SDATAT Scholarship Program
Scholarship Sponsored by South Dakota Association of Towns & Townships
Introduction
This scholarship is open to South Dakota seniors (graduating class of 2026) who live in a town or township that is a current member of SDATAT. Awards must be used at a college, university, or vocational school that maintains a physical campus or presence in South Dakota.
Eligibility
- Must be a senior in high school (class of 2026) and a resident of South Dakota.
- Current enrollment may be at a South Dakota public, private, parochial high school, or a home school program.
- The student’s town or township must be a current SDATAT member.
- The scholarship funds must be applied to a postsecondary institution with a physical location in South Dakota.
Application requirements and essay rules
- The essay must be typed, double-spaced, and not exceed 500 words.
- The essay must not identify the applicant — do not include your name, your school, your town or township, or the names of local officials.
- Judging criteria include originality, how well the essay addresses the assigned topic, and correctness of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Applicants may include up to two letters of support; each letter must be one page in length.
Selection process
Submissions are first received and screened at the SDATAT office by the Deputy Administrative Director to confirm compliance with all rules. Any entry that fails to meet the guidelines will be disqualified. All qualifying essays are assigned numbers (to preserve anonymity) and forwarded to the Scholarship Committee; only the essays (no identifying materials) are sent. Once the committee selects a winning essay, the assigned number is returned to the Deputy Administrative Director, who then releases the winner’s name.