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Napa Landmarks Student Scholarships

Supporting Next Generation Leaders

Explore Napa’s rich heritage and share your creative vision in Landmarks' Student Scholarship Program, where Napa County high school and college students headed to a 4-year university can celebrate our local landmarks. We award $1000 scholarships to 15 students annually and have distributed $87,000 to aspiring scholars in our community since the beginning of the program in 2019. Together, we are supporting the next generation of storytellers and community stewards.

Discover, Preserve, and Celebrate!

The Napa Landmarks Student Scholarship celebrates student voices and the places that matter most to them in Napa County. This program invites graduating students to share personal stories about a landmark that has shaped their life, perspective, or sense of belonging. What makes our county’s heritage special and why does it matter to your community? How does the landmark help define your identity? This program is designed to be accessible and creative—students are not required to submit letters of recommendation or transcripts. Instead, we invite them to share their perspective and imagination through a short essay, video, slideshow, or poem exploring a place in Napa County that matters to them.

We can’t wait to see your creative and inspiring submissions. We offer $1000 scholarships to 15 students annually and have awarded $87,000 to aspiring scholars in our community since the beginning of the program in 2019. Together, we are supporting the next generation of storytellers and community stewards. We look forward to hearing your voice and learning about how you see Napa through your own eyes.

Deadline closed for 2026. Applications for new year will open early 2027. See below for more information about the scholarship and selection process.

Questions? Email us at info@napacountylandmarks.org or text/call our office mobile at 707-231-8261.

Congratulations to Our 2026 Scholarship Awardees!

This year’s awardees shared thoughtful and heartfelt reflections on the places that make Napa County special. From historic landmarks and beloved gathering places to parks, libraries, schools, and scenic natural spaces, their selections reveal the many ways a place can become woven into the fabric of a community. These essays celebrate spaces connected to learning, recreation, family, history, and everyday life, while offering personal perspectives on why these places are worth remembering and preserving. Together, the students’ voices paint a vivid picture of a community shaped by its places—and remind us that landmarks are not simply buildings, landscapes, or structures, but the settings where memories are made, stories are shared, and connections to our communities take root.

American Canyon High School
Kale’a Dacanay: ACHS Theater

Justin-Siena High School
Abigail Padilla Sanchez: NVC Swimming Pool

Napa High School
Hunter Griffin: Messner Gym
Olivia Parriot: Napa County Library

Napa Valley College
Aidan Chavez: Henry Road

New Technology High School
William Coughlin: Huichica Creek
Ava (Jaye) Luhn: China Point Lookout

St. Helena High School
Anakarla Hernandez: Napa River
Marisol Navarro: Sterling Vineyards
Diane Romero Sam: St. Helena Library
Jacob Zuniga: Grace Church

Valley Oak High School
Jewelana Scarborough: Grape Crusher

Vintage High School
Arya Adhye: District Auditorium
Victoria Hernandez Tamayo: Bale Grist Mill
Makenzie Matoza: Kiwanis Park

Read our student "thank yous" from past years:

Eligibility and Scoring

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 an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved post-secondary program. No reference letters or transcripts required. We just want you to express your viewpoint.

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, how it connects to the community identity and history, and quality of original work.

Notifying the Winners: The Scholarship Committee recommendations will be certified by Napa County Landmarks and the winners notified through their school staff or counselors before graduation. Scholarship payments are routed through your school/school counselor after the student has delivered verification of enrollment in an advanced-studies program.

How to Apply

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. Your landmark does not need to be old or officially designated. 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. All submissions (writing and images) should be original, personally created work and not machine-generated or produced using artificial intelligence tools.

- Written Essay: Write approximately 500 words capturing the landmark’s importance and its role in your community. This is not a formal college essay; we value honesty, creativity, and lived experience over academic tone.
- Narrative Poem. Submit an original narrative poem that tells a story connected to a meaningful landmark in Napa County. Your poem might explore memory, place, identity, or change over time. Free verse or structured poetry is welcome. What matters most is clarity of voice and a strong sense of place.
- 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 27 to be eligible for review.

Instructions for Submitting Your Scholarship Video via WeTransfer

We are excited to review your scholarship submission! Please follow the instructions below to upload your video using WeTransfer, a free online file transfer that does not require an account or sign-in. To make the process as easy as possible, we’ve outlined all the steps and provided tips for preparing your video.

Video Guidelines

Length: Your video should be between approximately 3 and 5 minutes long.
File Format: Accepted formats are MP4 or MOV. These formats are widely supported and ensure compatibility.
File Size: The maximum file size for uploads is 500 MB. Please compress your video if it exceeds this size (instructions are available online or via free compression tools like HandBrake).

Naming Your File

Before uploading, name your file in the following format:
[LastName]_[FirstName]_Scholarship.mp4 or .mov
Example: Doe_Jane_Scholarship.mp4 or .mov

How to Upload Your Video

Click the Link: WeTransfer
You will not need an account to upload your file.
Add Your Video: Drag and drop your video file into the folder or click the upload button to select your file.
Use the Following Information in the PopUp Box: Email To: info@napacountylandmarks.org; Title: Scholarship Submission; Message: your name.
Confirm Submission: After uploading, you’ll see a confirmation message indicating your file has been successfully submitted. You do not need to do anything else!

Helpful Tips

Double-Check Your File: Ensure your video meets the length, format, and size requirements before uploading.
Upload Early: Submissions close on March 17, but we encourage you to upload early to avoid last-minute technical issues.
Test Your Video: Before uploading, play the video to ensure it works and is free of glitches.

Need Help?

If you experience any issues with uploading your video, please contact us at info@napacountylandmarks.org. We’re happy to assist!

Terms & Conditions

Scholarship Terms & Conditions:

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.
Applicants under the age of 18 must provide parental or legal guardian consent as part of the application process. By submitting an application, the parent or guardian grants permission for Napa County Landmarks to use the student’s submission, name, image, and likeness for educational and promotional purposes related to the scholarship program.
For video submissions, applicants are responsible for securing permission from anyone who appears in their video.
Eligible Institutions: Scholarship funds may be used toward tuition and eligible educational expenses at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or approved post-secondary program.
Students who are not selected as scholarship recipients are welcome to reapply in future years, provided they continue to meet eligibility requirements. Previous scholarship recipients are not eligible to receive the award more than once.
Non-Discrimination Statement: Napa County Landmarks is committed to equity and inclusion. The organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic in the administration of this scholarship program.
Program Administration and Changes: Napa County Landmarks reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel this scholarship program at any time, and to revise eligibility criteria, timelines, or requirements as necessary.

Previous Awardees

Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship Awardees!

Read their essays, and watch a video entry, here (downloadable PDF).
This year’s awardees wrote passionately about the places that shape their lives and communities. From treasured parks and libraries to historic mills, bridges, and local museums, these essays reveal a deep personal connection to the built and natural environment. Students reflected on personal milestones, family legacies, community service, and collective memory, all tied to the significance of local landmarks. Whether writing about a neighborhood graffiti-covered ruin, the symbolic Grape Crusher statue, or a high school theater, each student shared a powerful vision of preservation rooted in memory, identity, and belonging. Their voices remind us why protecting these spaces matters—not just for the past, but for the future they’re already helping to build.

American Canyon
- Mary Angeline Maningding: The Ruins near Shenandoah Park
Calistoga High School
- Daisy Avina: Sharpsteen Museum.
- Zeneb Cortez-Arroyo, Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Napa High School
- Nicolai Lopez-Magro: Trancas Crossing Park
New Technology High School
- Antonio Bazan: Duck Pond at Streblow Drive
St. Helena High School
- Sophia Honig: Rutherford Grange
- Claire Kellogg: Pope Street Bridge
- Olivia Reble: St. Helena Public Library
- Melina Rubio: Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
- Tahlia Smith: Crane Park
Valley Oak High School
- Ivy Rose Cole: Elliot Park
Vintage High School
- Javier Perez Avina: Grape Crusher Statue
- Yazmin Guzman: Grape Crusher Statue
- Camila Sandoval: Vintage High School Theater
- Abygail Sims: Memorial Stadium