MSU Extension Virtual Learning Showcase & Auctions

*Actual scholarship application completed through an online form* 

It is the mission of The Michigan State Fair and Michigan 4-H to promote and celebrate the positive achievements by youth in the state of Michigan. In order to provide youth participants in the Michigan State Fair 4-H & Youth Virtual Showcase with recognition and reward, we will be awarding scholarships through an application process as outlined below. These scholarships are possible due to a generous donation from the Michigan State Fair Foundation and the Bowman family.

All responses to questions must be your own original work. You can get help with spelling or grammar, but the ideas and writing must come from you. Using text written by someone else or generated by AI tools (like ChatGPT) is not allowed. Entries found to include copied or AI-generated content may receive less points and/or be disqualified.

Below is the scholarship application information to assist with preparation.

Who is eligible to compete for a scholarship? 

• Any Michigan youth ages 8-19 (as of Jan 1, 2026) exhibiting in at least one department within the 2026 Michigan State Fair 4-H & Youth Virtual Showcase.
• Age brackets for scholarship applications are: 8-11, 12-15 and 16-19 as of Jan 1, 2026.
• The scholarship can be used for any and all expenses related to the applicants’ post-secondary education.
• An exhibitor is only eligible to win 1 scholarship per year at The Michigan State Fair, but may enter more than one division.
• Award recipients will be selected based on competitive judging of the application
• All scholarship awards will be handled through the Michigan 4-H Foundation.

Scholarship recipients will be notified, via e-mail, in late August regarding the awards ceremony at the Michigan State Fair in Novi, Michigan. Additional notification and instructions will also be mailed to the mailing address on file.

The following information will be asked for on the scholarship application submitted through the link only. No paper applications will be accepted.

Participants must complete the questions based on their age as of Jan 1, 2026.

Required questions are denoted with an asterisk (*) below.

Personal Information

• *Full legal name
• *Age as of January 1, 2026
• *Birthdate
• *Expected high school graduation year
• *Mailing Address
• *City
• *State
• *Zip code
• *County of residence
• *Primary phone number
• Alternate phone number
• *Youth e-mail
• *Parent/Guardian name
• *Parent/Guardian e-mail

Application Questions for 8-11 year old applicants as of Jan 1, 2026

Project Based

1. *What was your project(s) about? Tell us what you made, learned, or explored.
2. *What is one thing you are proud of from this project(s)?
3. *Was anything tricky or hard? How did you try to fix it or keep going?
4. *What did you like about sharing your project (s) online?

Growth & Future Thinking

5. *What advice would you give to another youth preparing for the Michigan State Fair 4-H And Youth Virtual Showcase?
6. *What is something you enjoy learning about right now? Why does it interest you?

Application Questions for 12-15 year old applicants as of Jan 1, 2026

Project Based

1. *Describe the project (s) you showcased. What was your goal, and why did you choose this project(s)?
2. *What skills did you learn or improve while working on this project(s)?

Growth & Future Thinking

3. *How has this (these) project(s) helped you grow as a learner or leader?
4. *How could what you learned from this (these) project(s) help you be beyond ready for future education or careers?
5. *Why would receiving this scholarship be meaningful to you?
6. *What are two goals you have for the next few years? What steps are you taking to reach them?
7. *What career or pathway are you currently interested in exploring? Why?

Application Questions for 16-19 year old applicants as of Jan 1, 2026

Project Based

1. *Describe the project(s) you showcased. What was your goal, and what are you most proud of?
2. *What new skills or knowledge did you gain through working on this project(s)?
3. *What challenge did you face during your project(s), and how did you overcome it?
4. *How did participating in a virtual showcase change how you shared or explained your work?

Personal Growth & Leadership

5. *Describe a moment in your life when you showed persistence, creativity, or initiative.

Growth and Future Thinking

6. *How does this project(s) connect to your future education or career goals and efforts to be beyond ready for the future?
7. *How would this scholarship help you continue learning, growing, or giving back?
8. *What impact do you hope to make in your career or community?
9. *What challenges might you face in achieving your goals, and how will you overcome them?

*I certify that the above information is accurate.

Signature of Applicant

Signature of Parent/Guardian (if applicant is under 18 years of age)