ACLU of Florida Social Media Civic Engagement Scholarship

Your voice matters in the fight for freedom—now more than ever. As our state and communities face real threats to our rights, this is your moment to step into your power and help defend democracy.
Every generation is tested. This one is being tested right now—and the future of our freedoms depends on whether people speak up and take action.

This scholarship is an opportunity to join a long legacy of young people who have helped move our country forward: freedom fighters, organizers, and truth-tellers who refused to accept that rights can be taken away quietly. If you believe that freedom is earned, not given—and that young people have a vital role in shaping the future—this call to action is for you.

The ACLU of Florida (ACLU FL) is awarding three $5,000 scholarships for Florida high school and college students who are ready to take up the mantle of civic engagement and inspire other young people to action. Scholarships are open to graduating Florida high school seniors and graduates of Florida high schools currently enrolled in an accredited vocational school, community college, college, or university. All applicants must be U.S. citizens.

Please read the full application guidelines before applying to make sure your video meets all requirements.

Prompt One: Florida has become a national leader in book bans and classroom censorship, and there have been multiple lawsuits challenging restrictions that critics say infringe on academic freedom and the right to learn. As a result, many students have grown up with fewer books on library shelves and limits on what topics can be discussed in school.

As a student, what have you noticed about censorship or restricted learning in your school experience? Why is the right to free speech—and the freedom to access information—so important in a democracy? What’s at stake for students when governments try to control what can be read, taught, or discussed, and why should these patterns concern all students?

Prompt Two: Across Florida, many students are navigating a school climate shaped by fear and uncertainty—especially in immigrant communities. Some students worry about potential ICE encounters in or around schools. Others have walked into class and learned that a teacher or professor is gone. In some communities, families are keeping kids home because they fear being stopped, arrested, or separated.

What does it do to a school community when students and families are afraid to show up? As a student, explain why the freedom to speak out and organize is important in moments like this. Why should we protect the right for every student to learn safely and with dignity—regardless of immigration status? And why should these patterns concern all students, even those who don’t think it affects them?

Prompt Three: Today, perhaps for the first time in American history, children are growing up with fewer civil rights and civil liberties than their parents had. At the same time, students and young people have always been a catalyst for change—pushing our country closer to its promises of freedom and equality.

What civil rights and civil liberties are you most concerned about protecting right now, and why? What’s at stake for you and your generation if those rights are weakened? And how can young people get involved— through learning, storytelling, organizing, and civic participation—to help expand rights and freedoms for all, alongside organizations like the ACLU of Florida?