A symbol (*) marks deadlines that have not appeared in a previous issue of Education Week.
CALLS FOR PAPERS
Student leadership:The Center for Field Services and Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell requests abstracts/proposals for papers on student leadership in schools, K-12, to be considered for publication in a new journal. Possible topics include: technology, governance, service learning, academic support, peer tutoring, curriculum, philanthropy. Also looking for reviews of literature, resource guides, and annotated bibliographies. Proposal or outline should not exceed three pages. There is no fixed deadline for proposals, but proposal’s should be sent as soon as possible. Contact: Judith Boccia, CFSS, U.M., 1 University Ave., Lowell, Mass. 01854; (508) 934-4650; fax: (508) 934-3002; e-mail: bocciaj@woods.uml.edu.
June 30--Reading and writing: The editors of Imagery and Composition: Classrooms, Curriculum, and Lives are calling for essays that investigate mental imagery in contexts that impinge on the teaching of writing and reading. The goal of this collection is to redress the imbalance across composition studies. Those who wish to submit an essay are urged to focus their writing on the intersection of theory and teaching. Submit three copies of a 3,000-5,000-word essay (15-20 pages, including bibliography) in Modern Language Association format. Contact: Linda T. Calendrillo, Department of English, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Ill. 61920.
FEDERAL GRANTS
April 4--Bilingual education: The U.S. Department of Education is inviting applications for new awards under its Systemwide Improvement Grants for Bilingual Education Program. The program provides grants to implement districtwide bilingual education programs or special alternative instructional programs to improve, reform, and upgrade relevant programs and operations. Local education agencies, community-based organizations, and state education agencies are eligible to apply for an estimated 40 awards of up to $650,000 each. Contact: Cecile Kreins, James Lockhart, or Harry Logel, USDE, 600 Independence Ave. S.W., Room 5090, Switzer Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20202-6510; (202) 205-5568.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
March 17--Essay contest: Entries are due for the annual essay contest sponsored by the Skirball Institute on American Values of the American Jewish Committee. This year’s theme, Education in United States--Past, Present, and Future, asks students in grades 10-12 to submit essays on an American value that can be documented in the nation’s history and discuss to what extent the United States has achieved equal educational opportunities for all students and what still needs to be done. The first prize is $5,000; a second prize of $1,000 and a $500 third prize will also be awarded. In addition, 50 entrants will receive honorable-mention prizes of $100 each. Contact: SIAV, 635 S. Harvard Blvd., Suite 214, Los Angeles, Calif. 90005-2511; (213) 381-1719; fax: (213) 381-1078.
March 17--Video contest: Entries are due for the Weekly Reader Corporation/Panasonic Company Video Voyages Contest. Students in grades 4-12 are asked to create videos that explore personal, local, national, historical, or future themes in VHS format and are no longer than 10 minutes. Two sets of prizes are awarded on the elementary and secondary levels. Each first-prize team’s school will receive a Panasonic camcorder, a four-head VCR, a 20-inch color television set, and T-shirts for the team. Contact: Video Voyages Contest, Weekly Reader Corp., 245 Long Hill Road, P.O. Box 2791, Middletown, Conn. 06457-9291.
March 22--Computer contest: Entries are due for the “Re-Boot Your Mind” contest, sponsored by the Business Software Alliance. Students in grades 6-12 are asked to design a computer screen saver that encourages respect for software-management ethics and to write an essay on software protection. Students, teachers, and schools will be eligible to win computer software from BSA companies. The grand-prize winner’s screen saver will be posted on the Internet. Multiple awards in several categories will be available. Contact: Kim Willard, (202) 530-5127; fax: (202) 872-5501; e-mail: kimw@bsa.org; or Diane Smiroldo, (202) 872-5500; fax: (202) 872-5501; e-mail: dianes@bsa.org; Web site: http://www.bsa.org.
April 1--Public-service-announcement contest: Entries are due for the Students Taking Action Not Drugs competition, sponsored by the Channel One Network, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The national competition challenges students enrolled in middle, junior high, and high schools to create anti-drug public service announcements for television, radio, print, or the Internet. Any individual student or team of students is eligible to enter original work. Winners in the four media categories will reach a national audience with their PSAs. Contact: STAND, c/o Channel One Network, 600 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10022; Web site: http://www.channelone.com.
April 1--Video contest: Entries are due for the “Thoughts and Dreams” competition, sponsored by Videonics, the Video Editing Co. All middle and high school students in grades 7-12 are invited to participate by submitting a short student-produced video communicating their thoughts and dreams. Ten schools will be awarded prizes. One school will receive a grand prize of $2,000 and a complete editing studio; two second-prize schools will win editing studios; one school in each of three categories will be awarded a digital video mixer; four honorable-mention schools will each receive a TitleMaker. Videos must be five minutes or less on a VHS tape; entries must be produced by students. Contact: (800) 338-EDIT; e-mail: info@videonics.com; Web site: http://www.videonics.com
April 1--Writing contest: Entries are due for the Read and Watch: The Ditchdigger’s Daughters Writing Contest, sponsored by Read Magazine and the Family Channel. Students in grades 6-12 are asked to write an essay of no more than 600 words describing a character strength or weakness he or she shares with one of the characters in The Ditchdigger’s Daughters, written by Yvonne Thornton. A grand-prize winner and two national finalists will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond from the Family Channel; the grand-prize winner will also be presented with $1,500 cash award. Contact: Read Magazine, (860) 638-2400.
*April 2--Work Safe contest: Entries are due for the Work Safe This Summer campaign, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. The contest, open to anyone of interest, calls on artists to create and submit entries for a poster for its Teen Safety Home Page. Both the campaign and the web poster are designed to create awareness among teens, parents, and employers on teen working rights. The winning artist will be announced in Washington, D.C. and the poster will be serve as the Home Page design for the Teen Safety web site. Contact: Work Safe, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210; e-mail: Worksafe@dol.gov.; Web site: http://www.dol.gov.
*April 4--'Write Lyrics’ contest: Entries are due for the Scholastic Inc. and Indigo Girls Write Lyrics contest. Scholastic and the Indigo Girls musical group will choose the best lyrics written by a student in grades 6-12. The Indigo Girls will perform at the grand-prize winner’s school; the winner will also receive an Apple Power MacIntosh computer. Contact: SI, 555 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10012-3999; Web site: http://www.scholastic.com or http://www.indigo.com.
April 14--Playwrights with disabilities: Entries are due for the 1997 Playwright Discovery Program, sponsored by Very Special Arts. Individuals with disabilities, ages 25 and under, are invited to submit a script that addresses how disabilities shape the human experience. Two winners will be have their plays produced and performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Contact: VSA, Playwright Discovery Program, Education Office, JFKCPA, Washington, D.C. 20566; (800) 933-8721; TTY: (202) 737-0645; e-mail: rachel@vsarts.org.
April 15--Fund-raiser scholarships: Entries are due for the “Actions Speak” National Scholarship Programs, sponsored by the Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers and the Future Business Leaders of America. The awards recognize the special efforts of high school students involved in supporting their schools and communities through fund-raising efforts. One $5,000 and five $800 college scholarships are available to eligible graduating seniors. Each student must submit a description of the school and/or community fund-raising project; an official transcript of high school grades; two letters of recommendation; and any additional information that would be useful to the judges. Contact: Actions Speak, c/o FBLA, 1912 Association Drive, Reston, Va. 20191.
*April 15--Video game contest: Entries are due for the Design the Video Game of the Future contest, sponsored by Nintendo Power, Nintendo’s monthly magazine. The contest invites students in grades 5-12 to use their imaginations to design an original magazine cover featuring a video game product from the year 2064. The grand-prize winner will receive a trip to Nintendo headquarters in Redmond, Wash., as the “editor of the day” to help produce Nintendo Power‘s August issue, featuring the student’s winning design. Contact: Nintendo, 4820 150th Ave. N.E., P.O. Box 957, Redmond, Wash. 98052.
April 21--Adventure grants: Expedition proposals are due for Adventure Grants sponsored by Outside magazine and Hi-Tec. The grants allow students ages 12 to 17 to create an idea for the adventure of their dreams; the winning team is provided the funding and logistical support for a real expedition, which will take place during the summer of this year. Contact: John Alderman, (505) 989-7100; e-mail: jalderman@outsidemag.com; Web site: http://outside.starwave.com.
May 15--Wal-Mart scholarships: Applications are due for the Wal-Mart Competitive Edge Scholarship, sponsored by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The scholarship is awarded to 240 college-bound students who have a strong interest in science and technology, good academic standing, and a record of community involvement. Contact: Keely Beene, Community Programs, W-MSI, 702 Southwest 8th St., Bentonville, Ark. 72716-9002.
Sept. 30--Doodle contest: Entries are due for the ICI Pencil Doodle Contest, “A Day in the Life of a Cedar Pencil,” sponsored by the Incense Cedar Institute. Students in grades 2-6 are eligible. The grand-prize winner for the most creative doodle in each grade level will receive a year’s supply of pencils, a T-shirt, and $100 savings bond. Second- and third-place winners in each grade will receive a supply of pencils and a T-shirt. Contact: ICI-Doodle Contest, P.O. Box 7330, Stockton, Calif. 95267
TEACHER FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
April 1--Environmental ethics: Applications are due for scholarships available for traditional and nontraditional teachers for a hands-on field course, Teaching Environmental Ethics, June 22-29 and July 27-Aug.3, 1997. The course, sponsored by the Four Corners School in Monticello, Utah, will give teachers skills to help students form an environmental ethic and learn how to act on it. Contact: FCS, P.O. Box 1029, Monticello, Utah 84535; (801) 587-2156.
April 1--NewCurrents award: Entries are due for the NewsCurrents Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by Knowledge Unlimited. The award recognizes teachers who use the weekly NewsCurrents program most effectively with their students. The winning teacher will receive a $1,000 cash award and a certificate of recognition. Contact: NewsCurrents, (800) 356-2303.
*June 30--Be Your Best! scholarship: Applications are due for the Be Your Best! scholarship program, sponsored by the Educational Excellence Foundation of the National School Supply and Equipment Association. The Foundation will award scholarships for professional development activities such as conference, seminars, and workshops. The scholarships must be used during the 1997-98 school year. Contact: NSSEA, 8300 Colesville Road, Suite 250, Silver Spring, Md. 20910; (800) 395-5550.
*July 1--Journalism teacher awards: Applications are due the National High School Journalism Teacher Awards Progam, sponsored by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund. The program identifies the National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year, four distiguished advisers, and several winners of special-recognition winners. To be eligible a nominee must have at least three years’ experience teaching high school journalism or advising a publication, must have taught or advised during the 1996-97 academic year, and have plans to continue teaching or advising. The winning teacher will speak at the American Society of Newspaper Editors’annual convention and write a quarterly column for Adviser Update, the Fund’s newsletter for high school journalism teachers; in addition, a student at the winner’s school will receive a $1,000 college scholarship to study news-editorial journalism. Contact: DJNF, P.O. Box 300, Princeton, N.J. 08543-0300; (609)452-2820; Web site: http://www.dowjones.com/newsfund.
Teaching in Lithuania: The American Professional Partnership for Lithuanian Education, an organization working to help Lithuania build a new educational system, is seeking volunteer American teachers of English who can spend an academic year or semester teaching in Lithuania. APPLE, an nonprofit organization, cannot provide travel expenses; housing and salary in local currency will be provided by the Ministry of Education in Lithuania. There is no specific deadline for application. Contact: APPLE, Dalile Polikaitis, 1501 Valecroft Ave., Westlake Village, Calif. 91361; phone/fax: (805) 496-9711.
OTHER DEADLINES
March 17--McGraw education prize: Nominations are due for the 1997 Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education, sponsored by the McGraw Hill Companies. Each year up to three $25,000 prizes are awarded to individuals who have made a difference in American education and whose programs and ideas can serve as effective models for the education of future generations. Contact: Elaine Doyle, Program Coordinator, (212) 512-3853; fax: (212) 512-3514. Web site: http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.
April 28--Nestl‚ bake-sale contest: Entries are due for the Nestl‚ Toll House Bake Sale Contest, sponsored by Nestl‚ USA. Schools holding spring bake sales are invited to compete against schools nationwide to win a grand prize of $10,000. Four schools selected as runners-up will receive $1,000 each. Winning schools will be selected on criteria that include school spirit, event marketing efforts. and the ratio of funds raised to the number of students enrolled in the school. Contact: C. Holevas, NTHBSC, 1800 Century Park East, Suite 200, Los Angeles, Calif. 90067.
Aug. 29--TAP America awards: Applications are due for the 1997 TAP America Award, sponsored by the Electronics Industries Foundation. The grant program recognizes an innovative project developed by a school and an electronics company working together to help children see that math and science are necessary tools. Eligible projects must: involve at least one member company of the EIA; target students in one or more of the 5th through 8th grades who are isolated from resources that enrich the math or science curriculum; link specific math or science topics to real-life situations; and make innovative use of the company’s technological resources and/or staff. The award carries a $10,000 grant for investment in the winning project by the participating school. A runner-up may be selected for a $5,000 award. Contact: TAP America Award, EIA, 2500 Wilson Blvd., Suite 210, Arlington, Va. 22201-3834; (703) 907-7414; fax: (703) 907-7401
Oct. 23--Fulbright grants: Applications are due for the 1997 J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Program. Fulbright grants provide round-trip international travel, maintenance for the duration of the grant, a research allowance, and tuition waivers for graduate study or research abroad in academic fields for professional training in the creative and performing arts. The purpose of the grants is to increase mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application and hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent by the beginning date of the grant. Contact: U.S. Student Programs Division, Institute of International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017; (212) 984-5330.
