The United Public Workers Foundation is proud to present the James “Jimmy” Toledo Scholarship, a testament to the enduring legacy of a revered union leader and advocate for workers’ rights in Hawai’i. This scholarship, launched in 2024, aims to support the educational aspirations of UPW member dependents, fostering the next generation of leaders and thinkers in the labor movement.

To support educational advancement across our diverse membership, for 2026 the UPW Foundation is awarding a total of $12,000 in scholarships:

• Five (5) $1,000 scholarships to local high school seniors
• Five (5) $1,000 scholarships to students currently attending college
• One (1) $2,000 scholarship to a student attending college and majoring in Political Science, Labor Studies, or Labor Relations

The scholarships are available to children/dependents of active United Public Workers members who are seniors graduating from a high school in 2026 in the state of Hawaii or current college students who are continuing enrollment in the Fall 2026 semester. Current college students do NOT have to be attending a university or college in Hawaii.

The UPW member must be in good standing at the time of the scholarship application and the child/dependent must be enrolled or enrolling in secondary education (college, university, trade, or vocational school).

All scholarship applicants must submit the following:

• Complete the scholarship application form linked HERE

   

• For high school seniors and college students applying for the $1,000 scholarship award, submit an essay answering the question:
  • “How does your experience growing up in a union household influence your future career goals?”

     

• For college students majoring in Political Science, Labor Studies, or Labor Relations and applying for the $2,000 scholarship award, submit an essay answering the question:
  • “How does today’s social and political environment shape your understanding of unions and their role in the future?”

     

• For all scholarship essays:
  • Essay should be a maximum of 1,000 words in length
  • Essay must be typed, double-spaced, and in 12-point font size in preferably Calibri or Helvetica font
  • Essay must have a title that captures the idea of the essay
  • Essay must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document (.doc) or in PDF (.pdf) format
  • Essay must NOT reveal the applicant’s name or school, or the UPW member’s name or job. If necessary, use general terms such as “my high school, my father, my mother’s workplace,” etc.
    
    
•  Submit a headshot photo at least 2,000 by 2,000 pixels in size in JPG, PNG, or TIF format. This photo is used for scholarship-related promotional purposes and will only be used if the applicant is selected as a recipient of the Jimmy Toledo Scholarship.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 Jimmy Toledo Scholarship is Friday, April 17, 2026 at 12:00pm (noon) HST.

Applicants who are selected as a recipient of one of the $1,000 scholarship awards will be required to submit proof of enrollment/commitment at their college/university/higher education or proof of major for the $2,000 award prior to sending the award check.

Scholarship award winners will be notified in Summer 2026.

If you have any questions, email: scholarship@upwfoundation.org

Essay grading:

• Central idea is clear and developed in answering the prompt question (10 points)
• Usage of grammar and mechanics (i.e. spelling, punctuation) effectively communicates idea (10 points)
• Essay demonstrates UPW values (10 points)
• Maximum score is 30 points

Each essay will be blind-graded by five (5) judges for a maximum total score of 150 points.

For the five (5) $1,000 awards to local high school seniors, each award will be given to the applicant with the highest-scoring essay from eligible applicants within each UPW Division (Hawaii Division, Kauai Division, Maui Division, Oahu Division, Private Sector Division). In the event there are no applicants from a UPW Division, that Division’s scholarship will be awarded to the applicant with the second-highest overall essay score and so on.

For the five (5) $1,000 awards to current college students, the awards will be given to the five applicants with the highest-scoring essays out of all eligible applicants.

For the one (1) $2,000 award to a current college student majoring in Political Science, Labor Studies, or Labor Relations, the award will be given to the applicant with the highest-scoring essay out of all eligible applicants.