WASHINGTON, D.C.—AARP Foundation has announced a call for entries for its first-ever competitive Mentor Up Scholarship. The scholarship award will provide educational funds to a young adult with a passion for community service who has made a positive impact on the life of an older adult in their community.

Mentor Up inspires and encourages young people to give back in service to older adults in need, with a focus on helping  them stay connected to friends, family and community, and adjust to the many challenges they face in today’s changing world. The program creates an opportunity for young people to use the skills they have–like technology skills–to help older generations learn to get out, connect and avoid being left behind.

“Through our work in the Foundation, we know that more than 8 million older adults face social isolation in this country,” said AARP Foundation President Lisa Marsh Ryerson.  “What’s beautiful about the Mentor Up program, is that it fosters positive and meaningful social engagements between young people who have the time to give back in service, and older adults who are in need of their support and companionship.”

“This unique program shows that meaningful mentoring relationships can take all shapes and forms, and we’re excited to be able to recognize those young people who are making an effort to share their knowledge and passions with older adults in their communities,” said Nicole Anderson, Executive Director of Philanthropy at AT&T. “By providing an opportunity for them to share the positive influence they’ve had, we hope to encourage others to do the same.”

Through the generous support of AT&T, AARP Foundation will award one grand prize Mentor Up winner with a $10,000 scholarship. Those who submit entries will also be eligible to win $250 sweepstakes prizes through the submission phase of the contest, and a prize of $25 will be awarded every day during the public voting phase, with the daily winner chosen at random from those who participate in the voting.

Entrants must submit a short essay, no longer than 250 words, about how they have personally had an impact on the life of an older adult. Fifteen finalists will be selected by a panel of judges, based upon creativity, innovation, and relevance to the contest theme. Finalists will then have their entries posted online for a public vote to determine the winner.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

•  Be a legal resident of the U.S.
• Be between the ages of 14 and 24
• Have an active MentorUp.org account at the time of entry

Deadlines:

The contest submission period ends on December 31, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Public voting for the scholarship winner will be open from January 16 to February 14, 2016.

To learn more about eligibility requirements or to enter to win, please visit: http://scholarship.mentorup.org.

About AARP Foundation 
AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is a charitable affiliate of AARP. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org.

About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2014, nearly $127 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.

CONTACT:
Charlotte Castillo, 202-434-2560, media@aarp.org, @AARPMedia