Nominations open for 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Keeper Scholarship Awards – WLTX
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The City of Columbia is accepting applications from elementary, middle, and high school students for the 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Keeper Scholarship Awards, which recognize exemplary service to the tenets of Dr. King.
Officials say nominees must demonstrate the ideals of social responsibility, political empowerment, diversity, racial harmony, nonviolence, and unselfish service through voluntary efforts in support of their community and fellow citizens.
Nominees must be 18 or younger, enrolled in a Richland School District One elementary, middle, or high school, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. To be eligible for the $1,000 scholarship, high school students must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Scholarship levels and awards:
High School (9–12) – 500 words: 1st $1,000, 2nd $500, 3rd $250
Middle School (6–8) – 250 words: 1st $250, 2nd $175, 3rd $100
Elementary (K–5) – 100 words: 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50
Completed applications must be submitted by Friday, December 5, 2025:
By mail: City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, Attn: Douglas Elliott, 1111 Recreation Drive, Columbia, SC 29201 (postmarked by Dec. 5), or
By email: Send a PDF to Douglas.Elliott@columbiasc.gov by Dec. 5.
For more information, contact Doug Elliott, Deputy Director for Recreation, at (803) 545-0456 or Douglas.Elliott@columbiasc.gov, or visit www.columbiasc.gov.
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