The Horatio Alger Association

The 100th Birthday Concert in Honor of Ebby Halliday will provide college scholarships for Texas students. The Horatio Alger Association will administer the scholarships in honor of Horatio Alger Member Ebby Halliday. The earnings from the anticipated net proceeds of $1 million will fund scholarships in perpetuity in Ebby's name. The Horatio Alger Association is a 501(c)(3) educational organization wholly funded by private sector support, and contributions are tax deductible.

  The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1947 to combat a growing attitude among young people that economic opportunity was a thing of the past. The Association strives to motivate and educate our nation’s young people about the economic and personal opportunities afforded them through the American free enterprise system.

The Association celebrates the "Horatio Alger heroes" of today by presenting Horatio Alger Awards, and it helps create the "heroes" of the future by providing over $70 million in college scholarships to deserving young people since 1984.

Mission

• To induct as lifetime Members of the Association contemporary role models whose experiences exemplify that opportunities for a successful life are available to all individuals who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance, and compassion for others.
• To provide scholarship assistance to deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity and determination in overcoming adversity, academic potential, and the personal aspiration to make a unique contribution to society.
• To mentor scholarship recipients and educate all youth about the limitless possibilities that are available through the American free enterprise system, while underscoring the importance of service to others.

Membership & Affiliates

Horatio Alger Members: The Horatio Alger Award and induction into the Association are conferred each year on usually ten Americans who have triumphed over adversity to achieve success in their respective fields. Consisting of nearly 650 Horatio Alger Award recipients, the membership represents all walks of American life. Members have made outstanding contributions in the fields of science, medicine, business, entertainment, athletics, government, industry, law, religion, education, and the arts. Members serve as role models to youth inspiring them by example and encouraging them through educational opportunities. Spouses of Members, known as Life Partners, also actively participate in the programs of the Association. In 2003, the Horatio Alger Association began presenting an International Horatio Alger Award each year to a citizen of another country who serves as a role model and embodies the ideals promoted by the Association. Horatio Alger Friends of Distinction are individuals, foundations, and corporations who are not Members of the Association but who become formally affiliated with and recognized by the Horatio Alger Association for their support of its mission and educational programs.

Educational Activities

To inspire and encourage American youth along the path to success, Horatio Alger Members sponsor the following programs:

Horatio Alger National Scholarships: Each year more than 100 students receive Horatio Alger National Scholarships valued at $20,000 each. Recipients have exhibited integrity, academic promise, and perseverance in overcoming personal adversity. National Scholarship recipients attend, as guests of the Association, the National Scholars Conference held annually in Washington, D.C., to learn about the federal government and the American free enterprise system through meetings with Association Members.

Horatio Alger State Scholarship Programs: The Association has additional scholarship programs in individual states for high school seniors who will be attending college. Award amounts range from $2,500 and $10,500. The Association has scholarship programs in Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming. Scholarship recipients have demonstrated strength of character in the face of adversity, academic potential, community involvement, and a desire for a college education. In 2011, the Association plans to award state scholarships in all of the 50 states.

State of Our Nation’s Youth: The Association conducts a survey every three years among American teenagers, ages 13–19, to learn about the people, institutions, and issues that are shaping their lives. Results are compiled in a report bearing the same name, which serves as a resource for educators and people concerned about the well-being of today’s young people.

Horatio Alger Collegiate Partners: A premier network of colleges and universities from across the country works in partnership with the Association to provide special scholarship and financial aid opportunities for Horatio Alger Scholars who attend their schools.

Horatio Alger Internship and Placement Service: Provides Horatio Alger Scholars with opportunities to gain practical work experience while attending college, with the possibility of permanent placement following graduation.

Horatio Alger Alumni Association: The Alumni Association enables Horatio Alger scholarship recipients who have completed their studies to maintain contact with each other and to remain involved with the Association through Alumni conferences, a newsletter, mentoring programs, and a variety of other activities. To further assist its Alumni, the Association annually awards the Alumnus of the Year Award to recognize an Alumnus who has excelled academically, professionally and in service to his or her community. To assist Alumni seeking graduate degrees, the Association awards the Dennis R. Washington Achievement Scholarship.

Public Awareness

The Horatio Alger Association shares information about its educational activities and mission with millions of Americans through video productions and publications.

Web site: The Web site features information about the Association’s mission, Members and scholarship activities. Among the many options featured on the site, viewers may obtain biographical information about Association Members, and students may apply for Horatio Alger scholarships online. (www.horatioalger.org).

Publications

Only in America Opportunity Still Knocks annually announces the Horatio Alger Award recipients and National Scholarship recipients.

Quotations: Success Secrets of Power Thinkers is a collection of inspirational quotations and biographical information from the Members of the Horatio Alger Association.

Ad Astra Per Aspera – To the Stars through Difficulties: A 60-Year History of the Horatio Alger Association recounts the Association’s development from its formation in 1947 to contemporary times.

The Forum, the Association’s semiannual magazine, provides current information about Members, Association activities, and educational programs.

An Investment in America’s Future – Association Profile provides a broad overview of the Association, including information about its Members, educational programs, alumni activities, development, and public outreach.

Strive and Succeed, the Association’s student newsletter, provides current information about the National Scholars, Association activities, and educational programs.

A Commitment to Our Scholars documents ways the Association currently supports young people in addition to its scholarship programs, and it outlines plans to increase assistance in the immediate future to foster lifelong relationships with its Scholars.

Building a Legacy: Twenty-five Years of Achievement conveys the results of the 2006-2007 National Scholars Survey. Current and Alumni Scholars participated in the survey.

Collegiate Partners Program describes the Collegiate Partners Program and provides interested schools with an agreement form.

Legacy of Achievement, a newsletter produced biannually that acknowledges major gifts from donors and conveys the stories of young people whose lives are changed by support from the Association. It also provides regular updates on the Capital Campaign.

State of Our Nation’s Youth report conveys the results of the Association’s annual national survey on the attitudes and beliefs of teenagers. This report is made available to the public in conjunction with an annual press conference.

The Horatio Alger Association is wholly funded by private sector support.

The Association’s federal tax identification number is 13-1669975.

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.
99 Canal Center Plaza • Suite 320 • Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Tel: (703) 684-9444 • Fax: (703) 548-3822
E-mail: association@horatioalger.org • Internet: www.horatioalger.org