• 2027 Haynes Heroes Scholarship Application

  • The Pinellas County Urban League champions academic excellence by supporting the Rev. Watson Haynes, II ‘Haynes Heroes’ Scholarship Fund, which is tailored to encourage students in their pursuit of higher education. Through scholarships, the goal is to reduce financial barriers and empower students to excel academically and achieve their highest educational aspirations, while continuing to demonstrate leadership and a commitment to community service.

    The Haynes Heroes Scholarship honors the memory and legacy of the former President and CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League, who passed in 2022. Rev. Haynes was a community service legend and fierce educational advocate who desired the best educational opportunities for the citizens of Pinellas County.

    In conjunction with community partners and organizations, the Pinellas County Urban League raises funds to provide scholarships to outstanding students who reside in Pinellas County. Please read the following information describing the eligibility requirements. 

    Multiple Scholarships will be granted. The minimum award: $1500.

    SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

    To be eligible for the Haynes Heroes Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

    Residency & Education: Be a minority high school senior residing in Pinellas County and graduating from any accredited public, private, or parochial high school in Pinellas County, St. Petersburg  Collegiate High School, or a first-year student at Pinellas Technical College.

    Academic Requirements: Have a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale through Fall 2025. Students with an unweighted GPA below 2.5 are not eligible to apply.

    College & Career Plans: Plan to attend an accredited institution of higher education in the US, which includes four-year colleges or universities, community colleges, and vocational/technical schools.

    Extracurricular & Leadership Involvement: Demonstrate accomplishments in at least one of the following areas:

    • Special Talents (e.g., performing arts, STEM achievements, creative writing, entrepreneurship, etc.).
    • Leadership Roles (e.g., student government, club officer, team captain, youth group leadership).
    • Extracurricular Activities (e.g., school clubs, honor societies, debate, etc.).
    • Athletics (e.g., school or club sports teams).
    • Community Service (e.g., volunteer work, civic engagement, activism, mentorship). 

    A COMPLETED APPLICATION PACKET MUST INCLUDE

    To be considered, all application materials must be completely submitted by Tuesday, March 3, 2027, at 11:45 PM. Incomplete applications or submissions after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered.

    • Haynes Heroes Scholarship Application – Submitted below.
    • 500 - 1000 Word Essay – Uploaded in PDF or Word format. The essay must be the applicant’s original work. 
    • Official High School Transcript – Must include a Cumulative Summary Sheet and be uploaded as a clear, legible PDF. The signature of the school registrar must be readable. The transcript must include final grades through the Fall 2025 semester.
    • ACT and/or SAT Scores – Uploaded as a clear, legible PDF of the official score report.
    • Community Service Documentation – Upload as a clear, legible PDF or .docx file listing all verified community service hours completed. Include hours from Freshman year through Senior year. 
    • Two Letters of Recommendation – Upload as clear, legible PDFs or .docx files. One from a high school faculty/staff member on school letterhead with a signature and one from an adult non-family member community leader, mentor, employer, or coach on letterhead with a signature.
    • Senior Photo/Headshot – Uploaded as a high-resolution (300 DPI), non-watermarked image (JPEG or PNG formats only).
    • NO SCREENSHOTS of any documents will be accepted.

    Additional Requirements

    • Scholarship Interview – Finalists will be required to attend an in-person interview, tentatively, during the week of April 5th.
    • Personal Finance Literary Education - Scholarship Recipients must attend the Personal Finance Literary session on Saturday, April 17, 2027 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM before scholarship funds are released. 
    • Awards Reception - Scholarship Winners should plan to attend the Awards Reception on Saturday, May 1, 2027.

    IMPORTANT: Failure to submit required documentation by the deadline will result in disqualification. Applicants should double-check that all documents are attached before final submission. Your application can be saved if you need to return.

    Read and follow the instructions carefully before submitting your application. All awardees will be notified on or before April 12, 2027 and will be publicly announced on May 1, 2027.

    *** For full consideration, you must upload documentation to support the data you provide in this scholarship application. Likewise, all correspondence, award agreements, and compliance matters will be generated from the personal information submitted below. So, please use proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 

    If you have any questions, please call (813) 308.9362 or email haynesheroesscholarship@gmail.com. Please add this email address to your contacts list so that important emails regarding the status of your application don't end up in your spam/junk folder.


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  • Your Birthdate*
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  • Gender*
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Prefered Contact Method (select all that apply)*
  • Ethnicity*
  • Will you be a first generation college student?*
  • Are you the child of a Pinellas County Urban League Young Professionals, Guild member or volunteer?*
  • Are you a previous or current member of the N.U.L.I.T.E.S Youth Group?*
  • Does your Community Service Hours include any volunteerism with the Pinellas County Urban League?*
  • 0/300

  • High School Information

  • Did You Take Advanced Classes?*
  • Graduating with AA Degree?*
  • Did You Hold a Leadership Position in Your Campus Based Extracurricular Activities?*
  • Did You Hold a Leadership Position in Your Community Based Extracurricular Activities?*
  • Off Campus Employment*
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  • Essay Submission

  • Please write and upload a well-developed essay (500-1000 words) to respond to one of the following prompts:

    1. Describe how you will use this scholarship opportunity to influence a campus community and your local community after high school graduation. How will your growth as a leader directly benefit others? 
    2. Describe your past and/or present leadership experiences and service involvements. How do you hope to be involved on campus and in the community? How do you see yourself as a positive community agent of change?
    3. Outside of your parent(s)/guardian(s), who has been an influential individual? How did this person impact your life and how do you plan to apply lessons learned from them to your future goals and ambitions?

    Essay Submission Reminder:
    You must write your essay using your own words and themes. Using AI tools for your final submission or plagiarizing may result in your application being disqualified.

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  • How did you hear about this scholarship opportunity?*

  • Parental/Guardian Information

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.

  • :CC (Carbon Copy) Parent/Guardian 1 on Scholarship Communications?*
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • :CC (Carbon Copy) Parent/Guardian 2 on Scholarship Communications?

  • Acknowldgements and E-Signatures

  • Haynes Heroes Scholarship Program Media Waiver

    I, {parentguardian1}, the parent/guardian of {firstName} {lastName}, consent to the release of photographs, videos, audio, and other related recorded materials captured during the Haynes Heroes Scholarship Program, its application process and events. All submitted materials shall remain the sole property of the Pinellas Urban League and shall not be sold to any entity.

    Honest Submission Certification

    By entering my/our names below, I/We acknowledge and agree that this constitutes our electronic signature and is the legal equivalent of a digital or handwritten signature. I/We certify that all information provided in this application is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my or our knowledge at the time of submission. I/We agree to promptly notify the Pinellas County Urban League of any changes to the information submitted. I/We understand that intentional misrepresentation, omission of material facts, or submission of false documents may result in this scholarship application being withdrawn from consideration and disqualified.

    Additional Expectations

    I/We understand that a scholarship interview will be required if I become a finalist. Interviews will be held in early April. Also, I/We understand scholarship recipients will be required to attend a personal finance literacy session hosted by the Pinellas County Urban League before any scholarship funds will be released to my institution.

  • Applicant Signature Date*
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  • Parent/Guardian Signature Date*
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