📋 Scholarship Monthly Check-In
A few minutes each month can help keep a student moving toward graduation.
The Navidad En El Barrio Scholarship Program is designed to do more than award funds at the end of high school.
From the time a student enters the program in ninth grade through graduation, we want each scholarship recipient to know that someone is paying attention, encouraging their progress, and helping them stay connected to the goal of attending college.
That is where our Board members and Scholarship Program mentors make a difference.
The Monthly Scholarship Check-In gives us a simple, consistent way to stay connected with each recipient, document progress, identify concerns early, and recognize the steps students are taking along the way.
❤️ Why the Monthly Check-In Matters
A scholarship recipient may be part of this program for several years.
Without regular contact, it can be easy to discover too late that a student:
missed a required progress report or report card,
has not completed volunteer hours,
needs assistance or another resource,
has changed schools or contact information,
is struggling academically,
or simply needs a reminder that someone is still cheering them on.
The monthly check-in helps us stay connected before small issues become larger ones.
It is not meant to add unnecessary paperwork.
It is meant to help us keep the commitment we made when we selected that student.
👥 What’s In It for the Student?
Consistent contact gives each scholarship recipient:
A Board member or mentor who knows where they are in the program.
Regular reminders about Scholarship Program requirements.
Encouragement to stay focused on grades and advancement to the next grade level.
Help keeping track of required progress reports and report cards.
Opportunities to complete annual volunteer hours.
A chance to let us know when assistance or resources may be needed.
A continuing connection with Navidad En El Barrio through high school.
Sometimes the most important part of the check-in is simply reminding a student:
We remember you. We are still here. Keep going.
🤝 What’s In It for the Mentor?
The Monthly Scholarship Check-In helps the Scholarship Committee and Board:
Know whether each recipient is staying on track.
Maintain consistent documentation throughout the year.
Identify missing requirements before the end of the school year.
Track academic records as they are received.
Monitor volunteer participation.
Document resources or assistance provided to the student.
Keep student and family contact information current.
Reduce the need to reconstruct several months of information at year-end.
Make informed decisions when reviewing a recipient's continued good standing.
Most importantly, it allows us to do what this program was created to do:
Build a relationship with the student from ninth grade through graduation, not simply write a check at the end.
📅 One Check-In Each Month
Each assigned Board member or mentor should complete a check-in for their scholarship recipient once each month.
The check-in does not need to be complicated.
A brief conversation, phone, email, or other direct contact may provide the information needed to update the student's record.
Use the Monthly Scholarship Check-In form to document the student's current status and any activity since the previous check-in.
✅ During Your Monthly Check-In
Please review or update the areas that apply to your student.
👤 Student Information
Confirm that the student's basic contact information remains current.
If a telephone number, email address, school, or other important information has changed, update the form so the Scholarship Committee has accurate information.
📚 Academic Progress
Ask how school is going and confirm whether required academic documents have been received.
Track:
Progress reports
Report cards
Promotion or grade-level progress
Any academic concern that may require follow-up
The purpose is not simply to collect a document.
These records help us know whether the student continues to meet the academic requirements of the Scholarship Program.
🙌 Volunteer Hours
Scholarship recipients are required to complete 10 volunteer hours each year.
Use the monthly check-in to record volunteer activity as it occurs rather than waiting until the end of the year.
For each volunteer activity, record:
Date
Event or activity
Number of volunteer hours
Even if the student has not volunteered that month, the check-in provides an opportunity to remind the student about upcoming Navidad En El Barrio events and the annual requirement.
🧰 Resources or Assistance Provided
Sometimes supporting a student involves more than monitoring grades.
If Navidad En El Barrio, a Board member, mentor, sponsor, or community partner helps provide a resource, record it on the check-in.
Examples may include:
Clothing
School supplies
Computer or technology assistance
Financial assistance
Event participation
Educational resources
Referrals or other support
Recording these resources helps us understand the full impact of the Scholarship Program and the ways our community is supporting each recipient.
💬 Keep the Conversation Simple
The monthly contact does not have to feel like an interview.
A few questions may be enough:
How is school going?
Have you received a progress report or report card since we last talked?
Have you completed any volunteer hours?
Is there anything you need help with right now?
Is there anything you want us to know?
The goal is connection and consistency.
⚠️ If Something Needs Attention
If you learn that a student may be falling behind on a Scholarship Program requirement, document the concern and follow up as appropriate.
Whenever possible, our goal should be to identify the issue early and help the student understand what needs to be completed.
Concerns may include:
Missing progress reports or report cards
Academic difficulties
Incomplete volunteer hours
Loss of contact with the student or family
Changes in school enrollment
A request for assistance or resources
Other circumstances that may affect the student's participation
Significant concerns should be shared with the Scholarship Committee so the appropriate next step can be determined.
📄 Complete the Monthly Check-In
Use the button below to open the current Scholarship Monthly Check-In PDF.
Download the form once for the school year. This single PDF is designed to hold the student’s monthly check-ins and required updates for the entire year.
Save a copy for your assigned student and continue updating that same file throughout the school year with progress reports, report cards, volunteer hours, resources provided, and other relevant updates.
Be prepared to share important progress, needs, or follow-up items at our monthly Board meetings.
📌 Before You Finish
Before submitting or saving the monthly check-in, make sure you have reviewed:
✅ Student contact information
✅ Progress reports received
✅ Report cards received
✅ Volunteer hours completed
✅ Resources or assistance provided
✅ Any follow-up needed
If there was no activity in a particular area that month, that is okay. The important part is documenting the monthly contact and knowing where the student stands.
🎓 The Bigger Picture
The scholarship funds matter.
But the relationship matters too.
Navidad En El Barrio created this program so a student could enter high school knowing that college was already becoming a real possibility.
Each monthly check-in helps reinforce that message.
When we follow a student from ninth grade through graduation, celebrate progress, notice when something is missing, connect them with resources, and remind them of the goal, we are doing more than administering a scholarship.
We are helping a young person stay on the path toward college.
Thank you for taking the time each month to stay connected and help our scholarship recipients keep moving forward.