2025 Humans of Dementia Scholarship

About the Scholarship: 

Storytelling is a powerful tool to help bring light to Alzheimer's disease and dementia. HFC's Humans of Dementia Storytelling Scholarship is open to high school and college students in the U.S. and Canada who have been impacted in some way by Alzheimer's disease. This scholarship focuses on storytelling as a tool to drive awareness and inspire change about Alzheimer's disease.  By focusing on the person and not the disease, Humans of Dementia aims to bring light to and elevate the conversation around Alzheimer's disease so we can reduce the stigma and shame often surrounding loved ones living with the disease. 

HFC awards 12 scholarships: 6 for high school students and 6 for college students. Awards for the written profile and photo essay categories include three cash awards of $1500 each, along with a VIP Virtual Awards Reception.

2025 Submission Period Ends May 1, 2025 (11:59pm PT)

Your Submission:

Think of someone in your life who had or still lives with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. The person can be a relative, a friend, or someone in your community. The person you profile should be someone you know or knew, not a public figure. This is your chance to tell their story or feature a compelling aspect of their life, character, accomplishments, or contributions. Aim to emphasize the person's humanity and not the disease.

You are encouraged to explore unique perspectives and be creative with the story you are telling using words and/or photo images (at this time we are not accepting video or other multimedia). 

Here are some suggested starting points. This is not meant to be used as a checklist. These are suggested prompts to help get you started.  Take your time with the storytelling process!

• Describe the person you profiling so that the reader feels like they are in the same room with them.
• Paint a picture of the person's life before the onset of Alzheimer's.
• Share some early memories or stories about the person. 
• Include anecdotes that capture the person's personality, interests, and achievements.
• Share any poignant or memorable moments that have occurred since the diagnosis.
• Include both positive and challenging experiences to provide a balanced portrayal.
• Include any memorable quotes or sayings from the person, either from the past or in the present.
• Reflect on the significance of these expressions in the context of their journey with Alzheimer's.
• Discuss any lessons you have learned from the person or your experience with someone living with Alzheimer's.
• Reflect on the impact it has had on your perspective on life and relationships.

For photo entries, your image(s) may encompass any angle/subject related to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia – living with the disease, caregiving, treatment, science, etc.  This can be candid, portraiture, environmental portrait, documentary, double exposure, or still-life (loved one's objects). Try to avoid overused and cliche representations. You can submit color or black & white; film or digital; smartphone or camera. You may submit up to three (3) single images.  Entrants will be judged on a single image only.  Still images only (no video or multimedia).

Format: minimum of 2000 pixels (on long side), 72 dpi, jpeg  

File Name:  First Name_Last Name_001; First Name_Last Name_002, First Name_Last Name_003  

Captions: PDF or Word document with file name and caption 

Accompanying Written Brief: Must include, Full name; City & State; Email address; Phone number; School Affiliation; Year in School (High School or College); One paragraph about you and your relationship to the image(s). 

To Enter: 

1. Carefully read the Eligibility Requirements and Rules
2. At the bottom of this page, click "create account."
3. After you set up your account, you will be directed to the submission form.

To Be Eligible You Must: 

• Be enrolled in high school or college in the U.S. or Canada.  Home school students are eligible to enter. Graduate students are eligible to enter.
• Feature someone currently living with or who has passed away from Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
• Submit no more than one entry per category.  You may submit one entry in both categories (one written and one photo entry).
• Keep your written submissions to no more than 750 words and your photo submissions to no more than THREE photos.
• Include parental consent in your application if you are under the age of 18.

Any questions can be sent to: humans@wearehfc.org

Written Entry Rubric:

• Dignity and Depth - Portray the individual with depth and nuance. Articulate the individual's unique essence and avoid generalizations.
• Strength of Narrative - Weave together a compelling life story that flows naturally, and goes far beyond creating a chronological list of events and facts about the person’s life.
• Detail and Research - Strive to include strong anecdotes, cover meaningful events in the individual’s life with detail, include precise naming for important locations, events, and people if relevant to the story.
• Creativity - Bring a unique and creative approach to telling the individual’s life story that enriches the quality of the piece.
• Syntax and Grammar - Be sure to carefully edit for clarity and correctness and avoid typos and grammatical errors.
   

Photo Entry Rubric:

• Dignity and Depth - Portray the individual with depth and dignity. Capture the individual's unique essence and avoid generalizations.
• Detail and Research - Strive to include a strong image of what dementia looks like, cover meaningful moments in the individual’s life, include people if relevant to your story.
• Creativity - Bring a unique and creative approach to capturing the individual’s life.
• Technicality - Show us your technical knowledge with a point of view and technical composition.
• Grammar - Be sure to carefully edit your captions and proposal for clarity and correctness and avoid typos and grammatical errors.

Click here to read the complete Official Rules.

Click here to read the Official Terms.