Ten Finalists for the Inaugural Gilder Lehrman-Rise Prize Announced
Finalists now compete for a Rise Global Scholarship with up to $500,000 in lifetime benefits
June 8, 2021, New York City - The Gilder Lehrman Institute is pleased to announce that 10 students from the Gilder Lehrman Institute network have been named finalists for the Rise Global Scholars Program, an initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust.
A total of 500 finalists—winnowed down from a global pool of tens of thousands of applicants—will now compete to become one of the 100 Global Winners, each of whom will receive up to $500,000 in lifetime benefits as they work to serve others.
Says Gilder Lehrman Institute President James G. Basker, “The Rise program has established itself as a premier global scholarship opportunity, offering lifetime support for talented and civic-minded young citizens. We are happy to partner with Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust on this endeavor and thrilled to have 10 of our nominated students chosen as finalists.”
In November 2020, teachers in the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s Affiliate School Program were invited to nominate two students between the ages of 15 and 17 for the inaugural Gilder Lehrman-Rise Prize, a collaboration between the Gilder Lehrman Institute and Rise. Each student was given the chance to apply for a Rise Global Scholarship and received a free copy of Ron Chernow’s best-selling book Alexander Hamilton.
The 10 finalists for the Rise Global Scholars Program come from Gilder Lehrman Affiliate Schools. The Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School Program, free to all K–12 schools, is a network of more than 29,000 Affiliate Schools that connects teachers and students to valuable resources. This includes unlimited access to the Gilder Lehrman Collection’s catalog of more than 75,000 primary sources; the online journal History Now; exclusive eligibility for summer Teacher Seminars; free books, posters, and other materials distributed monthly; and exclusive discounts on Self-Paced Courses.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s civics initiatives, including Teaching Civics through History™ and the National Academy of American History and Civics™, align with the Rise program’s mission to find and connect exceptional people around the world who could do more to serve others in their communities throughout their lives if they had more opportunity.
The 10 finalists for the Gilder Lehrman-Rise Prize come from the following schools:
- Alabama Virtual Academy, Birmingham, AL
- BASIS Tucson North, Tucson, AZ
- Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts, Chattanooga, TN
- Derby High School, Derby, UK (2 students)
- Fontbonne Academy, Milton, MA
- Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy, Kenner, LA
- Marlborough High School, Marlborough, MA
- Quarry Lane School, Dublin, CA
- Watauga High School, Boone, NC
Student projects ranged from podcasts to research projects to new websites exploring a wide range of social issues and history.
Finalists now compete in “Rise Finalist Days.” Students completing the activities during their Finalist Day receive $1,000 in benefits to be used toward their social impact projects. In addition, finalists receive a $250 gift certificate for the Gilder Lehrman Gift Shop and a framed certificate commemorating their reaching this stage of the Rise search process.
About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Founded in 1994 by Lewis E. Lehrman and the late Richard Gilder, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. The Institute’s mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges. Visit gilderlehrman.org to learn more.
About RISE
Rise is a global talent program that finds extraordinary young people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they use their talents to serve others. Visit risefortheworld.org to learn more.