If it's your mission to help make a difference in someone's life, here's a surprise for you: Someone cares about your collegiate financial future, and wants to reward you for your work!

• Are you big on community service? Click here to see if you're college-cash eligible. • Read about more ways to win money for your studies. • Count on NewsClick's Archives for money-earning advice.

His Love For Children Earned Him College Cash
By Rebecca Vara
August/September 2002

The CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- In June 2002, Ludguier Monpejo received a very special letter. The Belmont High School senior from Los Angeles, CA, was notified that he'd won the Bill Coggins Community Leadership Award worth $2,000 -- an award that promotes community service by students and helps them to continue their education.

"I found the scholarship while surfing the Internet, and decided to enter," explains Ludguier. He fulfilled all the requirements, and then some -- 300 hours of service was needed, he had 700.

How'd he do that? As part of the Belmont, LA's Best Program, Ludguier volunteered with the after-school program, providing homework assistance, tutoring English, and coaching sports teams. He wanted to help the children in the low-income neighborhood by encouraging them to pursue an academic goal instead of a life of crime.

Along with the money Ludguier won through the leadership award, he'll use an additional scholarship (a full scholarship, at that), to help pay his higher ed' expenses at Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, where he plans to double major in economics and mechanical engineering.

Ludguier is eternally grateful for having received scholarships to attend school, and thanks his volunteerism for helping him secure his finances. And, he encourages college-bounders to follow in his footsteps.

"Volunteering helps the community and makes you a role model to others," he insists. "Not only has it made me a better person, but I have received the satisfaction of knowing I've helped someone improve their life."