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The time is ticking for college-bound Boricuas to submit their application for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship Awards Program.

In an effort to allow more students the opportunity to apply for the award, the board of directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) decided to extend the deadline until Feb. 15.

“We really want to encourage the kids, but parents have to also take a pretty active role in getting their kids or grandkids to participate,” says Louis Maldonado, executive board member of NPRDP.

Since new leadership was established in 2014, the parade board has placed an increased emphasis on the importance of the academic scholarships that are provided by the organization, along with the annual cultural celebration in June.

“In addition to celebrating culture and passing it on to the youth — we do this to promote education and leadership development,” Maldonado says.

In January, the NPRDP announced it would triple both the dollar amount and number of overall scholarships awarded since the new board took the reins in 2014.

This year, the NPRDP will award 60 scholarships totaling an impressive $120,000, compared to the 15 awards totaling $30,000 when they first began their journey to improve the parade’s community impact and influence.

Students interested in applying for the scholarship must be of Puerto Rican descent, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be either a senior in high school or enrolled in a four-year institution.

“We know that academics is important. But for this scholarship, we also want to extend beyond that top tier and reach more students that perhaps excel in other ways beyond just the academics,” says Maldonado.

Students are also required to submit letters of recommendation and perform an amount of community service.

“We look for candidates that are giving back to their community. Kids that are paying it forward,” Maldonado adds.

While the parade is still more than four months away, the board is wasting no time in getting their message of education and empowerment of the Puerto Rican community out to the masses.

Some of the focus this year will be placed specifically on diversity and family, along with educating the community on the economic turmoil currently taking place on the island of Puerto Rico.

“Everything we do will always revolve around our three pillars: arts, culture and education,” Maldonado says.

For more information on the scholarship award, go to nprdpinc.org.