Get actionable tips and unique perspectives from past finalists.
Collecting 1 million laptops, smartphones, and other devices for the Electronic Recycling Association $1,000,000 Scholarship might sound like a tall task but that hasn’t stopped students before. After all, the top 5 finalists will split $20,000 in awards and the top 10 finalists will all receive MacBook Pros.
If you’re serious about giving this award a shot and fine-tuning a winning strategy, take advantage of some of the wisdom below to improve your chances.
Kaitlin Eagle – 2020 $10,000 1st Place Winner
“I got my community involved by creating an Instagram account that promoted the awareness of sustainably recycling e-waste and also promoted the event details about my e-waste collection. I tagged local businesses and organizations in my Instagram stories that shared the event details, who many of them were able to repost the information on their accounts. I went on to contact local news networks, including Rogers TV and Kitchener Today, and I was able to secure a TV interview and have an article written about the event.”
Janielle Domingo – 2021 $1,000 7th Place Winner
“Another way was just having one-on-one conversations with my friends or with people that I was introduced to through other friends and just explaining to them what I was doing and asking for their support and then continuing on from that, just asking if they would be willing to spread the news and share my stuff on social media.”
Gia Liu – 2022 $3,000 3rd Place Winner
“In my school, I set up a recycling box and I made announcements so people can come by and drop off their items. I also reached out to local media and newspapers so they can help share my project with the rest of the community. You’ll be surprised by how many people who reach out to you to support you with your initiative.”
Jordan Dearsley – 2022 $1,000 4th Place Winner
“My expectations were constantly exceeded. I always underestimated just how much, just how many people would come out and just how many people I’d be able to reach. I did a lot of my advertising through local media like newspapers such as the Winnipeg Free Press. I also reached out to a lot of different social media accounts of people who are from Winnipeg or the surrounding communities who had larger followings to help me get the word out.”
Maliya Sattaur – 2022 $500 9th Place Winner
“Although, at first, I will admit I was working towards a scholarship, I gained so much more. I developed a greater sense of community and realized how much support I really had. I gained new friends, new connections, and, most importantly, I earned a deeper connection to solving the problem of polluted electronics and landfills.”
Hopefully, you’re feeling motivated to heed the advice from these past winners and you’re ready to use their strategies and tips to fuel your own success. Perseverance and planning are key! If you’re feeling confident about tackling this challenge, you can start right now.
You can also check out the ERA’s 2024 Scholarship Kit for more information about how to start your campaign.