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 2019-2025, the Service League of Crystal Lake has been able to give out 171 scholarships totaling $337,500.

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 2026 are due no later than March 13, 2026. 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 Centennial Legacy Scholarship Honoree is Karen Wallen.

Karen Wallen has been a Service League member for 28 years, and has served in so many roles including the Chairperson for Holiday Gala, Scholarship, Housewalk, and Outreach, just to name a few.

She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Music from ISU, moved to Crystal Lake in 1973, celebrated her 55th wedding anniversary this month, raised 5 boys, and has 10 beautiful grandchildren.

She was very active in the Woodstock special education program, served as an Auxiliary on the Pioneer Center Board, started a dental hygiene program there, and if that wasn’t enough–still volunteers at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry and with the St. Thomas funeral ministry, and of course, with the Service League.

She exemplifies everything it means to be philanthropic & has fun doing it! Congratulations to Karen Wallen!