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This spring, we’re sponsoring a $1,000 scholarship for an Estero High School senior who writes the winning essay on the history of governance in the Village of Estero. In plain terms: we’re rewarding a student who can look back at how Estero has been “run” over time—and explain what that history teaches us about how communities work.

Why a scholarship about governance?

Because governance isn’t just “politics.” It’s the day-to-day stuff that shapes your life:

• Who makes decisions?
• What rules exist, and why?
• How does a place go from “a few settlements” to an organized community?

Engage Estero spends a lot of time encouraging residents to show up, ask good questions, and understand what’s happening around them. This scholarship is a way to encourage the next generation to do the same—starting with research, not opinions.

The prompt students will tackle

The governance essay asks students to explore Estero’s early history—from 500 BC to 1955—and explain how governance developed over time. That’s a big range, but it’s also what makes the topic interesting: students get to connect the dots from early communities and systems to what later became the Village of Estero.

How the contest works (simple version)

• Who can enter: Estero High School seniors
• Scholarship amount: $1,000 (and there are three scholarships total across the contest)
• Essay length: up to 500 words (references don’t count)
• Deadline: March 6, 2026—submitted to Garcia, the EHS College and Career Counselor
• Can a student apply for more than one scholarship? Yes—students can submit separate essays for each category and be eligible for all three awards

A quick note about the other scholarships

Engage Estero isn’t doing this alone. The contest also includes two other $1,000 scholarships sponsored by:

• The Estero Historical Society, with an essay focused on historic sites and the value of preserving them
• The Greater Estero Chamber of Commerce, with an essay on economic history and what shaped Estero’s development

All three are great topics. But Engage Estero’s focus—governance—goes right to the heart of how a community learns to steer itself.

What judges are looking for

This isn’t a “who has the most passion” contest. Judges will score essays on historical accuracy, organization, a clear thesis and logic, writing mechanics, and references.

Where students can find good sources

The flyer points students to places like the Lee County Library, the Estero Historical Society (including the Reading Room), Friends of Koreshan Historic State Park, and FGCU library resources—plus interviews with local historians and longtime families.

Why this matters to the rest of us

A $1,000 scholarship is helpful, sure. But the bigger win is what happens while a student is writing the essay: they learn how to build a case with facts, how to use sources, and how to explain complicated local history clearly.

That’s how you grow future leaders and better citizens—one student at a time.

L to R. Essay Contest Scholarship Winners Shiv Kalvadia for Business, Chase O’Dea for Governance and Natalie Gonzalez Cabera for History in 2025

Come celebrate these seniors

If you want to see the best of Estero—show up when we celebrate our seniors.

Plan to attend the Estero High School Senior Awards & Scholarships event:

• Wednesday, May 6, 2026
• 6:00 PM
• Estero High School Auditorium

Bring a friend. Bring your kids or grandkids. And come help us recognize the students who are doing the work—studying Estero’s past, thinking clearly about how communities function, and stepping into their future with momentum.