Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Student Scholarship Award
Overview
Dr. Martin D. Jenkins was a trailblazer in educational psychology and a foundational figure in the history of gifted education. In the 1930s, his research showed that Black children of high intelligence existed as often and as powerfully as their peers when given opportunities to learn and grow. His findings contradicted prevailing ideas that Black students were less capable, shaping the earliest scholarship on gifted Black learners and laying the groundwork for equity-focused practices that continue to this day. You can read more about Dr. Martin D. Jenkins' legacy in this blog post.
Today, NAGC honors his legacy through the Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Scholar Award, recognizing highly gifted Black students who excel academically and exemplify Jenkins's vision of talent and promise.
Award benefits include:
- $300 Cash Award
- Complimentary Parent Day registration for up to two parents/guardians
- One scholarship covering registration to attend the Gifted Education Research & Resource Institute’s (GER2I) Summer Residential Program at Purdue University (transportation to/from Purdue not included)
- Parents will receive 1-year Parent membership in NAGC and Special Populations Network
- Invited to attend a featured session at NAGC during the Annual Conference held around the country in November
The 2026 Scholarship Applications are open April 1 - May 31. Apply today!
The Jenkins Scholars Program is proudly supported in part by GERI.
Hear from the 2025 Award Winners
2026 Applications
Application Criteria & Guidelines
Applicants must be a student enrolled in a public, private, or homeschool program in grades 6-12 and meet at least three of the following criteria:
Review the full criteria and guidelines here.
Application Components
Recipients are required to share a brief end-of-school-year report on academic progress by e-mail. In order to receive full consideration, all of the following must be submitted by the deadline:
- Cover sheet
- Personal statement:
- Write a statement describing your primary interests and your thoughts about your future career or direction for your life. Use Microsoft Word to generate the letter using the following parameters: Not to exceed three pages, double-spaced, Times, 12-point font.
- Exhibits:
- Applicants must submit at least 3 exhibits (6 maximum) associated with the different criteria to provide evidence of exemplary achievement. The quality, not quantity, of the exhibits is most important. For non-print artifacts, you may represent these with a photo image taken with a camera or downloaded from a website or create a representation using other digital media. It may be constructive to consult with a teacher, counselor or another educational advocate/mentor who can help you to identify and craft your exhibits.
- 2 nominating letters of support from:
- An educational professional OR other discipline expert (engineer, physician, scientist, artist, attorney, technology experts, etc.) (1 single-spaced page max)
- A family member, mentor, civic or faith-based organization letter (1 single-spaced page max)
Review the full application requirements here.
Application Timeline
Applications for 2026 scholarships can be submitted April 1 - May 31.