About the Program
The Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Beat the Odds® scholarship program honors outstanding high school students who have overcome tremendous adversity, demonstrated academic commitment and given back to their communities. Every other year, CDF-Ohio provides a $5,000 college scholarship, a laptop computer, and an invitation to join CDF’s youth leadership development programs, to five Ohio high school seniors.
The next round of Beat the Odds scholarship applications will be available in the fall of 2020. High school seniors who will be graduating by June 2021 will be eligible to apply. After a competitive review process, five Ohio high school seniors will be selected as CDF-Ohio’s Beat the Odds scholars. These students will be introduced and honored at the Beat the Odds Award Ceremony where their powerful stories of resilience, courage, determination and hope serve as a stirring reminder and call to action for change-agents, policy makers and every one of us to renew our commitment to children. They are a reminder that no one should ever give up on a child.
Since 2012, the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Beat the Odds scholarship has been awarded to 30 students statewide. Alumni of the CDF-Ohio program have graduated from universities throughout the country and are serving in a diverse range of occupations.
Previous Honorees
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Rebecca Finley
2014