Leader Scholar Award

The Leader/Scholar Application for the Class of 2028 opens September 1, 2023.

Eighth grade boys and girls who are in exemplary academic and disciplinary standing and are involved in the community are invited to apply for our Leader/Scholar Award!

To be considered for the award, you MUST:

  • Identify yourself as someone who has outstanding leadership qualities
  • Have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5 during your seventh grade year and no grade lower than a B (3 for standards based) in your core classes which consist of English, Math, Science, History, and Religion, if applicable.
  • Be involved in at least two extracurricular activities in your school or community
  • Have an exemplary disciplinary record at your present school
  • Take the Entrance Exam at St. Laurence on Saturday, December 2, 2023

The student must nominate himself or herself by filling out the form on the website when it is released September 1st.

The nomination form is the first part of the process – if you do not fill it out, you will not be considered for the award. Parent nominations will not be accepted. The student nomination consists of a brief message about why you are nominating yourself and some basic information. Additionally, please note that students must create a Gmail account in order to submit their nomination.

Upon filling out the nomination form, you will receive an email from Ms. Storino with the official application. All required elements must be uploaded in order to submit the application. The application cannot be completed without the following:

  • Student personal gmail account - This is necessary for correspondence and uploading documents. School emails cannot be used as they will not accept incoming emails from outside the school. Enter this email account on the form.
  • Current school’s principal name and email address - This is required for the administrator recommendation form which is sent after the deadline application. After November 15th, 2023, the student should tell their principal to look for an email from Ms. Laura Storino.
  • GPA
  • A Leadership Essay (200-250 words) in response to one of the following prompts:
    Reflect upon a time when you had to think outside the box in order to solve a problem.
    Discuss how social media impacts you as a leader.
    Reflect upon a time where you overcame adversity and used leadership to succeed.
  • One letter of recommendation from a teacher (past or present) or school administrator.
  • A copy of your final grades from 7th grade and any grade reports from this year.
  • A 2-3 minute video answering the question “Would you follow you?” This is where you tell us about all your leadership qualities. Feel free to get creative!

Incomplete applications will not be eligible for submission. If the student meets the criteria, he or she will schedule a 15 minute interview slot which will take place on Sunday, November 19th, 2023.

Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, November 8th 2023.

Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, November 15th 2023.

Interviews will take place on Sunday, November 19th 2023.

Leader/Scholar Award Winners are notified in January when they receive their admissions decision letters.

Any questions should be directed to Ms. Laura Storino and Ms. Claire Austin at leaderscholar@stlaurence.com

Statement of Fairness

St. Laurence High School abides by all applicable policies of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the IHSA. In doing so, St. Laurence High School does not promise or offer athletic scholarships of any kind. Violations of IHSA policies may result in loss of eligibility for the student, coach and/or school. In recognition of our shared ministry, St. Laurence High School also does not promise, predict or otherwise allude to specific dollar amounts regarding tuition assistance or financial aid before a student takes the entrance exam. St. Laurence High School promotes the best attributes of our school while respecting the legacy and traditions of other Catholic high schools.