EmailMe Form - 175 to 1: 'Rising Against the Odds' Scholarship

175 to 1: 'Rising Against the Odds' Scholarship

$20,000 For 2026 High School Seniors Who Refuse to be Defined by Their Circumstances

“For I know the plans I have for you…” — Jeremiah 29:11

NBA Legend and AllStar, Tracy McGrady, was once an overlooked and underestimated athlete. He entered an elite Adidas basketball camp as an unknown and unranked player, amongst some of the nation’s top and sought after basketball stars. McGrady was ranked the last and least in the camp, as number 175. Consequently, he wore jersey number 175 to represent his rank. Through resilience, belief, and dedication, by the end of the three-day camp, he went from the least to the greatest. He started off as number 175, but rose to number one, which catapulted him to now being an international icon and phenomenon. His story is one of resilience and overcoming all odds and labels.
This scholarship was created to honor the student who may not have always been seen but never stopped striving. The one who kept showing up, kept pushing forward, and remained committed to building a better future despite the odds.
Not every student’s story is filled with recognition, awards, or perfect grades. Some have had to fight quietly navigating challenges at home, limited support, or being overlooked and underestimated along the way.
We believe resilience, perseverance, and dedication are just as worthy of recognition as any accolade.

The application instructions include:
• Complete the essay online.
• Submit through the Events tab on woric.org
• Application Deadline: Friday, July 10
• Scholarship amount: $20,000

Graduate's Name *
First Last
Address *

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region Postal / Zip Code Country / Region
Phone Number *
### - ### - ####
Email *
Church Information: Are you a member of Word of Restoration? *
Yes
No
If yes, how long have you been a member?
Name of college, university, or trade program you will be attending. *
Eligibility Requirements:(Please check all that apply)
Be a graduating high school senior
Plan to enroll in a college, university, or trade program
Be a first-generation college student (neither parent has completed a 4-year college degree)
Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA
Have been raised in a single-parent household
Demonstrate firsthand experiences of being overlooked, underestimated, or facing adversity
Commit to giving a small percentage (at least $150.00) of the scholarship to someone in need, or to a worthy cause.
Application Requirements: Applicants must submit choice of essay below.

Submit to: scholarships@woric.org

Personal Essay #1 (400-500 words) responding to the prompt:
Tell us about yourself: Where do you plan to attend college? What do you plan to study? Why is this important to you? How do you plan to use your degree to impact the world?
Application Requirements: Submit to: scholarships@woric.org

Personal Essay #2 (400–600 words) responding to the prompt: “Describe a time when you felt overlooked, underestimated, or counted out. How did you respond? What did you learn? How did the experience help you grow and overcome the challenge? What scripture or Bible story encouraged you during that time? Also, explain who you would give a percentage of the scholarship to and why.”
Items needed after essay application has been submitted:

· A copy of your high school transcript

· Proof of college or program acceptance (may be submitted once received)

· Two letters of recommendation (one from a teacher, counselor, coach, mentor and one from a personal source, family member, friend of family, etc.
Certification & Signature:
I certify that the information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Clear