What This Tree Can Teach Students About Winning Scholarships

I want to tell you about something I grow in my garden that can teach your student a valuable lesson about winning scholarships, getting into college, and even landing internships and jobs.

It's called Moringa.

Moringa is a fast-growing tree sometimes called the "miracle tree" because of its many uses.

I grow Moringa in my permaculture garden, where one of the guiding principles is something called function stacking.

The idea is simple: Whenever possible, choose things that serve multiple purposes.

Moringa is a fantastic example!

Consider what one Moringa tree can provide:

• Food: Its leaves are highly nutritious, and its young seed pods are edible.

• Shade: It can provide shade for other plants.

• Mulch: Its leaves and pruned branches can improve soil organic matter.

• Animal Feed: Its leaves can supplement livestock diets.

• Pollinator support: Its flowers provide resources for pollinating insects.

• Other uses: Its seeds contain oil and can be used in certain water-clarification processes.

That's SIX functions from ONE tree!

So, what does this have to do with scholarships?

Quite a bit, actually.

Your Student Can Stack Functions, Too!

Think about everything high school students are encouraged to do:

• They need extracurricular activities to strengthen college applications.

• Volunteer hours to demonstrate community involvement.

• Leadership experience to qualify for scholarships.

• Accomplishments to write about in essays.

• And eventually, experience and skills to help them land internships and jobs.

That's a lot!

But what if your student could accomplish several of these goals through ONE meaningful project?

That's function stacking!

Let me give you an example from my own family.

When my son was in high school, he created an exhibit honoring Vietnam War veterans at our local history museum.

What made this project particularly meaningful was that it aligned perfectly with his Personal Narrative.

My son wanted to become a history professor. Creating a museum exhibit gave him an opportunity to pursue his passion for history while honoring veterans and contributing something valuable to our community.

And think about the different benefits a project like that can provide.

1. Stronger scholarship applications.

The project gave him a concrete example of his passion for history, initiative, and community involvement to discuss in scholarship essays. He told this story in multiple scholarship essays, which contributed to his 23 scholarship wins!

2. Stronger college applications.

Rather than simply telling colleges he wanted to study history, he could demonstrate his commitment through something he had actually accomplished.

3. Better internship opportunities.

A completed museum exhibit could help him stand out when pursuing internships at museums, historical societies, or other organizations.

4. Valuable career skills.

Research, communication, planning, and project management are all valuable skills for an aspiring historian or professor.

5. Personal growth.

He gained experience turning his interests into something tangible that benefited others.

ONE project. FIVE different benefits!

And here's the most important lesson:

The best projects aren't necessarily the biggest. They're the ones that align with who your student is and what they hope to accomplish.

Your student doesn't have to create something extraordinary.

A student who loves math might organize tutoring sessions for younger students.

A student interested in gardening might start a community garden.

A student who enjoys technology might teach senior citizens how to use computers.

The possibilities are endless!

The key is choosing something your student genuinely cares about and then taking action.

And encourage your student to document their work! The challenges, solutions, results, and lessons learned can become powerful material for scholarship essays, college applications, and job interviews.

But What If Your Student Could Stack ONE MORE Benefit?

Let's return to function stacking.

A meaningful project can strengthen scholarship applications, improve college admissions prospects, develop career skills, and help a student grow.

But what if that same project could also help them win $10,000?

There's a scholarship competition that recognizes students who identify problems in their communities and create projects to address them.

The top prize is $10,000! And there are additional cash prizes, too.

Think about that.

Your student could create a project that benefits their community while building skills and experiences that will serve them for years.

And by entering this scholarship competition, they could potentially earn money for college, too!

Even if they don't win, they still benefit from everything they've accomplished.

That's function stacking at its finest!

I've written an article for Your Daily Scholarship explaining this opportunity, including eligibility requirements, qualifying projects, and how to apply.

👉 Click here to learn about the $10,000 scholarship that rewards students for making a difference in their communities.

One meaningful project could open doors your student never imagined.

Click here to watch a free lesson: the quadratic formula to the tune of Drake's 'Hotline Bling.'

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