Anaiah Singh
Hearttalk
Mental health brand with 30,000+ TikTok followers. Featured in Newsweek. Full app published on the App Store.
30K+ TikTok • Newsweek feature • App Store
$100,000 in scholarships and grants for high schoolers building real social impact projects. Full-ride scholarships, mentorship, and up to $7,000 in prizes at The Catalyst Prize.
Total Fund Value
Scholarships
In Prizes
Program Length
Prequel × Limitless Education
The fund operates in three stages. Enter the open contest, apply for a scholarship, or do both.
$5,000 Grand Prize
Open to any student in grades 8–11. Record a 60-second video about the problem you want to solve. Winner gets a full-ride scholarship to Prequel plus $5K in project funding.
12 Students Selected
Access scholarships for students who could not otherwise afford Prequel. Join the regular program alongside full-pay students — same curriculum, same expectations, same outcomes.
$15,000 in Prizes
After completing the year-long Prequel program, scholarship students pitch their social impact projects for real prize money. Open exclusively to Prequel students.
One video. 60 seconds. Tell us what problem you'd solve and how you'd use $5,000 to grow your project.
"What problem would you solve? How would you use $5K to grow your project?"
Prequel is a 12-month program where students build real projects — startups, apps, films, research, books. Scholarship recipients join the full cohort starting June 18, 2026.
Identify high-impact problems, build a minimum viable product, validate with real users, and develop a viable business model.
Develop a public presence, build an audience, master social media and writing, and learn to pitch your work to mentors and investors.
Use AI as a force multiplier across research, content, and decision-making. Build with no-code and AI-powered tools. Work 10x faster.
Weekly Live Sessions — 90-minute workshops every Thursday (8–9:30 PM ET) with real project challenges and peer collaboration.
12-Month Program — A full year of structured support. Foundations (months 1–3) to launch your project, Scale (months 4–12) to grow it.
1:1 Mentorship — Dedicated coaching combining human mentors and AI-guided feedback to keep your project on track.
College Advising — In-house college strategy — initial positioning call plus ongoing support to make your project the centerpiece of your application.
Community — A peer group of driven students building their own ventures. Weekly interaction, shared accountability, lasting connections.
Real Traction Goals — By month 3: a defined project with measurable progress. By year end: a standout venture that strengthens your college application.
Starts June 18, 2026. Scholarship recipients get full access for the entire program year. Additional optional sessions on Wednesdays (8–9 PM ET) plus monthly college advisor masterminds.
Foundations
Months 1–3
Scale
Months 4–12
These are current and recent Prequel students. Real projects, real traction, real results.
After completing the year-long Prequel program, scholarship students pitch their social impact projects to a live panel of judges. Four prizes awarded on the spot.
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
People's Choice
How The Catalyst Prize works: The Catalyst Prize is an invitation-only pitch competition at the end of the Prequel program year. It is open exclusively to scholarship cohort students and other Prequel students working in the social impact space. Prize money is awarded after the competition. If you pivot away from social impact during the program, you keep your scholarship but lose Catalyst Prize eligibility.
One form for both the scholarship application and contest entry.
The form fields will be configured in Webflow's native form builder. Fields include: First Name, Last Name, Age, Grade, City, State, Email, Parent Email, Project Pitch, 60-Second Video Link, Social Media Link (optional), Financial Situation, and Submit button.
Mar 20, 2026
Applications open + contest begins
Apr 17, 2026
Contest entries close (4-week window)
Apr 24, 2026
Contest winner announced
May 1, 2026
Scholarship applications close
May 15, 2026
Scholarship offers extended
Jun 18, 2026
Cohort starts — full Prequel program begins
Jun 2027
Program year ends — The Catalyst Prize + prizes awarded
Who can apply?
Any student in grades 8–11, anywhere in the United States. You do not need to be enrolled in Prequel already, and there is no GPA requirement. You need a social impact idea and a clear plan for what you would build.
What counts as "social impact"?
We define it broadly. It could be a for-profit business that solves a social problem, a nonprofit, an app, a media project, or a community initiative. For-profit ventures with clear social benefit qualify.
Do I need an existing project?
No. You need an idea and a plan for what you would build. Applicants with existing projects and applicants starting new ones are equally welcome.
Is the video pitch required?
Yes. It is the most important part of your application. 60 seconds, speaking directly to camera. Tell us what you want to build and why it matters. Production quality is not a factor.
Do I have to post my video on social media?
No, posting on social media is optional. We value students who are comfortable sharing their work publicly, but it is not a requirement. If you do post, use #PrequelChangemakers and tag @joinprequel.
What happens if my idea changes during the program?
Project direction can change during the program, and that is expected. If you pivot to a different project, you keep your scholarship. However, if your new project is no longer social impact focused, you will not be eligible for Catalyst Prize awards.
How are scholarships determined?
Scholarships are need-based. We evaluate the strength of your idea and video pitch, plus your financial situation. Two students receive full rides. The remaining scholarship recipients receive partial tuition coverage.
When are prizes and funding awarded?
Catalyst Prize awards ($15K total) are given at the end of the program year, after you present your project. The contest winner's $5K project funding is also paid out after completing the full program. Scholarships cover your tuition from day one.
What is Prequel?
Prequel is a 12-month program for high school students building real projects — startups, apps, films, research. Students receive weekly workshops, 1:1 coaching, college advising, and access to a community of peers. The Summer 2026 cohort starts June 18. Learn more at joinprequel.com.