Following are application dates for student contests, scholarships, and internships. Asterisks (*) denote new entries.
Open CARING
The Caring Institute seeks nominations of students 18 and younger who demonstrate extraordinary compassion, caring, and selflessness. Each of five winners receives a $2,000 college scholarship, an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and a place in the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans. Nomination forms are available on the Web site. Contact: Ariane Holm, Caring Institute, 228 7th St. S.E., Washington, DC 20003; (202) 547-4273; fax (202) 547-4510; e-mail inquiries@caring- institute.org; www.caring- institute.org.
Open COMMUNITY SERVICE
The Points of Light Foundation, in partnership with the Prudential Insurance Company of America, presents the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute, a service and leadership curriculum for high school students that provides hands-on experience at community problem-solving. Participants are chosen at the local level and complete 30 hours of curriculum work, hands-on field exercises, and community service projects that they choose, create, and implement. Contact: Laura Raine Rittner, Points of Light Foundation, 1400 I St. N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 729-8151;e-mail lraine@pointsoflight.org; www.pyli.org.
Open CREATIVITY
Creative Kids magazine, a product of Prufrock Press, publisher of literature to support the education of gifted children, requests submissions from students ages 8 to 14. Original cartoons, songs, stories of 800 to 900 words, puzzles, photographs, artwork, games, activities, editorials, poetry, and plays are accepted. Teachers or students submit up to three works each, per envelope, labeled with the child’s name, birth date, grade, school, and home address; a self-addressed, stamped envelope should be included with each submission. Students whose materials are selected for publication receive a free copy of the Creative Kids issue in which their work appears. Contact: Submissions Editor, Creative Kids, P.O. Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813; www.prufrock.com/pruf rock_jm_createkids.cfm.
Open CREATIVITY
Teen Ink invites students ages 13-19 to submit art, poems, stories, essays, editorials, and reviews of movies, books, music, colleges, and Web sites for publication in its magazine. There is no charge for submissions or to be published, and the author of any manuscript or artwork selected for publication receives a free copy of the issue containing his or her work and a Teen Ink pen and note pad. More information and submission guidelines are available on the Web site; works may also be submitted via the Web site, or by e-mail or regular mail. Contact: Teen Ink, P.O. Box 30, Newton, MA 02461; (617) 964-6800; editor@teenink.com; www.teenink.com.
*Open HISTORY
The Concord Review, a quarterly journal that publishes secondary students’ academic work, accepts student essays on any historical topic. Essays should be approximately 5,000 words, plus endnotes and bibliography. They also must be accompanied by an entry form, available from the Review‘s Web site, and a check for $40. Contact: Concord Review, 730 Boston Post Rd., Suite 24, Sudbury, MA 01776; (800) 331-5007 or (978) 443- 0022; e-mail fitzhugh@tcr.org; www.tcr.org.
Open PEN PALS
World Pen Pals promotes international friendship and cultural understanding among young people around the world. Students in 5th grade and above are invited to request an overseas pen pal; parental consent is required for participants younger than 13. Teachers may request a brochure about class participation. Contact: World Pen Pals, P.O. Box 337, Saugerties, NY 12477; phone and fax (845) 246-7828; www.world-pen- pals.com.
*March 16 YOUNG INVENTORS
The National Science Teachers Association and Sears, Roebuck and Co. sponsor the annual Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, encouraging students in grades 2-8 to design and build a tool. Ten finalists each receive a $5,000 U.S. savings bond; two winners, one in grades 2-5 and one in grades 6- 8, are awarded an additional $5,000 U.S. savings bond. Six second-place regional winners from each grade division receive $500 savings bonds; a dozen third-place regional winners get $250 savings bonds. Their schools also receive prizes. Contact: Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201; (888) 494-4994; e-mail younginventors@nsta.org; www.nsta.org/programs/craftsman .
*March 18 LITERATURE
The Ayn Rand Institute sponsors an essay contest for high school freshmen and sophomores on Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem. Essays must run between 600 and 1,200 words and focus on one of three topics chosen by the institute. The top essayist receives a $2,000 award. Each of five second-prize winners receives $500, and 10 third-prize winners each receive $200. Contact: Anthem Essay Contest, Ayn Rand Institute, P.O. Box 57044, Irvine, CA 92619-7044; (949) 222-6550, ext. 209; e-mail essay@aynrand.org; www.aynrand.org/contests.
*March 25 ESSAYS
The Harry Singer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes responsibility and involvement in public policy, conducts essay contests online. All participants receive certificates. Three winners are chosen from classes that submit a minimum of 10 essays. High school winners receive cash prizes of $75, $100, and $200; younger students receive books. Topics vary each year. Judging is based on how well essays identify specific issues and answer particular questions. Materials are posted on the Web site; essays are submitted via e-mail. Contact: Harry Singer Foundation, P.O. Box 223159, Carmel, CA 93922; (831) 625-4223; fax (831) 624-7994; e-mail staff@singerfoundation.org; www.singerfoundation.org.
*Marc h 31 ART
Dick Blick Art Materials sponsors the annual Linoleum Block Print Contest for students in grades 4-12. Young artists submit linoleum blocks of any size and color to be judged in one of three grade divisions: 4-6, 7-9, and10-12. Fifteen winners earn plaques and $50 to $400 worth of art materials for their schools. Every participating school is entered in a drawing for a Dick Blick Etching Press. Contact: Dick Blick Art Materials, P.O. Box 1267, Galesburg, IL 61402-1267; (800) 828-4548; fax (800) 621-8293; e-mail info@dickblick.com; www.dickblick.com/blockcontest .
*March 31 SCHOLARSHIPS
The Robert G. Porter Scholars Program provides four college-bound high school seniors with four-year, $8,000 scholarships. Students whose parents or guardians have been members of the American Federation of Teachers for at least one year are eligible. Each applicant sends transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay for consideration. Scholarships are given to well-rounded students with community involvement and high grades. Contact: Porter Scholars, 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20001; (202) 879-4400; e-mail porterscholars@aft.org; www.aft.org.
*April-June HISTORY
National History Day and the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission invite students in grades 6-12 to participate in a historical essay contest. Essays must include supporting research about the Brown decision and relate to all or part of the theme “Exploration, Encounter, Exchange in History.” Students present findings at regional contests; deadlines vary by region. Winners go on to state- and national-level competitions. The first-place winner receives $1,000, second place receives $500, and third place receives $340. The winning student and his or her parents attend the Brown v. Board 50th Anniversary ceremony. Full contest rules and regional contact information are available on the Web site. Contact: National History Day, Brown v. Board Essay Contest, 119 Cecil Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742; (301) 314-9739; fax (301) 314-9767;e-mail markr@nationalhistoryday.org; www.nationalhistoryday.org.
* April 1 ANIMALS
American Humane and Del Monte Foods welcome nominations for the 11th annual Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest, which honors young people whose efforts improve the lives of animals. Nominations may be made in two categories—ages 6- 9 and 10-13—and the acts of kindness must have been conducted between May 1, 2003, and April 1, 2004. One grand prize winner and two runners-up will be selected from each age group. Grand prize winners receive $5,000, and all winners will be recognized on the Web site. Contact: American Humane, 63 Inverness Dr. E., Englewood, CO 80112; (800) 227-4645, ext. 436; www.americanhumane.org.
*April 1 COMMUNITY SERVICE
The Hitachi Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropic organization, seeks nominations for the Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community. The award recognizes high schoolseniors who have distinguished records of community service activities and leadership. As many as 10 awardees receive $5,000 each over two years and participate in an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., and a retreat with other awardees. Contact: Yoshiyama Award, P.O. Box 19247, Washington, DC 20036-9247; (202) 457-0588; www.hitachifoundation.org/yos hiyama.
*April 1 MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS
The Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Program provides support services to minority students. Applicants must be high school seniors with SAT scores of at least 900 or ACT scores of at least 21; they also must demonstrate financial need and high academic achievement. Four-year scholarships of up to $6,000 are awarded. Students also receive year-round personal and career counseling, the chance to interact with other Jackie Robinson scholars, and assistance in obtaining summer jobs and permanent employment after graduation. Contact: Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Program, 3 W. 35th St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10001; (212) 290-8600; www.jackierobinson.org.
*April 1 SCHOLARSHIPS
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation sponsors a program to assist children of active or reserve duty U.S. Marines or former U.S. Marines who received honorable or medical discharges or were killed while servingin the Marine Corps. Scholarships support undergraduate study at accredited educational or technical institutions. Applicants must have a combined family income of no more than $58,000 (income limit is higher if more than one family member is applying). One thousand scholarships of $500 to $2,500 are awarded. Contact: Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 3008, Princeton, NJ 08543; (800) 292-7777; e-mail mcsf@marine-scholars.org; www.marine-scholars.org.
*April 2 CLASSROOMS
Glidden Paint Co., a Cleveland-based manufacturer of architectural paints, announces the Colorful Classrooms Campaign. This summer, during National Paint Week, Glidden volunteers will paint selected kindergarten classrooms across the country, free of charge. Any adult (18 years or older) may nominate a classroom by submitting essays, poems, photographs, or works created by the students; self-nominations are also accepted. For more information, contact: Colorful Classrooms Campaign, ICI Paints, 925 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115; (800) GLIDDEN; www.glidden.com.
*April 5 ENGINEERING
The West Point Bridge Design Contest encourages students to create structurally accurate bridges online. The Internet-based contest, sponsored by the U.S. Military Academy and the American Society of Civil Engineers, is open to all middle and high school students age 13 and older, who compete individually or in pairs. Participants download the West Point Bridge Designer software and design highway bridges at the lowest possible cost. The top 10 teams in each of four regions advance to the semifinals, where they download a new project and have three hours to develop a design. The best five teams travel to West Point in June for the final competition. Each finalist receives a laptop computer and a chance to compete for a $15,000 cash scholarship. For more information, contact: Cathy Bale, Contest Coordinator,Department of Civil & MechanicalEngineering, USMA, West Point, NY 10096; e-mail wpbedc@usma.edu; http://bridgecontest.usma.edu.
*A pril 15 LITERATURE
The Ayn Rand Institute sponsors an annual essay contest for high school juniors and seniors on Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. Students submit 800- to 1,600-word essays on one of three topics chosen by the institute. The top essayist receives a $10,000 award; five second-prize winners receive $2,000 each, and 10 third-prize winners receive $1,000 each. Contact: The Fountainhead Essay Contest, Ayn Rand Institute, P.O. Box 57044, Irvine, CA 92619-7044; (949) 222-6550, ext. 209; e-mail essay@aynrand.org; www.aynrand.org/contests.
*Apri l 15 LITERATURE
Literary works publisher Signet Classic invites high school juniors and seniors to participate in its Scholarship Essay Contest. Students write essays on one of four topics pertaining to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. The essay must be submitted with a cover letter from a high school English teacher. Five winners each receive a $1,000 scholarship and a Signet Classic library for their schools. Contact: Penguin Putnam Inc., Academic Marketing Department, Signet Scholarship Essay Contest, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014; www.penguinputnam.com/academic .
*April 15 PLAYWRIGHTS
The VSA arts Playwright Discovery Award challenges students of all abilities in grades 6-12 to express their views about disabilities by writing a one-act play. Two plays will be produced at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Recipients receive a scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C. Applications and more information are available from the Web site. Contact: VSA arts, (800) 933-8721; www.vsarts.org.
*April 30 CIVIC SERVICE
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes honors outstanding young people who have made a significant difference to people and the planet. Ten winners are selected nationwide; half the winners will have focused on helping their communities and fellow human beings, and half will have focused on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment. Nominees should be between the ages of 8 and 18 and should have shown leadership and courage in developing and implementing a service project that clearly benefits other living things or the planet. Winners must have demonstrated strong personal initiative as well as a positive spirit, courage, intelligence, generosity, and high moral purpose. While outside help may have been used, the activity must be largely the winner’s own creation and not have been done primarily to complete an assignment for work or school. Nominations should be made by adults who have solid knowledge of the nominee and his or her work but who are not related, including teachers, librarians, and civic or religious leaders. Nominees must be legal residents of the United States or Canada, must be residing in North America at the time of nomination, and must have done the work for which they are being nominated during the year prior to the date of submission. Barron Prize winners each receive $2,000, to be applied to higher education or their service project, and widespread publicity. The complete nomination packet is available on the Web site. For more information, contact: The Barron Prize, P.O. Box 17, Boulder, CO 80306-0017; e-mail ba_richman@barronprize.org; www.barronprize.org.
*May 1 INDUSTRY/MARKETING
The Youth and Education Services program of the National Hot Rod Association announce the Sears Craftsman Scholarship to help college-bound high school seniors continue their education, while acknowledging the academic achievement, citizenship, extracurricular activities, community service, and work experience of each applicant. Three students from each of the seven geographic divisions of the NHRA, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, receive $1,000 scholarships. Applicants must be seniors graduating from public, private, or parochial schools between January 1 and June 30. They must demonstrate good character, a minimum 2.5 grade-point average, leadership ability, and involvement in extracurricular school and community activities. They also must plan to attend an accredited college, university, or technical/vocational program. Preference is given to those planning a career in automotive technology, industrial or technical manufacturing, or marketing. For more information, contact: Sears Craftsman Scholarship, NHRA Youth and Education Services, 2035 Financial Way, Glendora, CA 91741-4602; (626) 250- 2296; www.nhra.com/aboutnhr/youth.htm .
—Urmila Subramanyamand Marianne Hurst
