Empower Scholarships
" The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. " ~ ARISTOTLE
We owe so many of our successes to the handful of individuals who have empowered us to do big things. Together as a community we can overcome exponentially larger challenges and achieve far greater successes than if we were to take them on by our own. Organic Life Start wants to hear your stories of inspiration about someone who has empowered and motivated you to reach new limits.

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2 Awards Per Scholarship
- We grant 2 scholarships per year and accept applications on a rolling basis. Apply for the Organic Life Start scholarship today.
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Fall Semester Scholarship
Important Timelines - Applications Close: Jun. 30
- Winners Announced: Jul. 31
- Scholarship Amount: $500
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Spring Semester Scholarship
Important Timelines - Applications Close: Dec. 31
- Winners Announced: Jan. 31
- Scholarship Amount: $500
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Scholarship Eligibility
In order to be eligible for any Organic Life Start Scholarship, please be sure you meet the following criteria:
- The scholarship is only open to US citizens or permanent legal residents.
- Scholarship applicants must either be in their final year of high school, or must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at a US-based higher education institution.
- All applications must include a minimum 1 paragraph response to the scholarship prompt question.
- All education backgrounds will be considered.
Apply For The Organic Life Start Scholarship
Our most recent Empower Scholarship application and its full application prompt can be found here.
Scholarship FAQ
What is the Organic Life Start Empower Scholarship?
Organic Life Start creates several scholarships per year. These scholarships are aimed to help anyone who is a high school senior or older, and are meant to help with expenses related to ongoing education. Each Empower Scholarship is on a different topic which is found on the relevant scholarship page, and the requirement for entry involves a thoughtful answer to the specific question asked within that Empower Scholarship. Empower Scholarships are launched throughout the year on various topics, so be sure to come back often and see which new scholarships have recently been launched by Organic Life Start.
For how much is each Empower Scholarship?
Organic Life Start Empower Scholarships are in the amount of $500, which will be awarded directly to the applicant, or in the case that the applicant is under 18 years of age the amount will be awarded to the applicants legal guardian. The $500 scholarship is intended for use on any education related expenses that are necessary for you.
When are scholarship applications due?
Each Empower Scholarship has two yearly deadlines, depending on which semester scholarship you are applying for. Fall semester scholarship applications are due by June 30th and spring semester scholarship applications are due by December 31st.
How are applications verified?
Scholarship applications need to be written in your own words. Any applications that are plagiarized will not be considered. Scholarship recipients will need to provide a college transcript as proof of enrollment (for undergraduate and graduate applicants), or proof of college acceptance (for high school seniors).
How is applicant information used?
We only use the information provided in your application to get in contact in the event that you are a scholarship recipient finalist. If you are selected as an Empower Scholarship winner, we will ask to publish your story on our site so that we can continue to inspire others with similar stories. To make sure we've gotten all your details right, any content related to your story will first be shared with you for approval before being published on our site. By submitting an application you agree to be featured on our site if you are selected as a scholarship winner.
How will winners be notified?
Organic Life Start will reach out to the winner within 2 weeks before the winners are announced. During this time we will conduct an interview so that we can hear more about your specific story. Winners will be notified by email at the address from which the email application was originally received.
Where can I find out who won the scholarship?
All scholarship winners will be posted live on this page after they are notified in person. Be sure to check back regularly for new scholarship opportunities which become live throughout the year.
Past Scholarship Recipients

Kayla McEwen
Reading about the inspiring stories of various people who apply for a scholarship is one of the pleasures we received in hosting one. We received thousands of applications from all over the different states, and knowing about their interests, ambitions, and backgrounds gave us nothing but delight and joy. We read about their life’s journey and how their experiences encouraged them to pursue careers in different fields of education. We are excited to see what the future holds for all of our applicants since they all want to make a huge difference in the world.
We're pleased to announce that after months of reading, rereading, and going through hundreds of applicants, we've chosen Kayla McEwen as the recipient of the Organic Life Start Empower Scholarship!
Kayla is currently taking up Psychology in California State University Bakersfield, with hopes of becoming a school psychologist someday. She was raised by a hardworking and selfless single mom who made sure to take care of her despite the absence of her father. This inspired her and prepared her now that she is a single mom of four wonderful kids. Being a single mom was never easy, especially if you have dreams to pursue. But she’s not the type who gives up easily.
As challenging as it may seem to balance being a full-time student and being the sole full-time parent to four young children, Kayla proved to be successful in both. She takes most of the classes she needs online via zoom, or fully online so that she can be home as 2 of her children are not going to school yet. She waits until she puts the kids to bed at 8:30-9:00 PM to start on her schoolwork, she will then do all assignments, quizzes, tests due by midnight first then begin studying until 3-4 AM. All this sacrifice because she wants to give her kids the time they need.
Kayla’s compelling and moving story, which discusses the hardships of a single mom having to take all the responsibility alone is what sets her apart. There was a time that she didn’t know what to do, she even felt like a huge failure as a mother. But the brave Kayla didn’t stop there, she immediately went back to working full time. For she knew that if she wanted to support her kids and provide them with stability, she needed to go back to school. Though, a part of her was not confident enough to believe that she was smart enough or capable of doing anything - she fought that part of herself so that the real Kayla would prevail; A loving, brave, passionate and dedicated mother and student. With that said, she was able to finish AA in psychology in one year rather than two while maintaining Dean's List. This is one of the achievements that makes her proud. It was the first time she believed that she could actually finish and graduate with BA. I know that many would definitely agree that it will be very challenging to achieve this with or without kids.
When asked if she would have to “regift” this scholarship, who would she give it to? She answered that “she would want it to be given to another parent who is trying to better themselves and their babies' lives because from experience when you are a single parent and receive help, it just means so much to you.” We’re glad to give it to someone as deserving as her.

Jessica Lee
When we launched this scholarship program, we always had the value of SHARING in mind:
- We wanted to share positivity when you recognize the people who inspire you to reach your dreams.
- We wanted to share empowerment by being your voice and sharing your story of inspiration.
- We wanted to share and give back to the community. We see you working hard for your future and we know that you will share the same inspiration and empowerment to the next generation.
Choosing a winner is no easy feat. All the stories we received are wonderful and uplifting – but we had to make a choice. After several weeks of deliberation, it is with joy that we announce Organic Life Start’s Spring Semester scholarship awardee: Jessica Lee.
Jessica is taking up Neuroscience and Psychology in the University of Pittsburgh. She has devoted her life to caring for her family. She is a determined single mother who is doing her best for her strong, brave, and smart 8-year-old daughter.
Her schedule is packed every day – but it’s always centered on putting her daughter’s needs first. She adjusts her schedule so that she can drop off her daughter to school and pick her up on time. She and her third-grader work on their homework together and she makes sure that they get to enjoy dinner together. Saturdays! Saturdays are extra special for the mother-daughter duo: Jessica’s daughter gets to take ice skating classes and Jessica gets peace in watching her do something she has always wanted, but was not able to do before.
Here are some takeaways from Jessica that she wants to impart to everyone reading this:
- Getting on the other side of a relationship is not something to be ashamed of. Learn to care for yourself, not just for others.
- Strive to be the best person. In Jessica’s case, she strives to be the best person for her daughter – the best person in her world.
- Set healthy boundaries in all of your relationships.
- You deserve better. You are not alone in your battles. Do not let anyone tell you that you are not good enough, especially for something you dream for.
We also wanted to share Jessica’s special message her daughter:
- Set healthy boundaries.
- It’s okay to take care of your mental health first.
- And Jessica’s favorite quote: “Mental health is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. And that starts with healthy boundaries.”
Jessica serves as an inspiration. She is a mother. She is a friend. She is a hard worker. She is you and me – navigating this world for our loved ones and trying to share love, every step of the way.
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Thank you everyone for sharing your stories with us. You make the world better by recognizing and honoring empowering individuals in your lives. We are humbled to have received so many sponsorship applications over the past months. We wish you all the best in all your endeavors!