The Electronic Security Association (ESA), Irving, Texas, announced that Vivint has stepped up as the exclusive sponsor of the 2013 ESA Youth Scholarship Program through its contribution of $10,000.

The ESA Youth Scholarship Program was created in 1996 and since then the association and its affiliated Chartered Chapters have donated more than $300,000 in scholarship funds to children of law enforcement officers, firefighters and other active duty public safety officials.

The extra sponsorship dollars will allow ESA to award a $10,000 scholarship to the first-place winner, $5,000 for second place, $3,500 for third and $1,500 for fourth. Previously, scholarships had been awarded to first- and second-place entries only. In addition to sponsoring the national scholarship program, Vivint will be contributing additional funding and resources to support enhanced scholarship initiatives in select markets.

Vivint is ranked third in the SDM 100. Operating from offices throughout the United States and Canada, the company serves more than 675,000 customers.

Vivint’s sponsorship of the ESA Youth Scholarship Program is an extension of its Vivint Gives Back program, created to alleviate hardship and restore hope for families in need. Since its inception in 2008, Vivint Gives Back has participated in activities from cleanup after Hurricane Sandy to building homes for Habitat For Humanity, to adopting local elementary schools where children are living below national poverty levels.

“Vivint’s commitment to protecting families goes far beyond our products and services; it’s ingrained in our company culture. Partnering with the ESA Youth Scholarship Program is a wonderful opportunity to honor our local communities and support our youth’s desire to further their education,“ said Alex Dunn, Vivint’s chief operations officer.

Scholarship awards are based on a combination of academic achievement, national test scores, extracurricular participation and an essay. Each eligible student must have a father, mother or natural guardian who is an active duty public service officer. Students who apply are required to write an essay titled, "What it means to me to have my parent or guardian involved in securing our community.”

For information, visit www.ESAweb.org/scholarship.