The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project provides 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. Text, chat, or call anytime to reach a trained counselor. Text “START” to 678678. Standard text messaging rates apply. Available 24/7/365.
StopBullying.Org and LGBTQI+ Youth: StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, prevention and response.
Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network: GSA clubs are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities.
PFLAG Benton Franklin: Uniting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG is committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy. PFLAG Benton Franklin is the local chapter in the Richland, Pasco, Kennewick area of Washington also referred to as the Tri-Cities.
PFLAG National: Founded in 1973, PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families.
Triple Point of Walla Walla is a local program for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex) youth and youth allies, 13-18 years old. Like-minded LGBTQ+ youth come together to talk about today’s issues, tomorrow’s solutions and a future without limitations. Triple Point is a support group for these young people.
• We provide a safe place where youth can make positive connections, learn about community resources, receive the support they need, as well as participate in regular meetings with other LGBTQ+ youth and group leaders.
• We provide support in our schools for LGBTQ+ youth and education to LGBTQ+ allies and community members.
Scholarships
Regional Scholarships:
College Success Foundation Scholarships: College Success Foundation manages and administers a variety of scholarships to help students overcome financial barriers to attend college.
Tri-Cities Diversity & Inclusion Council Scholarship Award: Applicants may choose one of three prompts to answer through essay, poem, videography, or another creative means. Applicants must be enrolled in high school, college or a trade school and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Preference is given to applicants from Tri Cities Washington and surrounding areas.
Blue Mountain Community Foundation Scholarships: Blue Mountain Community Foundation (BMCF) started in 1984 based on the idea that the area needed a place for donors who cared about the community to make long-term charitable investments. Joining the community foundation movement, which began over 100 years ago, BMCF became one of over 750 community foundations in the United States. Community foundations are generally tied to a specific geographic area or community, and seek major gifts that are invested for the long-term, to benefit our community in perpetuity.
NECA Sponsored VOLTA Scholarship: Have you ever dreamed of becoming a
Power Lineman? The industry is in need of skilled workers. A career as a lineman comes with IBEW union representation, exceptional pay, and top notch benefits.
Pride Foundation Scholarship: Do you identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning? And do you live in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington? Great news! You are likely eligible to apply for a scholarship!
GSBA Scholarship and Education Fund: awards scholarships to LGBTQ+ and allied students who exhibit leadership potential, strong academic abilities, and are actively involved in school and community organizations. Founded in 1991, the GSBA Scholarship & Education Fund has invested almost $6 million in 535 scholars.
Tri-Cities Rotary Club Scholarship:
Due 4/26/2024. Students from the following schools are eligible for this scholarship: Connell, Kiona-Benton, Kahlotus, Kingspoint Christian, Riverview, Columbia Burbank, Pasco, Delta, Chiawana, Tri-Cities Prep, Liberty Christian, New Horizons, Home School Organizations in Franklin County and West Walla Walla County.
WA529 Art Contest:
Do you like to paint, draw, or watercolor? How about create collages, work with clay or create digital art? Explore your creative side and enter the 2024 WA529 Art Contest for an opportunity to win $529 in a GET or DreamAhead 529 education savings account. To participate, students must be in grades K-12, living in Washington State and enrolled in Washington schools. Eligible entries will be evaluated by individual grade levels with a total of twenty-six (26) students will win! Two (2) winners in each grade level (K-12). Three (3) schools with the most entries (relative to their school’s enrollment) will win a $500 Amazon gift card for their school library!
National Scholarships:
Point Foundation Flagship Scholarship: The Point Flagship Scholarship empowers LGBTQ students who are earning their undergraduate, graduate, & doctoral degrees at accredited colleges in the United States.
Youth Free Expression Youth Contest: The National Coalition Against Censorship’s annual Youth Free Expression Film Contest invites young filmmakers to create a short film on a contemporary First Amendment issue. Over the past 15 years, the contest has showcased the talents and ideas of dozens of student filmmakers. The first-place winner receives a scholarship to the New York Film Academy (terms and conditions apply). The top three filmmakers (individual or team) will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250.
Financial Aid Application
WASFA or FAFSA?
Other Resources
- FastWeb: FastWeb is a database of over 1.5 million scholarships ranging from $250 to $50,000. You can create a profile and get automatically matched to relevant awards, or you can manually search for scholarships.
- Scholarships.com: Scholarships.com is a database of millions of scholarships and grants. Like Fastweb, the site allows you to create a profile and matches you to potential awards. Or, you can manually search for relevant financial aid opportunities.
- U.S. Department of Labor: Career One Stop is a free scholarship search tool provided by the U.S. Department of Labor. You can search for undergraduate, graduate, and certificate program scholarships and grants.
- Colleges: Your future college can be a valuable source of aid. You may be eligible for institutional grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study programs.
- Washington Student Achievement Council Website: https://wsac.wa.gov/
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Washington College Grant - https://wsac.wa.gov/wcg
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Washington State Financial Aid Calculator - https://portal.wsac.wa.gov/a/aid-calculator/
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Washboard Scholarship Matcher - https://washboard.wsac.wa.gov/
- The College Bound Program - https://wsac.wa.gov/college-bound
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College Bound Scholarship - https://wsac.wa.gov/college-bound
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Passport to Careers - https://wsac.wa.gov/passport-to-careers
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Opportunity Grant - https://www.sbctc.edu/paying-for-college/opportunity-grant-student
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Washington State Student Residency - https://wsac.wa.gov/student-residency
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Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
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FSA ID (The 1st step to the FAFSA) - https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
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Internships
Center for Children & Youth Justice Internship Program: CCYJ hosts interns throughout the year, on a rolling basis. CCYJ interns may work in person or remotely, according to the nature of their assignment. Most internships at CCYJ combine in-person and remote work. Hours and length of service may vary, depending upon each individual’s availability and CCYJ’s needs and expectations. Individuals with lived expertise gained from contact with Washington’s child welfare or youth criminal legal systems are encouraged to apply. There are no age or education requirements for becoming a CCYJ intern. However, most of our interns have been students—in high school, college, or graduate or law school, studying Public Policy, Systems Change, Public Health, Social Work, and NonProfit Management.
To learn more about becoming a CCYJ intern, please contact supportccyj@ccyj.org.
Walla Walla County Internships: Internship opportunities are posted on their Walla Walla County Employment Opportunities webpage. They are listed towards the bottom of the page.
Khan Academy: Khan Academy is an online courses platform that enables teachers and students to accelerate learning and fill in gaps in understanding with free, world-class courses. Khan Academy includes a library of free lessons that cover math K-12, grammar, physics, chemistry, biology, history, AP, SAT, and more. Students can work at their own pace, anywhere, anytime with personalized learning.
Socratic: Socratic is a learning app from Google that helps high school and university students understand their school work. It uses Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) and search technologies to connect students to helpful educational resources from the web and sites such as YouTube.
Quizlet: Quizlet hosts solutions in over 60 subjects ranging from philosophy, sociology, algebra, computer science and languages. There are in-depth explanations that use step-by-step explanations to show students how to solve complex problems.
Native Youth
You Are Not Alone Network – This website offers a Native Youth Crisis Hotline. The site also includes videos, information on state and national resources, elder's wisdom, an illustrated story, and videos.
Native & Strong Lifeline: A Lifeline for all Indigenous people in Washington state. Native counselors are available 24/7 for people are experiencing a mental health crisis, thinking about suicide, or seeking support.
College Students
The Jed Foundation – The foundation aims promote the emotional health and prevent suicide among college and university students. It has a variety of programs for students.
ULifeline – This is an online resource for college students dealing with mental health issues. It provides resources on many mental health topics, helps students find resources on campus and in the local area, and provides suggestions how to help a friend.
Helplines & Text Lines
Boys Town – Boys Town has a 24/7 national hotline and text line. They have Spanish-speaking counselors and translation services for over 140 languages. There is also a TDD line.
National Suicide Prevention: If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.
Call or Text: 988 (online chat available)
En Español: 1-800-344-7432
TTY: dial 711 then 988.
Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
U.S. – 1-800-656-4673 (online chat available)
TTY – 1-800-810-7440
Washington Teen Link: Talk with another teen by phone from 6-10 pm and chat, or text from 6-9:30 pm every night.
You can also call to connect with our substance use specialist from 2-10 pm Mon-Fri (Call the same number and press 2). Call or Text – 1-866-833-6546 (online chat available)
Autism Related Resources
Autism Advocacy Network (ASAN): The Autistic Self Advocacy Network seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which autistic people enjoy equal access, rights, and opportunities. We work to empower autistic people across the world to take control of our own lives and the future of our common community, and seek to organize the autistic community to ensure our voices are heard in the national conversation about us. Nothing About Us, Without Us!
Native Youth
We R Native – We R Native is for native youth, by native youth. You can also post anonymous questions on the “Ask Auntie” message board.
Native Resources Hub: The Native Resource Hub is a phone line and centralized information center for all Native people in Washington state. Call 866-491-1683. Available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. We help Native people and their health care providers find resources for: Food or housing insecurity, mental health needs, trouble paying energy or utility bills, a desire to connect with their culture or community through tribal events, drug dependence or addiction, including alcohol addiction, legal challenges, job loss or trouble finding a job and any need to connect with resources, services or support.
Helplines
Washington 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 from anywhere in Washington State and you will reach a highly-trained information and referral specialist who will assess your needs and provide a list of referrals to available resources in your community. 2-1-1 is a free confidential community service and your one-stop connection to the local services you need, from utility assistance, food, housing, health, child care, after school programs, elder care, crisis intervention and much more. TTY for the deaf and hard of hearing and interpreter services are also available in 140+ languages.
U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline: Services in Spanish and English. Referral services in over 170 languages.
U.S. – 1-800-799-7233
TTY – 1-800-787-3224
Text START to 88788. Standard text messaging rates apply. Available 24/7/365.
The National Runaway Safeline: By calling 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929), you can connect with a trusted, compassionate person who will listen and help you create a plan to address your concerns. Online chat also available.
Local Resources
Walla Walla — Children's Home Society of Washington: Children's Home Society of Washington believes everyone benefits when we support children and their families.
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After School Homework Club is a supportive after-school program providing homework assistance, tutoring, test preparation and mentoring for children in the Valle Lindo community.
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Summer Programs at Valle Lindo allows children to build and maintain their English language skills so they are better prepared to return to school.
Blue Mountain Action Council: BMAC is a private, nonprofit, multipurpose agency, serving residents in Southeastern Washington to: Meet the basic needs of low-income individuals and families; Offer opportunities for individuals and families to achieve greater levels of strength, independence, and self-sufficiency; and Develop and implement strategies to prevent poverty in our communities.
My Friends’ Place: At My Friends Place, we provide 13 to 20-year-old homeless teenagers with a bed, meals, clothing, showers, laundry facilities, hygiene products, support services and individualized case management services. We also offer drop-in services to all youth in need in our community.
Civil Rights
Know Your Rights: A Guide for Public School Students in Washington: This guide provides general information on students' rights in Washington state public schools. It is not meant to provide legal advice. This guide does not address the rights of students in private schools, tribal schools, public colleges or universities.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR): OCR enforces federal civil rights that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities based on race, color, national origin, sex, disabilities, and age.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Educational Opportunities Section: DOJ enforces federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and religion in public schools.
Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC): WSHRC enforces the Washington Law Against Discrimination (RCW 49.60), which prohibits discrimination in employment and in places of public accommodation, including schools.
WA State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction Office of Equity & Civil Rights: OSPI Office of Equity & Civil Rights will consider complaints about discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and sexual Harassment once the school district complaint options have been pursued.
Healthcare
Blue Mountain Heart to Heart: BMH2H is a community-based organization whose mission is to promote public health with advocacy, education, harm reduction, and support for individuals across a spectrum of chronic conditions, with a special emphasis on HIV prevention and care.
Grace Clinic: provides free medical, dental and mental health services to uninsured adults who reside in Benton or Franklin counties or Burbank.
Youth Law & Education
The Alliance for Equal Justice: The Alliance for Equal Justice is a network of Washington State organizations that work together in a collaborative way to coordinate strategy and delivery of civil legal aid to people and communities that experience poverty and injustice.
CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral) Hotline: a toll-free legal hotline for people with low incomes.
Northwest Justice Project: NJP provides legal assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals needing help with civil (non-criminal) legal problems in Washington state.
Washington Law Help: Washington Law Help is a guide to free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Washington. This site provides legal education materials and tools that give you basic information on a number of legal problems, and in some cases, detailed instructions and forms to help you represent yourself in court. You can also locate information on free legal aid programs in Washington, including basic eligibility and contact information.
Book Riot: Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America and home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original content, all designed around diverse readers and across all genres. We’ve been recommending buzzy and under-the-radar books, celebrating the reading life, reporting on headlines from the world of books and publishing since 2011.
Annual Washington State Zine Contest: Creators of all ages are invited to submit a zine to the annual Washington State Zine Contest, sponsored by the Washington Center for the Book. Zines can be authored by anyone who lives in Washington and can be about any topic. There are no thematic limits. Prizes will be awarded to a winner in each age/grade group: pre 4th grade, grades 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and adults of all ages! You can see previous winners, as well as a four-minute video on how to make a zine on the Washington Center Book website.
National Gallery of Art: Paint n' Play: Create like a great with our painting art game for kids. Choose your brushes and colors inspired by Van Gogh, Alma Thomas and other great artists.
Northwest Radon Poster Contest: January is Radon Action Month. This poster contest serves to raise awareness of harmful effects of elevated indoor radon levels and promote testing and mitigation of radon gas. First, second, and third place winners will be selected from each state (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). A regional grand prize will be selected from the winning submissions. The first-place posters from each state will be submitted to the 2025 National Radon Poster Contest. All participating students will learn about radon and how to reduce their risk of exposure.
Teen Ink: a national teen magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos and forums. Teen Ink offers teens the opportunity to publish their creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives – everything from love and family to school, current events, and self-esteem.
TRIFI Poster Challenge: The Tri-Cities International Film Festival (TRIFI) has issued its annual call for submissions to the 2024 TRIFI Film Festival Poster Challenge. The winning poster will be used as the image of the 2024 TRIFI Film Festival on posters, flyers and promotional items. TRIFI uses local artists to encourage interaction between the various community artists and arts organizations. Artists of all ages are invited to submit artwork. Poster selected will receive $150.00 (USD). There is no cost to submit and artists may submit up to 3 entries. Rules and requirements can be found below.
Tumbleweird: Tumbleweird is a community-driven paper based in the Tri-Cities. That means you—yes, you—are invited to contribute content for publication which aligns with our purpose. All content is considered by Tumbleweird Editorial staff based on its alignment with this purpose.
WTN Youth Science Contest: The Washington Tracking Network Youth Science Contest is an opportunity for high school students in Washington state to develop their science and communication skills by engaging with health and environmental data from their own communities.
Washington State Science & Engineering Fair: WSSEF is dedicated to advancing the studies of Science and Engineering for students in grades 1-12 across the State of Washington. They organize and host the annual Washington State Science and Engineering Fair, offering students the opportunity to showcase their projects and be evaluated at both regional and state levels.
