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 $43,000 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.”
2027 ESSAY TOPIC & Requirements
Contest opens on September 10, 2026.
Strong communities depend on citizens who are willing to get involved. Whether it’s voting, volunteering, organizing, serving on local boards, or helping neighbors, civic participation makes communities stronger and helps solve problems that affect us all.
Yet, civic participation is on the decline. According to the 2023 Arkansas Civic Health Index, Arkansas has the lowest voter registration and voter turnout in the nation, and fewer residents than average report working with their neighbors to improve their communities.
President Bill Clinton has long believed that everyone has a role to play in building a better future. President Clinton stated during his farewell address, “I will never hold a position higher or a covenant more sacred than that of President of the United States. But there is no title I will wear more proudly than that of citizen.” At the Clinton Foundation, we equip people across generations and ideologies with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Young people are an essential part of that work.
For the 2027 Ideas Matter Scholarship Essay Contest, we invite students to share their ideas for how young people can help improve civic health, including the ways they can participate in their communities, build trust, foster belonging, engage respectfully with others, and work together to solve problems.
Your essay should explore the value of youth participation; identify barriers that make it difficult for young people to engage in civic life; and propose thoughtful, practical solutions to overcome them. Consider questions such as:
- What challenges discourage young people from participating in their communities or democracy?
- What new ideas or approaches could help more young people become engaged?
- How can students use their voices, talents, and leadership to create meaningful change in their schools, neighborhoods, or communities?
- Why would your proposed solution(s) make a lasting difference?
Essays must be at least 1,500 words and must be the student’s original work. Essays that contain plagiarism or AI-generated content will be disqualified.
Winning essays will be judged on the student’s ability to:
- Articulate and provide examples of youth-led community impact.
- Clearly explain the challenge(s) being addressed and their root causes.
- Present creative, practical, and well-supported solutions.
- Explain the potential impact of those solutions.
- Demonstrate strong organization, writing quality, and proper source citation.
The first-place winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. Scholarships of $2,500 and $1,000 will be awarded to the second- and third-place winners, respectively.
The deadline to submit your application is January 4, 2027, at 11:59 PM.
Questions? Please email kstrachan@clintonfoundation.org.
We will start accepting submissions for 2027 on September 10.
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