Thank you for your interest in the 2025 Elbert Shaw Memorial Scholarship!
A man described as a lifelong community servant with the highest integrity will be commemorated through two scholarships for local youth volunteers. In honor of the legacy of Elbert Shaw’s commitment to volunteer service and youth development, Shaw Industries is partnering with United Way of Northwest Georgia to offer two $5,000 scholarships for high school students.
The Elbert Shaw Memorial Scholarship seeks to recognize young people who are active, empowered members of our community. The award recipients will be youth who work in cooperation with their peers and community leaders to create positive change in society, including identifying problems and implementing solutions.
The scholarship(s) will be given out annually at the Youth & Volunteer Awards Celebration in April. Students are only eligible to receive the award once in a lifetime.
Elbert Shaw worked tirelessly to have a positive impact on our community’s youth. The Elbert Shaw Memorial Scholarship will honor his life by perpetuating his goals of youth development by sowing the seeds for future volunteers in Northwest Georgia.
REQUIREMENTS
Complete the online application below.
A photograph of the applicant (an action shot while volunteering and looking at the camera).
A letter from the applicant’s school stating that they are a current Junior or Senior in high school, and the grade point average of the student. Students must hold a current high school GPA of 3.00 or higher.
If the student attends school outside of Whitfield or Murray counties, but lives in one of the two counties, please submit proof of residency, such as a copy of the student's driver's license.
Two letters of recommendation from non-relatives, preferably from teachers or the staff of an organization where the student volunteers.
A letter of verification must be submitted from each non-profit, school, or government agency where the individual has served, stating the dates of service and the total number of hours.
The applicant must have completed at least 150 hours of volunteer service in 2025. This volunteer log must be completed, totaling 150 hours or more.
The application deadline is Friday, January 23, 2026, by 4:00 pm. Please contact Hayley Poillucci if you have any questions.