IDEAS MATTER SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY CONTEST
ABOUT THE ESSAY CONTEST
The Clinton Foundation’s annual Ideas Matter Scholarship Essay Contest is an opportunity for Arkansas junior and senior high school students to win a college scholarship by presenting innovative solutions to pressing challenges. The yearly themes are inspired by the mission of the Clinton Foundation and reflect the Clinton Presidential Center’s commitment to civic education and participation. Scroll down to see the essay topic and other requirements.
Since 2014, the Clinton Foundation has awarded more than $35,000 in scholarships to Arkansas students for identifying a pressing challenge and crafting an idea to solve it.
congratulations to our 2026 Winners
Neema Patel
LISA Academy North Middle-High School
“My solution focuses on empowering Arkansas students to take an active role in strengthening their communities through the Arkansas Youth Civic Impact Initiative (AYCII). By pairing hands-on civic learning in schools with a Digital Civic Toolkit created by youth, this approach helps remove barriers like lack of access, awareness, and support. When young people are trusted with real responsibility, civic participation becomes meaningful, inclusive, and lasting.
Samidhi Mudalige
Little Rock Central High School
“My essay depicts one of Arkansas’ number one struggles, which is food insecurity, and how it affects many other aspects of our lives, such as voting. It conveys a message that not everyone has the means to go out and vote when they are struggling to put food on the table. Some of the solutions I came up with were investing in youth engagement programs and strengthening community-based infrastructure, such as food banks or shelters.”
Neeharika Raju
Valley View High School
“Making efforts to increase civic engagement within youth has lasting effects, salient to not just improving civic health, but maintaining it. By expanding access, improving civic education, creating opportunity, and encouraging activism, youth involvement can be reinforced, addressing Arkansas’s civic decline.”
2026 ESSAY TOPIC & Requirements
The entry period is now closed. The 2026 winners have been announced.
Civic participation – voting, organizing, volunteering, and more – is vital for a thriving community. It can increase the effectiveness of local policies, public services, and government, and even improve economic and physical health for citizens. Staggeringly, the 2023 Arkansas Civic Health Index reports that Arkansas has the lowest voter registration and turnout in the U.S. and is below average in neighbors working together to help the community.
President Bill Clinton’s lifetime commitment to public service started early. He worked on political campaigns, attended and taught law school, and then ran for elected office. That commitment carries on through the work of the Clinton Foundation.
With the vital need to improve the civic health of Arkansas, the Clinton Foundation invites students to write an essay about youth impact through civic participation. Essays should explore and provide solutions to questions like: How can youth voices, skills, and time be mechanisms for positive change in their neighborhoods, schools, and cities? What are some of the challenges to civic participation for young people? What are some ways that youth can scale those hurdles to achieve collective impact and better their communities?
Essays must be a minimum of 1,500 words and must be the students’ original work. Instances of plagiarism or AI use will result in disqualification. The winning essays will be judged on how well the student articulates impact, examines challenges, and proposes solutions, as well as presentation (e.g. sentence structure and source citation).
The student who writes the winning essay will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. Scholarships will also be awarded to second ($2,500) and third ($1,000) place students.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please email kstrachan@clintonfoundation.org.
The submission window is closed.
If you’re interested in submitting an essay next cycle, fill out our interest form, and we’ll reach out to you when next year’s contest opens.
Past Winners
2025
Addison Thomas | Sylvan Hills High School
Jonah Pulliam | North Little Rock High School
Dakota Dixon | Nashville High School
2024
Arianna Williams | West Little Rock High School of Innovation
Eishal Jan | Pulaski Academy
Emery Moore | Little Rock Central High School
2023
Mariam Parray | Pulaski Academy
Richard Liu | Little Rock Central High School
Mary Lyle | Vilonia High School
2021
Ashwin Marathe | Bentonville High School
Richard Liu | Little Rock Central High School
Aviance Haymon | Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts
2020
Lindsay Middleton | Pulaski Academy
Sharnetta Campbell | Conway High School
CGI-U winner: Conrad Jarvis | Pulaski Academy
2019
Sakshi Garg | Little Rock Central High School
Ava Horton | Little Rock Central High School
Mark Ball | Bryant High School
2017
Grace Turner | Arkansas Virtual Academy
Trenton Tardiff | Cotter High School
Kedran Young | Benton High School
2016
Taylor Scifres | Bryant High School
Zelda Engler-Young | Conway High School
Jarrell Imamura | Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts
2015
Jillian New | Mount St. Mary Academy
Jada Peten | Bentonville High School
Drew Carnahan | Bryant High School
2014
Abigail Hill | Conway High School
Emily Bradley | Conway High School
Taylor Stone | Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts