The Youth Awards was founded in 1998 by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Now entering its 21st year, the Youth Awards honors Latino high school seniors who excel in the classroom and community and for their excellence in various categories including: Business & Entrepreneurship, Community Service, Education, Healthcare & Science, Media & Entertainment, and Technology & Engineering.

Gold, Silver and Bronze recipients are selected in each category and receive a one-time grant to fund their college education or to fund a community service effort that tackles a social issue. Students are then positioned as role models in their community at local ceremonies with an audience of business leaders, elected officials, local organizations and our sponsors.

Once selected, recipients will be celebrated at 10 regional ceremonies across the country including: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Northern CA, Puerto Rico, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C., and will become part of our broader HHF network of 150,000+ professionals and fulfill our unique cycle of leadership where we meet America's priorities in the classroom and workforce.

The Youth Awards program is the main pipeline to Hispanic Heritage Foundation's (HHF) system of talent that prepares and positions Latino youth through the award-winning Latinos On Fast Track (LOFT) program as they transition from high school, to college, to graduate school, and into their careers. Follow LOFT on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Youth Awards Regions

• Alabama, AL
• Alaska, AK
• American Samoa, AS
• Arizona, AZ
• Arkansas, AR
• California, CA
• Colorado, CO
• Connecticut, CT
• Delaware, DE
• District of Columbia, DC
• Florida, FL
• Georgia, GA
• Guam, GU
• Hawaii, HI
• Idaho, ID
• Illinois, IL
• Indiana, IN
• Iowa, IA
• Kansas, KS
• Kentucky, KY
• Louisiana, LA
• Maine, ME
• Maryland, MD
• Massachusetts, MA
• Michigan, MI
• Minnesota, MN
• Mississippi, MS
• Missouri, MO
• Montana, MT
• Nebraska, NE
• Nevada, NV
• New Hampshire, NH
• New Jersey, NJ
• New Mexico, NM
• New York, NY
• North Carolina, NC
• North Dakota, ND
• Ohio, OH
• Oklahoma, OK
• Oregon, OR
• Pennsylvania, PA
• Puerto Rico, PR
• Rhode Island, RI
• South Carolina, SC
• South Dakota, SD
• Tennessee, TN
• Texas, TX
• Utah, UT
• Vermont, VT
• Virgin Islands, VI
• Virginia, VA
• Washington, WA
• West Virginia, WV
• Wisconsin, WI
• Wyoming, WY

Youth Awards Categories

• Community Service
• Education
• Engineering
• Entrepreneurship & Business
• Green Sustainability
• Healthcare & Science
• Media & Entertainment
• Public Service & Social Justice
• Technology

Eligibility

• Be currently enrolled in high school and graduating in the spring of 2019
• Must have a minimum unweighted 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or 7.5 on a 10.0 scale
• Must enroll at an accredited higher education institution in 2019-2020
• Be of Hispanic heritage (includes Spain, Brazil, Philippines)
• If selected, attendance to regional awards ceremony is mandatory and travel is at the recipient’s expense
• Be a U.S. permanent resident, U.S. citizen, or qualify under the DACA

All recipients are eligible to be selected as a National recipient. National recipients receive an all-expense paid trip to be recognized at the National Youth Awards ceremony. More information on the National Youth Awards will be posted on our website and be mentioned during all regional ceremonies.