About the Scholarship Fund
The John Keys Kentucky S.A.L. Scholarship Fund is the brainchild of Bill Stevenson of Princeton, Kentucky, Past Detachment Commander of the Kentucky Sons of The American Legion, 1987-1989. In 1988, the Kentucky S.A.L. Detachment Executive Committee adopted the Scholarship Fund as a statewide program.
Program rules allow applicants to attend any post-secondary school (public or private) in Kentucky or in any bordering state. Scholarship awards are solely to assist with tuition costs at the applicant’s institution. Scholarship awards are made in the form of a check made payable to the institution. The amount of individual scholarship awards is not pre-set, but is determined based on the total amount of
contributions received by the program each year. Scholarship awards will be announced on March 13, 2027 and October 9, 2027.
By official action of the Detachment Executive Committee, the operation and management of the Scholarship Fund is the responsibility of the John Keys scholarship committee, that administers the program on behalf of the Kentucky Sons of The American Legion.
About John Keys
John H. Keys (1923-1990) was born and raised in Covington, Kentucky. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. John held a number of high profile leadership positions within The American Legion and the Sons of The American Legion (S.A.L.) including, Kentucky State Commander, National Executive Committeeman, and National Vice Commander. John Keys died of cancer in February 1990. At its 1990 State Convention in Owensboro, the Kentucky S.A.L. voted to rename the Scholarship Fund in his honor, in tribute to his untiring devotion and years of service to The American Legion Family.
What is the S.A.L.
The Sons of The American Legion (S.A.L.) is an affiliated organization of The American Legion. This non-profit, patriotic service organization is comprised of direct male descendants (sons, grandsons, stepsons, adopted sons) of Legionnaires, as well as direct males descendants of
deceased veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who served honorably during Legion eligibility periods in World War I,
World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, or Persian Gulf War .