ema cardenas scholarship

The Ema Cardenas Scholarship Fund

The Ema Cardenas Scholarship Fund was created to honor Ema’s spirit and the meaningful impact the Barbell Club had on her life. Ema joined the Barbell Club at East High School during her freshman year. Her family was surprised at first because she had tried sports before but hadn’t stuck with them. They remember sitting around the dinner table when Ema announced she was joining the East High Barbell Club, proudly talking about the water bottle, sweater, and Converse tennis shoes she would receive for participating. For anyone who knew Ema, that made sense—she loved free merch.

What Ema found through Barbell Club became much more than free merch. She found a place where she belonged. She gained a voice, strength, confidence, and lessons that extended beyond the weight room. She stayed committed, did not miss class, and looked forward to school because she knew Barbell Club was waiting for her at the end of the day. She loved sharing stories about the club and how much it meant to her.

Ema was a kind-hearted, caring person who helped others. This scholarship carries that spirit forward by supporting students who have experienced the growth, confidence, and connection that Barbell Club can provide. Her family believes Ema would be proud to know that this scholarship is helping other students continue their education and build their futures.

Scholarship Overview

The Ema Cardenas Scholarship Fund is an annual scholarship awarded to senior high school students who have successfully completed at least one Barbell Club six-week session or one summer camp during their high school career. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to two seniors who best embody Ema’s spirit and the values behind Barbell Club and Raise the Bar Initiative.

2027 APPLICATION TIMELINE

September 10, 2026: Application opens
March 10, 2027: Application closes
April 5, 2027: Winners will be notified
April 24, 2027: Winners will be notified and announced at our 2027 Iowa Women’s Barbell Classic

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be graduating high school seniors who plan to attend college or trade school in the year immediately following high school graduation. Applicants must have successfully completed at least one Barbell Club session during high school or one Summer Camp session during middle or high school. Successful completion means the student met attendance requirements and received coach validation that they were an active participant in class.

Applicants must complete and submit the full scholarship application, including all required documents, by the stated deadline. Applicants are not eligible if they have a family member who serves on the Raise the Bar Initiative Board of Directors or on the scholarship committee.

TERMS

Scholarship funds may be used for tuition, books, or fees.
Funds will be sent by Raise the Bar Initiative directly to the recipient’s college or trade school and applied to the recipient’s account.
Funds must be used within one year of being awarded.
Scholarships are awarded for the recipient’s first year of continuing education only.

If the recipient does not attend college or trade school, they must repay the full scholarship amount to Raise the Bar Initiative within nine months of receipt. Returned funds will be applied toward future scholarships.

OUR REVIEW PROCESS

Raise the Bar Initiative uses a blind review process to support a thoughtful and fair evaluation of each application. Applicants remain anonymous throughout the scoring process, and their identities are revealed only after the two recipients are selected.

Once each reviewer completes their assessment, the committee meets to reach a consensus. The Treasurer of the Board of Directors is the only individual who knows each applicant’s name, and they do not participate in scoring applications to preserve anonymity throughout the review process.

What You’ll need to apply

College or Trade School Acceptance Letter
Cumulative GPA
Name of Barbell Club or Summer Camp Coach you would like to provide us with a letter of recommendation. Be sure to ask your coach first before providing their name.
Letter of Recommendation from School Personnel or an Employer
High School Transcript