Following are application dates for student contests, scholarships, and internships. Asterisks (*) denote new entries.
*March 1 CHEMISTRY
The American Chemical Society Scholars Program invites African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to apply for scholarships of up to $3,000. Candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States and demonstrate financial need. They also must be high achievers in chemistry or other chemical sciences and intend to major in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or other related sciences in preparation for careers in the chemical sciences or chemical technology. Contact: American Chemical Society Scholars Program, Department of Diversity Programs, 1155 16th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036; (800) 227-5558, ext. 6250; e-mail scholars@acs.org; www.chemistry.org/scholars.
*March 1 EPILEPSY
Pfizer, a national pharmaceutical company, invites nominations for the Pfizer Epilepsy Scholarship for college-bound high school seniors and college students. Nominees must have a record of academic and extracurricular excellence and must be undergoing epilepsy treatment by a physician. Twenty-five $3,000 scholarships are awarded. Contact: Pfizer Epilepsy Scholarship Award, c/o Eden Communications, 515 Valley St., Suite 200, Maplewood, NJ 07040; (800) AWARD-PF; www.epilepsy-scholarship.com.
*March 1 ESSAYS
Kaplan Inc. and Newsweek magazine invite college-bound high school students to submit original essays of 500 to 1,000 words for the “My Turn” essay competition. First- and second-place winners receive $5,000 and $2,000, respectively, for college tuition; eight additional winners get $1,000. The 10 winning entries, plus another 10 honorable mentions, may be published by the Newsweek Education Program. Applications are available online, through high school guidance offices, or at any Kaplan Inc. test preparation center. Contact: Kaplan/Newsweek My Turn Essay Contest, Kaplan Pre-College, 1440 Broadway, Ninth Floor, New York, NY 10018; (800) KAP-TEST; www.kaptest.com/essay.
*March 1 GRAPHIC ARTS
The Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation annually sponsors a national competition for high school seniors interested in professional and executive careers in graphics communications, printing technology, printing management, or publishing. Full-time high school seniors or high school graduates may apply. Applicants must be full-time students and must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Scholarships are not awarded for part-time or online study; amounts range from $500 to $1,500 each. Candidates are judged on high school academic records, class rank, school recommendations, extracurricular activities, and academic honors. Contact: Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation, 200 Deer Run Rd., Sewickley, PA 15143-2600; (412) 259-1740; fax (412) 741-2311; e-mail pgsf@pgsf.org; www.pgsf.org.
*March 1 SCHOLARSHIPS
As part of its International Scholarship Program, Padgett Business Services Foundation offers $500 regional scholarships to college-bound high school seniors in the United States or Canada who are dependents of small-business owners. Parents or guardians must employ fewer than 20 individuals, own at least 10 percent of the stock or capital in the business, and be active in the day-to-day operations of the company. Winners are chosen based on academic strength, extracurricular activities, and 100-word essays describing their career aspirations. Two national winners, one from each country, will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship; the $2,000 international scholarship will be awarded to one of these two national winners. Contact: Heather Stokley, 160 Hawthorne Park, Athens, GA 30306; e-mail scholarship@smallbizpros.com; www.smallbizpros.com.
*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 22 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 or older. Participants, who compete individually or in pairs, 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 May for the final competition. Each finalist receives a laptop computer and a chance to compete for a $10,000 cash scholarship. Contact: Cathy Bale, Contest Coordinator, Department of Civil & Mechanical Engineering, USMA, West Point, NY 10096; e-mail wpbedc@usma.edu; http://bridgecontest.usma.edu.
*March 25 ANIMALS
The American Humane Association welcomes nominations for its 13th annual Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest, which honors young people whose efforts improve the lives of animals. Nominations may be made in one of two age categories—6-9 and 10-13—and the acts of kindness must have been conducted between May 1, 2005, and March 25, 2006. One grand-prize winner and two runners-up will be selected from each age group. Grand-prize winners receive a cash prize, and all winners will be recognized on the Web site and in our newsletter, “Humane Review.” Contact: The American Humane Association, 63 Inverness Dr. E., Englewood, CO 80112; (303) 792-9000; www.americanhumane.org.
*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 each class that submits a minimum of 10 essays; high school winners receive cash prizes of $75, $100, and $200. Individual entries are also welcome. Topics vary each year. Judging is based on how well essays identify specific issues and answer specific questions in response to required reading. 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.
*April 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.
*April 15 LITERATURE
Literary works publisher Signet Classics invites high school juniors and seniors to participate in its Scholarship Essay Contest. Students write essays on one of five topics pertaining to Kamala Markandaya’s Nectar in a Sieve. 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 Classics library for their schools. Contact: Penguin Group (USA) Inc., Academic Marketing Department, Signet Scholarship Essay Contest, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014; http://us.penguingroup.com/scessay.
*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. Applications must be submitted through the Web site. For more information, contact: Scholarship Selection Committee, Society of Women Engineers, 230 E. Ohio St., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60611; e-mail scholarshipapplication@swe.org; www.swe.org/scholarships.
—Ashtar Analeed Marcus and Marianne D. Hurst