Following application dates for student contests, scholarships, and internships. Asterisks (*) denote new entries.
*Open BOARDING SCHOOLS
The Commonweal Foundation sponsors the Pathways to Success program, which awards scholarships to boarding schools and students and provides students with opportunities to increase their academic skills, gain work experience, and expand their knowledge of life beyond their local communities. Scholarships not to exceed $4,000 per academic year may be used at any of 24 Pathways Partner Schools across the country and are determined case by case. Funds are distributed directly to the schools. Any student new to the boarding school experience and entering grades 9-12 may apply. Students must have potential for success in a regular or accelerated classroom setting, be willing to participate in work and community service opportunities, and demonstrate financial need. Contact: Paula Webber, 10770 Columbia Pike, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20901; (866) 846-8131 or (301) 592-1316; fax (301) 592-1305; e-mail paulawebber@commonweal-foundation.org; www.commonweal-foundation.org.
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/prufrock_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. For more information, contact: Teen Ink, P.O. Box 30, Newton, MA 02461; (617) 964-6800; editor@teenink.com; www.teenink.com.
Open ENVIRONMENT
GreenTimes, an environmental newspaper written by and for kids, welcomes students’ stories and ideas for publication. Contact: Elizabeth Gilmore, GreenTimes, 55 Reservoir St., Cambridge, MA 02138; (617) 868-5760; fax (617) 868-9725; e-mail habitat@greenscreen.org; www.greenscreen.org.
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; entries 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.
Open ORATION
Optimist International, a volunteer organization devoted to providing services for youth, announces its oratorical contest to inspire today’s youngsters to motivate and inform others through the art of public speaking. Interested students must prepare a speech on the topic “Thinking, Working, and Expecting the Best” and present it at their local Optimist Clubs. The speeches, which must be four to five minutes long, are judged at three levels: club-level winners receive medallions; zone- level winners receive plaques; district-level winners receive plaques and $1,500 college scholarships. Contact: Optimist International, Programs Department, Oratorical Coordinator, 4494 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108; (800) 500-8130, ext. 235; fax (314) 371-6006; e-mail programs@optimist.org; www.optimist.org.
May 1 INDUSTRY/MARKETING
The Youth and Education Services program of the National Hot Rod Association announces 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 .
*May 15 WOMEN ENGINEERS
The Society of Women Engineers offers scholarships to women enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an ABET-accredited engineering or computer science program. SWE administers more than 100 scholarship awards, ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,000 per year. Freshman applicants must have a minimum 3.5 grade-point average; other criteria vary by scholarship. Contact: Scholarship Selection Committee, Society of Women Engineers, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60611; (312) 596-5223; e-mail hq@swe.org; www.swe.org.
*May 31 TEACHER APPRECIATION
Middle school students can win a laptop computer for themselves and their favorite teacher through the Give Kids Good Schools “My Teacher Is the Best” essay contest. Charter and other public school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in the United States or its territories are eligible; each student may submit only one essay. Essays should be 250 words or fewer and will be judged based on middle school writing standards. The student who writes the winning essay will receive a new laptop computer, as will the teacher who is the subject of the student’s essay; a number of entrants also will be given honorable mentions. Contact: My Teacher Is the Best Essay Contest, c/o M&R Strategic Services, 2120 L St. N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20037; e-mail givekidsgoodschools@mrss.com; www.givekidsgoodschools.com.
*June 1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Annie’s Homegrown, makers of all-natural pasta products, offers scholarships to students interested in pursuing environmental studies. Every year, 25 scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to full-time beginning or returning students at an accredited two- or four-year college or technical school in the United States. International students attending a U.S. school and graduate students are also welcome to apply. Contact: Annie’s Scholarship Applications, Annie’s Homegrown, P.O. Box 554, Wakefield, MA 01880; (781) 224-9639; e-mail bernie@annies.com; www.annies.com/programs/ess.html .
*June 1 PATRIOTISM
Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge seeks entries for two essay contests for middle and high school students. Applicants for the military essay should reflect on “America’s Armed Forces: Foundations of Freedom.” Applicants for the youth essay contest should address the topic “What Can I Do for Freedom?” All essays should be typed and run 500 to 1,000 words. Each contest honors one meritorious award recipient with a $100 U.S. savings bond and a George Washington honor plaque. Other winners in the youth essay contest receive an honor ribbon; those in the military essay contest receive a $50 savings bond and an honor ribbon. All entries receive an official Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge certificate. Contact: Carolyn Hallman,Director of Awards, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, P.O. Box 706, 1601 Valley Forge Rd., Valley Forge, PA 19482; (610) 933-8825, ext. 234; fax (610) 935-0522; e-mail challman@ffvf.org; www.ffvf.org.
*June 1 PEACE
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, an international educational organization, announces the theme for the 2004 Swackhamer Peace Essay Contest: “If you were to give a nationally televised speech to the American people, including the president and Congress, what would you say to convince them that the United States should take a leadership role in the global elimination of nuclear weapons?” High school students should submit essays of no more than 1,500 words. Essays are judged on subject knowledge, originality of ideas, development of point of view, insight, clarity, organization, and grammar. The first-, second-, and third-place winners receive $1,500, $1,000, and $500, respectively. Contact: Swackhamer Peace Essay Contest, PMB 121, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 1187 Coast Village Rd., Suite 1, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2794; (805) 965-3443; e-mail wagingpeace@napf.org; www.wagingpeace.org.
* June 20 MULTICULTURALISM
The Skipping Stones Youth Honor Awards recognize students ages 7 to 17 for their contributions to multicultural awareness, peace and nonviolence, social responsibility, and nature and ecology. Ten articles, poems, and photos that illustrate these themes will be selected for publication in Skipping Stones magazine. Every entrant receives the September/October issue featuring the Youth Honor Awards. Winners receive five books, a free subscription, and a certificate. The $3 entry fee may be waived for low-income applicants. For more information, contact: Youth Honor Awards, Skipping Stones Magazine, P.O. Box 3939, Eugene, OR 97403; (541) 342- 4956; e-mail editor@skippingstones.org; www.skippingstones.org.
*July 1 LITERARY MAGAZINES
The National Council of Teachers of English invites entries for its Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines. Magazines published between September 2003 and July 2004 by senior high, junior high, and middle school students are judged in state competitions. Magazines earn rankings based on content quality, writing, editing, proofreading, design and art, cover, pagination, and production. Entry forms are available online; a $25 entry fee is required. Contact: Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines, National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Rd., Urbana, IL 61801-1096; (800) 369- 6283; e-mail preslm@ncte.org; www.ncte.org.
*July 1 POETRY
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, an international educational organization, welcomes submissions for the 2004 Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards, an annual series of awards to encourage poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit. Awards include two youth prizes of $200 each, one for students ages 12 and under and one for ages 13 to 18, and an adult prize of $1,000. A committee of poets selected by the foundation chooses the winners, as well as honorable mentions, in each category. For more information, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Contest, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, PMB 121, 1187 Coast Village Rd., Suite 1, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2794; e-mail wagingpeace@napf.org; www.wagingpeace.org/menu/programs/awards-&-contests/bmk- contest/index.htm.
*July 31 ENVIRONMENT
The Environmental Protection Agency sponsors the President’s Environmental Youth Award for individual K-12 students, school classes, summer camps, and other youth organizations. Participants submit applications and completed projects—such as recycling programs and videos, skits, or newspapers focused on environmental issues—to local EPA offices. Each student receives a signed certificate from President Bush, and one environmental project from each of 10 regional EPA offices receives a plaque during an award ceremony at the White House. Judges consider the projects’ long-term benefits, relevance to current environmental needs, amount of effort puttoward its success, and other criteria. More information, including contact information for regional coordinators, is available online. Contact: PEYA Coordinator, U.S. EPA, Office of Environmental Education, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., M.C. 1704A, Washington, DC 20460; www.epa.gov/enviroed/awards.html .
*Nov. 15 BUSINESS PLANS
Independent Means Inc., a company that produces programs and products promoting girls’ financial independence, invites young women ages13-21 to create their own business plans for the 2004 National Business Plan Competition for Young Women. Five winners receive $1,500, an opportunity to earn a scholarship to Camp Start-Up, and more. Contact: Independent Means Inc., 126 E. Haley Ave., #A16, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; (805) 965-0475 or (800) 350-1816; fax (805) 965-3148; e-mail contactus@independentmeans.com ; www.independentmeans.com.
— Urmila Subramanyam and Marianne Hurst
