Deadline: April 15, 2022
Applications are invited for the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes 2022. The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, a program of the nonprofit organization Young Heroes Project, celebrates inspiring, public-spirited young people from diverse backgrounds all across North America.
Each year, the Barron Prize honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. Since its inception, the Barron Prize has awarded more than half a million dollars to hundreds of young leaders and has won the support of the National Geographic Education Foundation, Girl Scouts of the USA, and National Youth Leadership Council, among other organizations.
Prizes
Winners will receive:
- Winners each receive $10,000 to be applied to their higher education or to their service project.
- Each winner receives a beautiful personalized plaque and recognition certificate.
- Each winner receives a signed copy of The Hero’s Trail by Barron Prize founder T.A. Barron, along with a copy of Dream Big, a documentary film profiling several former Barron Prize winners. Winners also receive the Young Heroes Activity Guide and Bibliography.
- Winners are given the opportunity to connect with other Barron Prize young heroes.
- Winners are provided with numerous media opportunities – print, television, and radio – to publicize and extend the reach of their service work.
Eligibility
Open to public-spirited young people who are, on the April 15 deadline:
- between the ages of 8 and 18 (not yet age 19)
- permanent residents of and currently residing in the U.S.A. or Canada
- currently working on an inspiring service project or have done so within the past 12 months
- working as an individual to lead their service work. The Barron Prize does not accept applications from large groups of young people.
The Barron Prize does not discriminate against its applicants based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
Selection Criteria
The judges use the following criteria in choosing winners:
- Winners must have organized and led an extraordinary service activity which has clearly benefited other people or the planet we share.
- The service activity must have been initiated and motivated primarily by the winner himself or herself.
- The service activity cannot have been done solely to complete an assignment for school or work.
- Winners must have:
- demonstrated positive spirit, courage, intelligence, generosity, and high moral purpose.
- shown initiative, tenacity, and unselfishness in pursuit of their goals.
- accomplished something with inspirational value—something that could inspire others to make a difference.
- done more than survive a difficult personal challenge. Their heroism must have made an impact on the world beyond themselves.
- Winners may or may not have received recognition for their heroic work. Fame itself shall not have been a motivating factor.
Application
Applications must be completed and submitted online by the deadline of 5:00 PM MT on April 15 each year, when the system will automatically close.
For more information, visit Barron Prize.
