essay, video, or slide show as part of your scholarship application, you retain full ownership of your work. However, Napa County Landmarks reserves the right to excerpt, publish, or otherwise share your submission, with proper attribution, in promotional materials, on our website, or through other platforms. This allows us to celebrate your creativity and inspire others while respecting your authorship.
Questions? Email us at info@napacountylandmarks.org or text/call our office mobile at 707-231-8261.
