Following are 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 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 $4,745 per academic year may be used at any of 26 Pathways Partner Schools across the country and are determined case by case. Funds are distributed directly to 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 150, Silver Spring, MD 20901; (866) 846-8131 or (240) 450-0000; fax (240) 450-4116; e-mail pwebber@cweal .org; www.cweal.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: Rich Brennan, Caring Institute, 228 Seventh 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 offers the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute, a service and leadership curriculum for high school students that provides hands-on experience in community problem-solving. Participants are recruited by trainers at the local level and complete 30 hours of curriculum work, field exercises, and community service projects that they choose, create, and implement. For information on existing local programs or opportunities to become a trainer, contact: Laura Raine Rittner, Points of Light Foundation, 1400 I St. N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 729-8151; e-mail lrittner @pointsoflight.org; www.pyli.org.
*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 be submitted via the Web site, 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 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.
Open ENVIRONMENT
The Global Habitat Project welcomes student-written submissions for publication on GreenScreen, the online partner of “GreenTimes” environmental newsletters written by and for kids. Contact: Heather Freeman, The Global Habitat Project, 129 South St., Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02111; (617) 513-4443; 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. They also must be accompanied by an entry form, available on the Web site, and a check for $40. For more information, 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 between American students and young people around the world. Students in 5th grade and above are invited to request overseas pen pals; 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.
May 1 INDUSTRY/MARKETING
The Youth and Education Services program of the National Hot Rod Association administers 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; one student will be awarded a $25,000 scholarship by Sears Craftsman. Applicants must be seniors graduating from public, private, or parochial schools between January 1 and June 30, 2005. 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) 250-2208; www.nhra.com/aboutnhr/youth.htm.
*May 6 MATH AND SCIENCE
Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams, now in its fourth year, was created to excite high school students about invention and encourage pursuit of advanced education and careers in science, technology, and engineering. Science, math, and technology teachers from public, private, charter, and vocational high schools nationwide may apply for one of 15 grants of up to $10,000 each to develop a problem-solving invention as an in-class or extracurricular project during the 2005-06 academic year. Up to 35 finalists will be selected, to be reviewed by a panel of MIT faculty and alumni, professional inventors and engineers, and Lemelson-MIT Program staff. Grant recipients will present final prototypes at MIT in spring 2006. Applications are available on the Web site. Contact: Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Building E60-215, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307; (617) 253-3352; www.inventeams.org.
*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/scholarships.
*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 “Keeping America Strong.” Applicants for the youth essay contest should address the topic “Voting: A Right and a Responsibility.” 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 2005 Swackhamer Peace Essay Contest: “Our vision is a world at peace, free from the threat of war and free of weapons of mass destruction. Translate this vision into an action plan that you can implement in your community or on your campus. Write a proposal for a youth-led event, campaign, or project that educates members of your community and/or other students concerning the continued threat of nuclear weapons and the need for nuclear disarmament.” The contest is open to all high school students throughout the world. Applicants must be enrolled during the 2004-05 academic year. The proposal must be 1,500 words or fewer, typed and double-spaced. Contact: Swackhamer Peace Essay Contest, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, PMB 121, 1187 Coast Village Rd., Suite 1, Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2794; (805) 965-3443; e-mail swack@napf.org; www.wagingpeace.org/menu/programs/awards-&-contests/swack-contest/index.htm.
*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. The theme for 2005 is “My Country, Culture and Community.” Ten articles, poems, and photos that illustrate this theme 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. 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 2004 and July 2005 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/about/awards/student/preslm.
*July 1 POETRY
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, an international educational organization, welcomes submissions for the 2005 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 younger and one for ages 13 to 18, and an adult prize of $1,000. A committee of poets selected by the foundation chooses 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 put toward 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.
—E. Merle Watkins and Marianne Hurst
