Service League Scholarship Program

The Service League of Crystal Lake is extremely proud to sponsor educational scholarships for deserving high school and McHenry County College students in our community. These awards are given to qualified individuals demonstrating academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need. Between 2019-2023, the Service League of Crystal Lake has been able to give out 116 scholarships totaling $167,000.

Students who are living in the Crystal Lake area, attending a Crystal Lake area high school and are interested in a Service League scholarship award are encouraged to either contact their school guidance counselor for an application or download the application here. All scholarship applications for 2025 are due no later than March 21, 2025. More information can also be requested by e-mailing us at scholarship@slcrystallake.org.

Service League Legacy Scholarship

Service League’s largest annual scholarship is the Service League Legacy Scholarship. This is an award of $10,000 to one student, who our scholarship committee feels has shown great promise and resilience despite hardship and has demonstrated the importance of service to their community.

Our legacy scholarship is also designed to honor a member of Service League who has shown incredible dedication to our group and has gone above and beyond the typical scope of our work to honor our mission. The executive board chooses which member to honor based on her achievements within our organization. The 2025 honoree is Sue McArdle.

Sue McArdle has been a member of SL for 30 years, yet she is still one of the first to volunteer when a need pops up. She has served as:

• A House Chair for our Housewalk
• Outreach Chair
• Scholarship Chair
• VP and President

Many years ago she began our super successful Fashion Show, which still sells out every year. She graduated from John Marshall Law School and practiced law for 7 years as a public guardian for Cook County, and she later practiced part time in Crystal Lake. She volunteers locally for Good Samaritan, and is a doting, grandmother, yet she still devotes a lot of time to Service League. She's an amazing example of how to live a life of service. Congratulations to Sue McArdle!

2024 Scholarship Recipients

Crystal Lake South High School

Prairie Ridge High School

Crystal Lake Central High School

2024 Legacy Scholarship Recipient