The Deja Family Foundation is proud to award scholarships annually, ranging from $750 to $2,000 each. These scholarships are open to high school seniors who demonstrate leadership, service, kindness, and a strong commitment to serving as positive role models within their communities.e next school year.
Applicants must be Illinois residents and plan to enroll in a university, community college, or trade/technical school for the upcoming academic year. Special consideration will be given to students pursuing studies in Business, Nonprofit Management, Women in STEM, Automotive Mechanics, or Substance Abuse Counseling, as well as to those attending William Rainey Harper College.
We are dedicated to making a lasting difference in our community, and these scholarships are designed to support a student who embodies the values of the Deja Family: being family-centered, community-driven, and dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of others.
Applicants must submit the following:
- Completed General Application
- Copy of unofficial or official transcript
- 2 letters of recommendation:
- 1 school (current teacher or counselor) and 1 outside (Employer, Volunteer Manager, etc.). - Typed Essay of 1,000 words to include the following:
- Why should you receive this scholarship?
- How will you make a difference in our world and continue our legacy?
- How have you made a difference in your community?
The completed scholarship application must be submitted by March 15, 2026.
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
The 2026 Scholarship is now closed. The 2027 Scholarship will open in January.
GREGORY MITCHELL
ANNOUNCED AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE
2026 DEJA FAMILY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The Deja Family Foundation is proud to announce that Homewood-Flossmoor High School senior Gregory Mitchell has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Deja Family Memorial Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship honors the memory and legacy of the Deja Family and is awarded annually to a high school senior who exemplifies leadership, community service, kindness, and a commitment to making a positive impact on others.
“We hope to continue changing lives in our community, and this scholarship supports a student who embodies the Deja Family’s values: family-centered, community-driven, and aspiring to positively impact the lives of others,” said Gayle Deja-Schultz, President of The Deja Family Foundation.
At Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Mitchell has distinguished himself through academic excellence, leadership, and service. He is actively involved in the National Honor Society, Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Track and Field, Varsity Debate, Viking STEM Society, and Mathletes, serving in leadership roles in many of these organizations. Beyond school, he is also an active member and mentor with Jack and Jill of America, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, and Top Teens of America.
Among Mitchell’s many accomplishments, he was named the winner of Illinois’ 2nd District Congressional App Challenge, an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives that encourages high school students to explore computer science and create technology solutions for their communities.
Mitchell’s winning submission, The Earth App, was designed to inspire curiosity and exploration by presenting users with new activities, questions, insights, and topics each day. Inspired by the increasing isolation and loneliness experienced by many in his generation, Mitchell created the app to encourage people to think, learn, and engage more deeply with the world around them.
In addition to his academic and technological achievements, Mitchell has volunteered extensively with Flossmoor Community Church, Habitat for Humanity, Experience Mission, the Boys & Girls Club of Ford Heights, and the Twenty Pearls Foundation.
This fall, Mitchell will attend Dartmouth College, where he plans to major in Computer Science with a minor in Psychology, and stated, “Receiving this scholarship means I can focus on what brought me to Dartmouth College in the first place. I’m studying computer science with a minor in psychology because I want to build technology that helps people connect with each other and with the world around them. This award goes directly toward making that possible, and I’m grateful to The Deja Family Foundation for investing in students who want to use their education to give back.”
For more information, paper application, requests for community assistance or to donate or , please contact:
Gayle at Gayle@DejaSchultzHomes.com
or (630) 708-2424.
Thank you to our donors:
Deja-Schultz Homes The key to finding your happy place!
Friends of the Deja Family
If you would like to support our efforts in continuing to make a difference in the lives of our community,
please consider making a donation.
100% of all donations will be distributed annually
in the form of community assistance or scholarships!
