For the second consecutive year, home security and automation service provider Vivint is sponsoring the Electronic Security Association’s (ESA) Youth Scholarship Program. The company contributed $10,000 to support the 2014 program.

Since the program was created in 1996, ESA and its affiliated chapters have donated $390,000 in scholarship funds to children of law enforcement officers, firefighters and other active-duty public safety officials.

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 of a police, sheriff’s or fire department. 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.”

With Vivint’s contribution, ESA will be able 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. Until now, only first- and second-place entries received scholarships.

The company’s support for the ESA Youth Scholarship Program is an extension of its Vivint Gives Back program, which was created in 2008 to help families in need. Some of the efforts Vivint has been involved with through the program include cleanup after Hurricane Sandy, building homes for Habitat for Humanity and 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,” said Alex Dunn, Vivint’s president. “Partnering with the ESA Youth Scholarship Program is a wonderful opportunity to honor our local communities and support young people’s desire to further their education.”

For complete scholarship rules and a list of participating states, visit ESA’s Web site at www.ESAweb.org/scholarship.