The 2024 African American Graduation Awards
2024 Electronic Scholarship Application
2024 Application Deadline: Sunday, March 17, 2024
Watch The 2020 Virtual Graduation Awards Program Now!
For more information please email scholarships@akabakersfield.com or contact your High School Counselor or Career Center
Award Selection Criteria
Since 1980, Kappa Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., (AKA) has sponsored an Annual African American Graduation Awards Program. This program is a celebration of African-American High School and Eighth Grade graduates in Kern County. High School graduates are presented with book scholarships and Eighth Grade graduates are presented with certificates of recognition.
AKA awards book scholarships to High School graduates based on the following criteria:
- Submission of a complete book scholarship application packet. Packet must include completed application, personal essay, sealed letters (2) of recommendation and an official transcript.
- Successful review of the application packet for significant achievement in one or more areas including: grade point average, school leadership activities, community service participation or athletic competition. There is also consideration of financial need.
- Submission of proof of registration in 12 or more college units. Registration must be completed within the first semester after high school graduation.
High School students nominated for a book scholarship must meet all of the above criteria. In the event a student fails to meet any of the criteria for the award (e.g. submitting proof of registration in college), the award remains in the scholarship fund to be awarded in a subsequent year.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority partners with Community Donors who wish to give scholarships to deserving high school students. Some Community Donors give funds to the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. for scholarship distribution while others give directly to the student. AKA also invites churches and other organizations to recognize their scholarship recipients during our African American Graduation Awards Program.
Eighth grade students are presented Certificates of Recognition based upon the recommendation of the principal or counselor of their schools.
Community Donors
We are excited to partner with YOU to recognize African American students pursuing academic excellence while serving their community. Click www.bakersfieldivylegacy.org/scholarship-donations to donate.
Option B Community Awards — You complete and submit the form at this link that includes your award recipient’s name by March 1, 2024. The sorority will honor the student at the Graduation Awards Program. It is your responsibility to notify the student and send scholarship monies to your award recipient.
Alumni Updates
Have you received a scholarship from AKA? We want to hear from you!!
Email us at scholarships@akabakersfield.com!
Program Description
Since 1980, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Kappa Omega Omega Chapter has hosted an annual Graduation Awards Program to reach out to Kern County African American students preparing to further their education.
Every year since then graduating seniors have been recognized and over 1000 scholarships totaling nearly $325,000 have been awarded to Kern County students heading for college. The annual scholarship application is made available here at this website. Scholarship winners are recognized at the Annual African American Graduation Awards Program.
In 2014, AKA began a partnership with the Bakersfield Ivy Legacy Foundation, Inc. This offers Community Donors who wish to give scholarships a tax-deductible way to give. Some Community Donors give funds to The Foundation, Inc. for scholarship distribution while others give directly to the students.
Middle school principals and counselors submit the names of African American honor roll students to us as well. In turn, the students are presented with a certificate of academic excellence and applauded for their outstanding achievement at the Award Program as well.
