Scholarship Video Guide
Welcome, CEON Foundation Scholarship Recipient!
Your thank you video is a powerful tool. It allows us to secure the donations and recruit the volunteer mentors necessary to continue supporting Ron Clark Academy (RCA) alumni for decades to come. By sharing your experience, you demonstrate the high impact of this program, which combines financial aid with high-quality business mentorship.
Please follow the guidelines below to ensure your video is ready to inspire future donors, mentors, and RCA alumni.
I. Video Filming Best Practices (The Technicals)
Your thank you video is a professional communication tool that represents you, the CEON Foundation, and the Ron Clark Academy. Following these best practices will ensure your message is clear, engaging, and professional for our donors and mentors:
- Orientation: Please film your video horizontally (landscape mode), similar to a standard YouTube video, rather than vertically (portrait mode) . This orientation is the standard for the platform where your video will be shared.
- Audio Quality: Excellent audio is crucial. Film in a quiet environment free from distracting background noise, such as wind, road traffic, or loud machinery.
- Professional Image: The video will be publicly available on our YouTube channel and may be discoverable when people search for your name or for Ron Clark Academy alumni. Ensure the video reflects the professional image you want to present as an emerging leader.
- Introduction and Clarity: Begin your video with a clear greeting and self-introduction (e.g., “Good afternoon, CEON Foundation. This is Micah Andrews…”). State your name, your connection to the Ron Clark Academy, and your current educational status (school/year/major).
- Delivery and Enthusiasm: Speak with genuine enthusiasm and clarity, maintaining a direct and engaged gaze toward the camera. Your video is a direct expression of thanks to the CEON team, the donors who fund the scholarships, and the senior leaders who volunteer as mentors.
- Acknowledge Dual Value: Immediately acknowledge both components of the award—the financial support and the mentorship—as they “are equally important” to the mission of the program.
- Filming Environment: Choose a well-lit location that allows viewers to clearly see you.
II. Content Guide: Maximizing Your Message
Your video is a vital tool used to secure the resources that fuel this program, ensuring we can continue supporting future Ron Clark Academy (RCA) alumni. By addressing both the financial support and the mentorship, you demonstrate the full value of the award to donors who fund the scholarship (with over 90% of all donations paid out via scholarships) and to RCA alumni considering applying for this high-impact opportunity. The CEON Foundation award is uniquely valuable because it is both money and a mentor, and they are equally important.
A. The Value of the Scholarship Dollars
Our financial award is specifically designed to fill the gap traditional aid often leaves behind. By covering vital “in-between” expenses—including books, travel, and food—the scholarship increases the likelihood of long-term success by allowing you to devote your attention to your studies instead of having to maintain a job. This support is intended to help RCA alumni “cross that Finishing Line” and succeed in college.
Please share specific, tangible ways the cash award of $3,500 – $5,000 has impacted your life and education, focusing on how this support allowed you to prioritize academics and career preparation:
- Reducing Financial Stress and Workload: Explain how the financial support helped you alleviate unexpected financial burdens and allowed you to ease off or eliminate part-time jobs. This relief should free up time to fully engage in campus life or extracurriculars.
- Covering Essential Expenses: Mention how the funds helped purchase necessary items or cover basic needs, allowing you to focus on your studies instead of seeking income for living expenses.
- Funding Career Development: Describe how the funds enabled you to pursue specific educational goals, such as earning a professional license or participating in valuable, unpaid experiences.
- Cropping and Editing: When you are completed, please add the video to a google drive and share it with us. While we will not edit your message, we are happy to cut a few seconds off the beginning or end if needed (e.g. if you are filming yourself and need to press record/stop).
B. The Impact of Your Mentor Relationship
The mentorship component amplifies the impact of the donation by pairing you with a CEON Foundation Mentor, a senior leader from the CEO Netweavers community, who provides guidance and helps open doors to internships and opportunities that shape your future. This is the “guidance,” “advice,” and “help from Community leaders” that is critical for success. Sharing your mentor’s value is essential for encouraging other principled business leaders to volunteer their time as mentors.
Please share specific details about the guidance and accountability you have received:
- Career and Academic Planning: Share how your mentor has provided essential guidance on declaring a major or preparing for post-graduate work.
- Accountability and Perspective: Highlight how your mentor helps you stay on track and provides professional perspective.
- Broader Professional Insight: Describe how the conversations have gone beyond just career advice.
In the end, this is your video message to potential donors and to fellow RCA alumni. Approach this from a “what would I want them to know” perspective.