Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans

The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans was founded in 1947 to honor the achievements of outstanding Americans who have succeeded in spite of adversity and emphasize the importance of higher education. The association is named after Horatio Alger, a 19th century author of hundreds of dime novels in the "rags-to-riches" genre, extolling the importance of perseverance and hard work. The association gives the annual Horatio Alger Award to exemplars of its ideals and is the largest provider of need-based scholarships in the United States. All scholarships are funded by the generosity of the members of the Horatio Alger Association.

The Horatio Alger Association is based in Alexandria, Virginia.

National Scholars Program

The National Scholars Program was created in 1984. The program was created to help American high school seniors who had overcome adversity to attend college. Over time the Horatio Alger Association has expanded the program. Every year, the Association chooses National Scholars from every state (including Puerto Rico). These scholars are sent to an all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. While there, scholars are able to meet association members, attend the Horatio Alger Awards Ceremony, and get tips for being successful in college and their lives.

In 2007, the association gave $20,000 scholarships to 105 high school seniors. Also, thanks to [http://www.force10networks.com Force10 Networks] , each recipient was given a wireless-enabled computer for use in college.

State Scholars Program

The Association has also created a State Scholars program. This program gives scholarships to students in 29 states. The Association hopes to soon have programs in all 50 states. These programs are funded by members who are from each state.

Military Scholars Program

After the turn of the century, the Association saw the need to provide scholarship assistance for men and women who had served in the U.S. military. The Military Scholars program provides scholarship money to military veterans to supplement the G.I. Bill.

Horatio Alger Award

The association annually bestows the Horatio Alger Award on outstanding Americans who exemplify dedication, purpose, and perseverance in their personal lives. Each award recipient becomes a lifetime Member of the Association. Recipients include business and government leaders, athletes, entertainment, innovators, entrepreneurs, healers, teachers, artists, and writers who have overcome adversity and achieved great success. Awardees have included:

External links

* [http://www.horatioalger.com Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Web site]
* [http://www.force10networks.com Force10 Networks]

References

* [http://www.force10networks.com/company/corporate_citizenship.asp Force10 Networks partnership with Horatio Alger]