Scholarships Expand Opportunities
A new Northwestern University-powered scholarship initiative is designed to help Evanston students find and join high-quality after-school or summer programs.
The eLEAP scholarship, launched in partnership with Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy, Evanston/Skokie School District 65, and the City of Evanston, provides $500 per eligible student to be used for programming across Evanston.
Families can explore a wide range of activities—from academic enrichment to summer camps—through Digital Backpack 65, a platform developed by Digital Youth Network to centralize and simplify the process of finding things to do.
Scholarship funds will be applied directly to approved programming, giving families greater access to meaningful learning experiences beyond the school day.
“It’s all about building an ecosystem,” said Nichole Pinkard, the Alice Hamilton Professor of Education and Social Policy, who created Digital Youth Network and Digital Backpack 65.
“Digital Backpack allows people to log in and say, “I live in the Eighth Ward. Tell me what’s going on in this school and at this nearby park or that library,’” Pinkard said. “All the programs will be in one place.”
The Evanston Learning, Empowerment, and Advancement Program (eLEAP), builds on research by Pinkard and other School of Education and Social Policy faculty members, including associate professors Michael Horn and Matt Easterday.
Funded through Evanston’s Participatory Budgeting Process, which Easterday helped direct in his role as a technical advisor, eLEAP was one of the winning proposals selected by community vote. The scholarship represents a key component of the broader eLEAP initiative aimed at reducing barriers to learning opportunities for youth.
The public launch of the eLEAP scholarship will be held at 9 a.m. on May 10, 2025 during Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Music (STEMM) Day, hosted at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center in Evanston. STEMM day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. lets families:
- Visit the eLEAP booth to check eligibility and learn more
- Attend informational sessions on how to use Digital Backpack 65 and access scholarship funds
- Try interactive STEM activities, such as The BitCrush Music + Code Competition, which invites students from 5th grade through college to create original, tech-powered music performances that blend coding, sound, and stage presence—all for a panel of judges and a live audience.