Graduating seniors and young adults ages 18-25 years old who qualify for financial assistance to pursue one and two-year certification, licensure or associate’s degree programs, both on and off the Island, are eligible for financial support. Applicants are selected based on merit and evidence that they have explored the career field through mentorship and/or employment experience. Financial support will be determined based on need after families and training institutions have contributed, and will be sustained for the duration of the proposed training program. MVYouth is particularly interested in supporting young people pursuing technical training in the following local careers:

automotive technology
aviation
building trades
cosmetology
culinary arts
early childhood education
healthcare
horticulture & landscaping
interpreting
marine trades
wind technology

Step 1 - February 9 deadline

Eligible applicants must complete Part One of the online application by midnight. See application link below. The Advisory Board will assess all applicants using our evaluation tool and identify students to interview.

Step 2 - Late March

The MVYouth Advisory Board will conduct brief interviews before identifying the semifinalists.

Step 3 - April 6 deadline

ONLY semifinalists must submit Part 2 of the online application. See application link below.

Step 4 - Early April

The MVYouth Advisory Board and Trustees will interview semifinalists.

Step 5 - End of April

Finalists will be announced before May 1. For students still in high school, scholarships will be publicly awarded at the MVRHS Class Night ceremony on June 9 or at the Charter School graduation in early June.

Click the application links below to get started. Save your work as you go and submit your application when you are complete.  All application materials must be submitted electronically by the application due dates in order to be considered. 
Please email Lindsey Scott at lindseyscott@mvyouth.com if you have any questions.

I am a permanent MV resident, but I go to school off island. Do I qualify?

Eligible applicants must be year-round residents of Martha’s Vineyard. You may be enrolled in a day school off-island, but reside on island. If you are unsure if you qualify, please discuss the matter with MVYouth’s Executive Director, Lindsey Scott at lindseyscott@mvyouth.com.

Will MVYouth hold an information session for prospective applicants?

MVYouth will hold an information session on Zoom for students and parents on Tuesday, November 26 @ 6:30-7:30 pm. This session will answer questions about the application and selection process as well as any other questions parents or prospective applicants may have.

Is there someone at MVYouth who can answer my application questions?

The Executive Director, Lindsey Scott is available to answer any questions applicants may have. Please email her directly at lindseyscott@mvyouth.com.

What are the evaluation criteria?

The Advisory Board uses the following criteria to assess all applicants: year-round residents of Martha's Vineyard, financial need, employment experience & goals, character, recommendations. See detailed list below.

How many award recipients are chosen?

The number of award recipients selected each year will be determined by our budget and the financial needs of our semifinalists. The number of recipients varies from year to year.

Is the scholarship program based on merit or financial need?

The scholarship program is based on both merit and need. MVYouth is committed to enabling students to pursue excellent programs they would otherwise not be able to afford to attend, by filling the gap left after the Student Aid Index (SAI) and institutional grants and scholarships are subtracted.

*If your SAI is equal to or greater than the cost of attendance at the most expensive school you are considering, please do NOT apply.

How does MVYouth assess a student’s EFC if the parents are divorced?

MVYouth collects financial information from BOTH parents (even though the FAFSA process and EFC calculation is only based on one parent’s income). We have developed a system for estimating the EFC for the second parent so that both parents’ EFCs are calculated before determining financial need.

*Please be in touch with MVYouth’s Executive Director, Lindsey Scott if your family has unique circumstances. lindseyscott@mvyouth.com

When will award recipients be announced?

MVYouth will announce the scholarship recipients by June 1. Scholarships will be awarded at the MVRHS Class Night celebration, MV Public Charter School and Falmouth Academy graduations in early June.

Twelfth-graders and young adults through age 25 who are year-round residents of Martha’s Vineyard may apply for a Workforce Development - Technical Training Scholarship from MVYouth, so long as the applicant can demonstrate significant financial need for assistance. MVYouth seeks young people of good character who demonstrate a clarity of purpose to pursue technical training in a particular career field. To select scholarship recipients, the MVYouth Advisory Board reviews each application, using the selection criteria listed below, and recommends scholarship candidates to the MVYouth Board of Trustees for their consideration and approval.

ELIGIBILITY

• Year-round residents of Martha’s Vineyard who are twelfth-graders at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, or Falmouth Academy are eligible to apply. Students who have been home-schooled on Martha’s Vineyard are also eligible. Students attending boarding schools are not eligible.

FINANCIAL NEED

• To be considered for a scholarship, an applicant must need supplementary financial assistance to attend his or her college of choice. The applicant’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) must be less than the full Cost of Attendance at the applicant’s chosen college or university.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

• Educational skills: The application demonstrates academic and technical performance.

CHARACTER

• Ambition, conviction, drive: The applicant has enrolled in at least some challenging courses; can discuss their educational goals; has some understanding of the steps needed to achieve personal goals; has some motivation and self-direction, has some ability to overcome adversity.

• Individuality, maturity, empathy: The applicant is capable of articulating perspectives on experiences; has some understanding of creative approaches to complex conditions; demonstrates kindness toward others.

• Leadership: The applicant demonstrates some experience in leading others; and demonstrates some self-confidence.

• Demonstration of school values: As assessed by school faculty and combined into a composite score for each student, this criterion measures the extent to which the applicant’s behaviors and attitudes are consistent with the school’s values and thereby demonstrate the capacity to make sound personal decisions. MVRHS core values are resilience, compassion, accountability, curiosity, and community. MVPCS pillars are trust, respect, freedom, responsibility, democracy, and cooperation. Falmouth Academy values are knowledge, collaboration, kindness, relationships, imagination, and diverse challenges and opportunities.

CAREER EXPERIENCE & GOALS

• Employment: The applicant has employment experience. For students whose families experience significant economic hardship, good judgment may mean employment that maximizes cash income over time. For other students, good judgment may mean choosing employment that advances the student’s long-term educational, artistic, athletic, or other interests.

• Education & career plan: The applicant has begun to develop a plan.

• Direction, purpose: The applicant demonstrates personal focus; has some exploration of career paths arising from personal interests; can discuss career goals.

• Potential for success: The applicant demonstrates a desire to become employable and some potential for success.

The following local businesses are proud sponsors of this program. Each business has made a four-year pledge to contribute $1,000 annually. We are very grateful for their partnership.