The Wellesley Service League (WSL) has presented the annual Centennial Youth Service Award for the last 40 years. This merit-based award is given by the League for outstanding volunteer service. An eligible applicant should be a Wellesley resident or a student at Wellesley High School completing their senior year, who has demonstrated unusual dedication and selflessness in a volunteer capacity. Ideally, this volunteer service will have been performed in the local community. The award recognizes outstanding volunteer service among our youth and encourages the spirit of volunteerism in our community. This year, WSL will name one recipient of a $3,000 award.

The application is due by March 21, 2025. You can download the application here or email WellesleyServiceLeague@gmail.com to request an application.

The Metrowest Health Foundation

Scholarships are provided to students who are residents of one of the 25 towns in the Foundation’s MetroWest service area, including Natick. Students must be accepted into an eligible nursing, medical, or clinical program at an accredited academic institution. Application information here.

Scholarship awards are based on a rating scale using the following criteria: financial need; GPA, if applicable; essay; letter of recommendation.

The online application will be available during following times:

• April 15 – May 31 (4:00 p.m.) for the academic term starting in September
• October 15 – November 30 (4:00 p.m.) for the academic term starting in January

Peebles Scholarship deadline: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Educators Association Peebles Scholarship was established to honor the memory of Principal James M. Peebles, who served at Wellesley Junior High School for 25 years. The scholarship benefits WTA members’ children who are graduating from any high school and pursuing further educational opportunities. A child does not have to be graduating from Wellesley High School to be eligible. Members must be in good standing and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program. The application deadline is May 1, 2025.

If you need further assistance, please contact Kate Taylor at KateTaylorWEA@gmail.com

Wellesley Educators Association: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Educators Association Future Educators Scholarship was established to benefit one Wellesley High School senior who plans to pursue a career in education. The applicant must demonstrate that he or she has a genuine interest in becoming a teacher and also demonstrate that he or she has taken steps in pursuit of that goal. The scholarship will be awarded one time for the first year the student matriculates to college in the amount of $1,500. Applicants must be in good academic standing at Wellesley High School and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program.  The expected application deadline is April 1, 2025. Finalists typically interview in front of a selection committee in early May.

Samuel M. Graves Scholarship: May 1, 2025

The Wellesley Teachers Association Samuel M. Graves Scholarship benefits Wellesley High School students who have shown academic excellence and demonstrate financial need. Applicants must be in good academic standing at Wellesley High School and students should provide evidence of enrollment in a post-graduation educational program.  Finalists must include at least four teacher references on their application, and the selection committee will elicit these recommendations from WHS teachers. The application deadline is May 1, 2025.

Beyond Wellesley: The Friends of Natick Drama Workshop

Application deadline: May 1, 2025

The Friends of Natick Drama Workshop offers scholarships to high school seniors applying in the spring of their senior year. Seniors at all area high schools are eligible to apply provided they have taken part in at least two Natick Drama Workshop productions while in middle school and are planning to attend college or other formal training that fall. Scholarship amounts depend on funding, the number of applicants, and the extent of their participation in Natick Drama Workshop. Scholarship amounts may change from year to year. The Friends reserve the right to change, suspend, or terminate the scholarship program at any time. Applications must be completed fully and received by May 1, 2025 to be considered.

Applications can be completed online or emailed to board@natickdramaworkschop.org

Charles River Chamber Scholarship

This scholarship application is not yet available.

The Charles River Regional Chamber is pleased to offer scholarship opportunities for up to four deserving students who either live in Needham, Newton, Watertown or Wellesley and/or who attend school in Needham, Newton, Watertown or Wellesley and who plan to attend an accredited post-secondary program, trade school, community college, college, or university full-time in the next academic year. The student(s) selected will have a check (approximately $2,000) sent to their institution to be applied toward tuition upon successful completion of their first semester.

The most significant criterion in the past has been a compelling “story” that shows that the scholarship will make a meaningful difference to the candidate’s ability to finance their program of study and that shows the candidate’s ability to overcome challenges.

Selection will be made by a panel of local leaders who will review all applications.

The scholarship application is not yet open, but the Chamber expects it to be available in early January 2025.

Henry David Thoreau Scholarship

Application deadline: Feb. 1, 2025

Each year, the Henry David Thoreau Foundation selects a new class of Henry David Thoreau Scholars: eight to ten top-ranking high school seniors from Massachusetts who demonstrate the potential for environmental leadership and intend to pursue interdisciplinary environmental studies in college. Each Henry David Thoreau Scholar receives a four-year scholarship of up to $25,000. In addition, Thoreau Scholars are eligible for an environmental internship stipend, which usually takes place between junior and senior year.

John and Abigail Adams Scholarship

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides a credit toward tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university. For this scholarship, merit is based on student scores on the 10th grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test.

There is no application process for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. Students that are eligible for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship will be notified in the fall of their senior year in high school.