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College Scholarships

Supporting Next Generation Leaders

Explore Napa’s rich heritage and share your creative vision in Landmarks' Student Scholars Program, where Napa County high school and college students can celebrate our local landmarks. We award 12 scholarships annually of $1000 each.

Discover, Preserve, and Celebrate!

Landmarks’ Student Scholars 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 12 students annually and have awarded $44,000 to aspiring students in our community since the beginning of the program in 2019. That’s 44 lives changed. Together, let’s celebrate and protect the unique stories that make Napa County one of a kind!

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: Enrollment in a Napa County High School or as a Napa Valley College student transitioning 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.

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.
Don’t forget to complete the online form.

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.

Start Here to Submit

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.