DESCRIPTION

The Vivian Yenika-Agbaw Student Conference Grants are available to undergraduate and graduate students with interest in children's literature. The grants help defray registration and travel costs for the NCTE conference. They are awarded yearly dependent on available funding.

Donate to the Grant Fund

In 2018, the CLA Board approved the funding of Student Travel grants aiming to support the travel of undergraduate and graduate student members of the Children's Literature Assembly to the Annual NCTE Convention and the CLA Breakfast. For the virtual NCTE Conventions of 2020 and 2021, the grants were converted to Student Conference Grants and help defray registration costs for the NCTE conference. In 2021, the grant was renamed to The Vivian Yenika-Agbaw Student Conference Grant, in honor of the late co-editor of the Journal of Children's Literature, Dr. Vivian Yenika Agbaw. The student grants are awarded yearly dependent on available funding.

The Vivian Yenika-Agbaw Student Conference Grants are available to undergraduate and graduate students who have interest in children's literature. In 2024, two $300 grants were awarded. Grants help fund registration and travel expenses for the NCTE annual convention and CLA breakfast.

2026 Call for Applications

Eligibility Criteria:
To be considered for the grant, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

• be an undergraduate or graduate student (at the time of NCTE 2026), and
• plan to attend the annual NCTE Convention

Note: Preference will be given to applicants presenting in an accepted session on a topic related to children’s literature.

 
If Awarded:
By completing and submitting this application, the applicant agrees to the following requirements if grant is awarded:

• attend the CLA Breakfast on Sunday, November 22, 2026
• volunteer for a minimum of two hours at the CLA table in the Exhibit Hall (shifts to be negotiated).

Recipients will need to self-register for NCTE and the CLA Breakfast; the $500 will be directly awarded to the recipients after submitting proof of registration.

How to Apply:
To apply for the Vivian Yenika-Agbaw Student Conference Grant, please complete and submit the form linked below by Tuesday, September 1st at 11:59 pm PST. Applicants will be notified about acceptance decisions by the end of September.

2026 Application Form

2025 VYA Award Recipient, Jake Crow, talks about the benefits of receiving the grant.

Questions?

Email 
Darryn R.Diuguid 
Vivian Yenika-Agbaw Student Conference Grant Committee chair

Congratulations to the 2025 Grant Recipient!