Scholarships
Online application coming soon
About LaDonna Raye Kirkwood
The LaDonna Raye Kirkwood Champion for Children Scholarship Fund is established in loving memory of LaDonna Raye Kirkwood, a remarkable young woman who embodied resilience, warmth, and unwavering compassion. Despite living with sickle cell anemia, LaDonna was a radiant presence—her infectious laugh, bright smile, and joyful spirit touched the lives of all who knew her.
Born to Ms. Virginia Raye Kirkwood and the late Noah Kirkwood, and cherished as a sister to Eric Uriel Kirkwood, LaDonna had a deep and heartfelt love for children. Her kindness and dedication to uplifting others made her a true champion for young lives.
In honor of her legacy, this scholarship is dedicated to supporting students who share her passion for making a difference in the lives of children, especially those living with sickle cell disease. Through this fund, we celebrate LaDonna’s enduring impact and continue her mission of spreading love, care, and hope to future generations.
*This scholarship was established through the generous donation of Cynthia Owens Harris
Scholarship Program
LaDonna Raye Kirkwood Champion for Children Scholarship
Thank you for your interest in the LaDonna Raye Kirkwood Champion for Children Scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded to applicants who present the best combination of a creative and
persuasive essay, excellent recommendations, and superior academic standing.
For the 2026-2027 academic year, the Association will award:
• Up to Two $1,500 college scholarships
To be eligible, you must:
• Reside in the State of Kansas or Greater Kansas City
Metropolitan area
• Meet one of the following criteria:
○ Be a high school senior;
○ Have completed high school or an equivalent (eg, general equivalency diploma [GED]); or
○ Be currently accepted to or enrolled in a junior college or college
(undergraduate or graduate);
• Submit a completed application and appropriate materials before the application deadline.
Application Requirements
Completed applications must be sent via email no later than May 30. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that all transcripts are received by this deadline. It is recommended that you request your transcripts from your school no later than April 30. An application is complete when the application form (including education form), personal essay, completed release form, 2 personal recommendations, and all original transcript documents have been sent via email to the Association no later than May 30.
Submit your application to info@sicklecellmidwest.org. To complete your application, follow these instructions carefully. 1. You will need to have the following available to use during the application process:
• 1 Application form (includes education information)
• A) personal essay form
• B) personal recommendation forms
• Transcript request forms to send to your high school(s) and/or college(s) Before you begin filling out the forms, you might want to make copies of each one for your records.
Please include the words "LaDonna Kirkwood Scholarship" in the subject of all emails sent.
2. Complete the application form first. Please remember to answer all of the questions. If a section does not apply to you, answer NA (not applicable). Be sure to list all high schools, trade or vocational schools, and colleges you have attended.
Date the application form before emailing it to info@sicklecellmidwest.org.
3. Complete the personal essay form. The essay is your personal statement and you must write it. You may email your essay to info@sicklecellmidwest.org. (Please make note if you are also a sickle cell warrior in your essay)
4. Submit personal recommendations. You are required to submit a total of 2 personal recommendations by someone other than a family member or member of your household. It is your responsibility to ensure that all recommendations are sent via email no later than May 30.
5. Request transcripts. You must complete a transcript request form from your last school(s) from the past 2 years. If you would like to include more, you may. We recommend that you request transcripts from your school(s) no later than April 30. Fill out the transcript request form, send it to the school(s), and follow whatever steps they require. If there are fees involved in processing transcripts, be sure to pay them to ensure timely receipt of information. If you have a GED, please make a copy of it and include the copy with your application. Scholarships will be awarded based on the decisions of a program selection committee of third-party judges. Decisions will be final and based on the materials submitted.