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 31 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 oraccelerated 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. For more information, 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. The program provides young people with hands-on experience at community problem-solving through 30 hours of curriculum work, field exercises, and youth-led community service projects. The curriculum is appropriate for classroom, after-school, and youth group settings. For information on existing local programs or opportunities to become a certified trainer, contact: Nina Langlie, Points of Light Foundation, 1400 I St. N.W., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 729-8151; e-mail pyli@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 submit up to three works each or students submit one work each, 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 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 ENVIRONMENT
The Global Habitat Project welcomes student-written submissions for publication on GreenScreen, the online partner of GreenTimes, environmental and science newsletters written by kids, for kids. Contact: Heather Freeman, The Global Habitat Project, 129 South St., Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02111; (617) 513-4443; e-mail hfreeman@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. 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.
*Early Fall GOVERNMENT
The United States Senate Youth Program, funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, selects 104 high school juniors and seniors for a trip to Washington, D.C., to study the branches of national government. Each winner also receives a $5,000 college scholarship. The selection process varies by state and may include a test, interview, and/or nomination. Two winners from each state, the District of Columbia, and Department of Defense schools overseas are selected for a weeklong trip, March 4-11. Application deadlines vary by state. Contact: Hearst Foundation, (800) 841-7048; e-mail ussyp@hearstfdn.org; www.ussenateyouth.org.
*September 30 SCHOLARSHIPS
Workman Publishing will award as much as $200,000 in the first-ever Brain Quest Win Your College Tuition Sweepstakes. One grand-prize winner will receive up to $150,000; five first-place winners will get up to $10,000 each. The contest is open to residents of the United States or Canada (excluding the province of Quebec) who are between 2 and 13 years old; sweepstakes winners will receive their scholarships after reaching the age of 17, graduating from high school, and being accepted to a college. Complete rules and entry forms are available on the Web site. Contact: Workman Publishing, Brain Quest, 708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003; www.brainquest.com/sweep.php.
*October 1 ART
The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts announces its Arts Recognition and Talent Search program, open to high school seniors and 17- and 18-year-olds in the performing, visual, and literary arts. The foundation selects up to 130 students, who travel to Miami, all expenses paid, for workshops, auditions, interviews, and master classes to determine their cash awards, which range from $500 to $10,000. Awards are based on merit in one of nine art forms. Up to 20 of these finalists are then named Presidential Scholars in the Arts and are honored at a White House-sponsored ceremony in Washington, D.C. Participants pay a $30 to $40 registration fee; need-based fee waivers and reductions are available. For more information, contact: National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, (800) 970-2787; www.artsawards.org.
*October 1 ATHLETICS
The Wendy’s High School Heisman Award recognizes students who best represent the nation’s top high school citizen-scholar-athletes. High school educators are encouraged to nominate one male senior and one female senior who maintain good grades, play sports, and volunteer in their communities. From there, 1,020 state finalists and 102 state winners will be selected by ACT Inc; 12 national finalists will be selected by the WHSH National Committee. Finalists and their families will receive a $1,000 donation to their respective high schools and a trip to New York City for the awards ceremony, which will be broadcast on ESPN2. One male and one female finalist will be named Heisman National Award winners and will receive an additional $1,500 donation to their high schools. Nominations should be completed online. For more information, contact: Wendy’s High School Heisman, (800) 244-5161; www.wendysheisman.com.
*October 1 INTERNET
The Internet Science and Technology Fair invites student teams in grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12 to participate in a 21st century science fair. Team members apply technology to real-world problems, conduct online research, interact with a team technology adviser, and design a Web site illustrating their findings. Student projects must relate to one of the national critical technologies and adhere to content guidelines based on national science-content standards. Top teams receive certificates from the National Medal of Technology Program at the U.S. Department of Commerce. For more information, contact: Bruce Furino, Director, Office of Special Programs, College of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Central Florida; (407) 249-7141; e-mail director@istf.ucf.edu.
*October 1 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science, and Technology is open to high school students who are U.S. citizens or legal residents. Applicants working individually or in teams of two or three submit original science, mathematics, engineering, or technology research projects. The Siemens Foundation, which sponsors the competition, provides more than $1 million in scholarships. The top prize for an individual entry is a $100,000 scholarship; the winning team splits a $100,000 scholarship. Other scholarships range from $1,000 to $50,000. Students may register online. For more information, contact: Siemens Foundation, 170 Wood Ave. S., Iselin, NJ 08830; (877) 822-5233; fax (732) 603-5890; e-mail foundation@sc.siemens.com; www.siemens-foundation.org.
*October 15 GEOGRAPHY
The National Geographic Bee provides contest materials to registered schools (principals of schools including grades 4-8 are eligible to register) and awards college scholarships and other prizes to top winning students. Registered schools conduct the oral component, with school winners passing a written test for possible advancement to the state competition. First-, second-, and third-place state-level winners receive $50 to $100 prizes; the first-place winners advance to the national competition. Ten national finalists receive a $500 cash prize, and the first-, second-, and third-place national winners receive $25,000, $15,000, and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively. The registration fee for eligible schools (those in the United States, its territories, and Washington, D.C.) is $50. A study guide is available for purchase and more information is available on the Web site. Contact: National Geographic Bee, National Geographic Society, 1145 17th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036; (202) 828-6659; www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee.
*October 31 COMMUNITY SPIRIT
The National Association of Secondary School Principals announces the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, annually recognizing 5th through 12th grade students who have demonstrated exemplary community service. Students must have participated in a volunteer activity that started at least in part after September 2004. Schools may select one local honoree and two runners-up for every 1,000 students enrolled in grades 5-12. Application forms are submitted to a school principal or the head of an officially designated local organization (Girl Scouts, 4-H, Red Cross, YMCA, or a volunteer center of the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network). State honorees receive $1,000, a silver medallion, and an all-expenses-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., in May. At that time, 10 national honorees will be named and will receive an additional $5,000, a gold medallion, and a trophy for their school or organization. The application and more information are available on the Web site. For more information, contact: The National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1904 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191; (703) 860-0200, ext. 324 or 326; fax (703) 476-5432; e-mail spirit@principals.org; www.principals.org/prudential.
