The Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut will award three $1,000 scholarships to students who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ communities or as allies. Click here for more information.

In tribute to both its employees and its customers, Big Y offers an annual scholarship program. Established in 1981, the program includes a series of scholarships which honor Big Y's founders; the late Paul H. D'Amour and his brother, Gerald D'Amour. All Big Y scholarships recognize academic merit and achievement. Big Y has awarded over $6.4 million dollars to over 8,600 recipients through the scholarship program. Click here for more information.   Apply at: Click here to apply.

Scholarships are available from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

• Application opens: November 15, 2025

• Deadline to apply: February 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

• Go to hfpg.org/scholarships to learn about the scholarships.

• To apply, visit the Scholarship Portal

• New user? Create a profile. Returning users can log back in with your set credentials.

• From the Scholarship Portal, click "Apply" on the dashboard task bar.

• Locate the Universal Application, click "Apply" to open the application.

• Your answers will determine the scholarships for which you are eligible. They will be listed after you complete the application.

• Some scholarships will require that you complete additional questions or essays. 

Click here to read more about this opportunity.

Announcing

Connecticut Bar Foundation 26th Annual

Quintin Johnstone

Statewide High School

Essay Contest

Presented by the James W. Cooper Fellows 

2025-2026 Topic:

“After the Gavel Falls: Navigating Education Policy in the Wake of Mahmoud v. Taylor”

The contest is open to all Connecticut students under the age of 21 who are enrolled in grades 9-12, or their equivalent, at an accredited high school, vocational-technical school, or adult high school credit diploma program located within the State of Connecticut. The contest is also open to all Connecticut homeschooled students in grades equivalent to 9-12. 

• Grand Prize - $2,000

• Two Runner-Up Prizes - $1,000 each

Essays will be judged by federal and state court judges, law professors, and other attorneys. An awards ceremony will be held at the Connecticut Supreme Court in Spring 2026.

Deadline for submission: February 20, 2026

Entries must be submitted through the auspices of the Connecticut school the student attends, with the exception of homeschooled students. Each teacher shall select no more than three entries per class. Teachers of any subject may submit entries. There is no limit on the number of teachers who may submit entries from a single school. School counselors may submit no more than three entries per semester. There is no limit on the number of school counselors who may submit entries from a single school.

For more information, and to access contest materials and submit an entry, please visit our website by clicking the button below.

2025-2026 ESSAY CONTEST MATERIALS

Please contact us at ctbf@ctbarfdn.org 

with any questions.

The Scholastic Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering creative teens and celebrating youth voices. To learn more, visit artandwriting.org.