Illinois Young Scholars honors students grades 3-8 who excel in the classroom, in the community, as leaders in extra-curricular, church or other outside interests, as well as on the athletic fields and courts.
Illinois Young Scholars is part of the Scholars Program, which has honored students since 1998. Each year we receive letters from principals, teachers, parents, and students telling us how much the experience means to them and what a void we are filling in their community. This is exactly why we were founded.
Since 2003, we have honored students in the state of Illinois. Until 2008, those students were part of Great Lakes Scholars. Great Lakes Scholars honors students in five other states touching a Great Lake: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In 2008, we decided to differentiate the program in Illinois and give the state its own identity: Illinois Young Scholars.
It may be a cliché, but we are a company that cares. Illinois Young Scholars has been established to allow students the opportunity to receive positive affirmation for what is so important at this age: a willingness and excitement to learn, a desire to be involved, and an enthusiasm towards community service and activities.
Names of students appear for no charge in a book that will be published at the end of the year. You do not "buy" your way into a book. Each student who is nominated deserves the recognition.
Realizing that not everyone wants a book nor can afford one, we post children's names on this web site if they receive permission from their parent or guardian. We allow schools a chance to download press releases to send this news to local media. Each school receives a complimentary certificate noting their participation.
Finally, we host community recognition events such as Illinois Young Scholars Night at the Ballpark with the Chicago White Sox to again show that hard work, good grades, and community service do matter and are noticed in our community.
We are not above good ideas and suggestions on how we can do this or anything else. Email us at info@IllinoisScholars.com and let us know your thoughts.
We wish you the best in your academic and other pursuits.
Our History: How Illinois Young Scholars evolved
1998: Great Lakes Scholars launches in the State of Michigan honoring 4th-8th graders. Great Lakes Scholars honors over 3,000 students its first year and receives great feedback from teachers, administrators, parents and students regarding our caring nature and willingness to "step up" and show that people are watching and do care about the formulative 4th-8th grade years.
2002: Great Lakes Scholars celebrates its 5th Anniversary. In that time, thousands of teachers and nearly 20,000 students have participated and honored.
2003: Great Lakes Scholars grows to encompass the entire Great Lakes region by adding five additional states. Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Minnesota are also included in the opportunity to honor their Best & Brightest students.
2004: Great Lakes Scholars responds to requests by teachers and parents to include third graders for the opportunity to be honored and included as a Great Lakes Scholar. Beginning in 2004, 3rd-8th graders are honored. Now, 35,000 students have been honored since Great Lakes Scholars inception.
2004: On a semi-regular basis, Great Lakes Scholars begins emailing out a newsletter to its participants with news, awards, and honors of other Great Lakes Scholars. The service is done for free as another example of how Great Lakes Scholars truly seeks to honor all of its awardees.
2006: Great Lakes Scholars hosts its first event in Chicago as over a thousand Scholars, families and friends watch the defending World Champion Chicago White Sox battle the eventual American League Champion Detroit Tigers.
2007: Great Lakes Scholars celebrates its 10th year of existence.
2008: Illinois Young Scholars is established for the students of Illinois. While Scholars were previously honored under the name of Great Lakes Scholars, it now has its own identity. The Scholars Program has grown to honor students in nine different states: Illinois (Illinois Young Scholars), Florida (Florida's Young Scholars), Texas (Lone Star State Scholars), California (California Young Scholars) and Great Lakes Scholars (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota). Through the 2009 year, 92,000 students have been honored.
