USA Scholarships
Little Bacon Urban Achievers Scholarship 2027
The James Bacon, KS '71 Little Bacon Urban Achievers Scholarship honors a Kamehameha Schools alumnus while backing full-time students who are building skills in vocational arts, trades, or other post-high pathways. Pauahi Foundation selects one recipient per cycle from applicants across the State of Hawaiʻi and the continental United States. Reviewers weigh community service and extracurricular involvement, and they give preference to residents of Niʻihau, Hilo, or Molokaʻi, to speakers of the Niʻihau dialect of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, and to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. Add this fund inside the 2027-2028 postsecondary application opening October 1, 2026 and closing December 1, 2026.
What is the Little Bacon Urban Achievers Scholarship?
James Bacon, KS Class of 1971, left his classmates a Pauahi Foundation fund aimed at students who learn by doing. The Little Bacon Urban Achievers name signals pride in skilled work, city neighborhoods, and the kind of leadership that shows up in volunteer hours and trade labs, not just lecture halls.
Pauahi keeps the academic gate flexible. There is no published GPA floor, but you must study full time toward vocational arts, trades, or another post-high credential at an accredited school anywhere in the country. What moves the needle is honest service, a clear plan for your craft, and any ties reviewers can weigh toward Niʻihau, Hilo, Molokaʻi, or the Niʻihau dialect of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
Stack this scholarship with other Pauahi selections in one application, open the portal October 1, 2026, and treat December 1 as your hard stop for 2027-2028 funding. Email [email protected] if a committee asks for a portfolio or enrollment proof before awards go out in spring 2027.
Eligibility
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✓U.S. residencyYou must be a resident of the United States. Pauahi lists this fund for students in the State of Hawaiʻi and on the continental United States who attend accredited postsecondary programs.
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✓Full-time enrollmentYou must enroll full time in an accredited trade school, certificate program, community college, four-year college, or graduate school for the academic year you seek funding.
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✓Vocational arts, trades, or post-high studyYour program should align with vocational arts, skilled trades, or other post-high education named in the Pauahi guidebook. Associate, bachelor's, graduate, and professional certification paths may qualify when you study full time.
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✓Community service or activitiesDocument participation in community service or extracurricular activities in the unified Pauahi profile so reviewers can see how you contribute outside class.
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✓Niʻihau, Hilo, or Molokaʻi preferencePauahi gives preference to past or present residents of Niʻihau, Hilo, or Molokaʻi. Mainland applicants remain eligible if they meet enrollment and activity requirements.
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✓Niʻihau ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi preferenceSpeakers of the Niʻihau dialect of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi receive special consideration in committee review. Mention language background honestly in your personal statement if it applies.
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✓Hawaiian ancestry preferencePauahi Foundation policy gives preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. The scholarship stays open to all qualifying U.S. residents.
Benefits
- Number of scholarships One recipient per cycle
- Eligible pathways Vocational arts, trades, certificates, degrees
- Enrollment Full-time study required
- Geographic scope Hawaiʻi and continental U.S. students
- Published dollar cap Varies with fund income
- Part-time enrollment Not listed for this fund
Document checklist
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✓Pauahi Foundation online applicationCreate or reuse your account when the 2027-2028 cycle opens October 1, 2026. Select the James Bacon, KS '71 Little Bacon Urban Achievers Scholarship before you submit.
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✓Personal statement essayComplete the Pauahi personal statement prompt in the unified application. Connect your trade or vocational goals to the service and leadership you show in your community.
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✓School transcriptUpload an official or unofficial transcript with final grades through your most recent completed term. Pauahi lists no minimum GPA for this fund.
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✓Extracurricular and service listUse the activities section to list clubs, teams, jobs, and volunteer work that support your urban achiever narrative.
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✓Letter of recommendation (KS seniors only)Current high school seniors attending Kamehameha Schools must submit one letter of recommendation through the portal. Other applicants follow the general Pauahi checklist for their student type.
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✓Supplemental materials if requestedBe ready to upload portfolios, FAFSA Submission Summary, or other items if Pauahi marks them required for your profile or if a committee requests art samples for vocational arts study.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Little Bacon Urban Achievers Scholarship?
It is a Pauahi Foundation endowed fund named for James Bacon, KS Class of 1971. One scholarship supports a full-time U.S. student pursuing vocational arts, trades, or other post-high education, with preference for Niʻihau, Hilo, or Molokaʻi ties and Niʻihau dialect speakers.
Who can apply for the James Bacon KS '71 scholarship?
Undergraduate and graduate U.S. residents enrolled full time at accredited institutions may apply. You should show community service or extracurricular involvement. Residents of Niʻihau, Hilo, or Molokaʻi and speakers of the Niʻihau dialect of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi receive preference, as may applicants of Hawaiian ancestry where the law allows.
When is the Little Bacon Urban Achievers deadline for 2027?
Pauahi opens the 2027-2028 postsecondary application on October 1, 2026 and closes it on December 1, 2026. Submit every required document through the online portal by that deadline.
Does the Little Bacon scholarship require a minimum GPA?
Pauahi lists no minimum GPA for this fund in the community scholarship guidebook. You still must upload a transcript and remain in good standing at your school.
Can mainland students win the Little Bacon Urban Achievers award?
Yes. The fund is open to residents of the State of Hawaiʻi and the continental United States. Preference factors favor certain Hawaiʻi communities and Niʻihau dialect speakers, but mainland trade students may still be selected.
How much is the James Bacon Little Bacon scholarship worth?
Pauahi awards one grant per cycle without publishing a fixed dollar amount. Disbursement follows fund income and foundation policy, and your award letter states the exact figure.
What programs qualify as vocational arts or trades?
Accredited certificate, associate, bachelor's, or graduate programs tied to skilled trades, vocational arts, or career credentials fit the fund description. Describe your pathway clearly in the personal statement if your major name is unconventional.
Can I apply for other Pauahi scholarships with the same application?
Yes. Select every Pauahi fund you qualify for in one login. Upload documents that satisfy the strictest requirement among your choices.
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