The National Scholars Program was created in 1992, when Lucille Miller Wright, a long-time supporter of Girls Incorporated, made a bequest from her estate to fund scholarships expressly for outstanding young women. Since 1993, more than $2.58 million in scholarships has been awarded to 413 girls across the United States and Canada. Multiple scholarships ($2,500 and $15,000) are awarded each year and may be applied to tuition and expenses at any accredited 2- or 4-year college or university.

Since 2009, girls from Girls Inc. of the Central Coast have been awarded four scholarships totaling more than $10,000.

To be considered, a girl must:

• Be a participating Girls Inc. member for at least two consecutive years
• Be a high school junior or senior
• Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.8

The purpose of the Scholars Program is to make post-secondary education more accessible for Girls Inc. members. The goal of the program is to inspire girls to succeed in school and to consider a broad range of career possibilities. Scholars are selected based on merit and Girls Inc. involvement. The awards are not based on need.