Scholarship Corner
Scholarship Corner
Welcome to the Scholarship Corner!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Lisa Runyan and I’m on the Board of Directors for the Clay County Chamber of Commerce as well as Director of the Clay County Children’s Policy Council and a lifelong children’s advocate. I am writing this column to help parents and teachers who want to invest in their children’s education.
So often, parents think about scholarships only for their children in High School. The truth is that it’s never too early to be looking for award and scholarship opportunities. Students who are awarded scholarships in middle school are more likely to be awarded scholarships in High School.
Check back often, as I will highlight resources and scholarship opportunities as I find them. Click on each link to be directed to the individual award website. Good Luck and Happy Hunting. Feel free to contact me should you have any questions. Or, use the Comment section at the bottom of this page to ask questions and I will answer it as soon as possible.
Lisa Runyan
Lrunyan@mindspring.com
Resources
Complete Directory of Top Accredited Online Schools, Online Colleges, and Online Universities
Financial Aid Guide for Online Students
October Edition
Welcome to the October installment of Scholarship Links and Resources. Thanks to all of you who attended the Countdown to College Seminar last week.
When we talk about Scholarships we have to remember there are basically two types.
- Internal Renewable & Non-renewable
- External Non-renewable
You may apply for internal awards/scholarships once you have applied to your school of choice. What can you do until then, to help fund your schooling? The answer is that you can apply for the types of Scholarships listed below. These are external, because they are usually not affiliated with a school and they are non-renewable, meaning you are awarded the money for that given year only.
Each month, I will post a new listing of available awards. These are not listed per grade or date deadline, so you will have to pay attention to the criteria and due dates. Remember to check the archives, as each month 10- 30 opportunities are listed.
This month we focus on some non-merit based awards. So where can you go if your GPA is not 4.0, or you don’t fit the mold of the most academic student? There are many scholarships that don’t focus on academic merit. This month we focus on non GPA based Scholarships that use different somewhat unusual criteria such as:
physical characteristics, creativity, last name, sports, field of study, the final frontier, animal appreciation, food-related, activity-related etc.
I can be reached at Lrunyan@mindspring.com if you have any comments or questions.
Physical Characteristics
Tall Clubs International (TCI) Scholarship
Tall Clubs International (TCI) offers a $1,000 scholarship for tall people, the Kae Sumner Einfeldt Scholarship. Individual chapters may also offer local awards. Women who are at least 5’10” and men who are at least 6’2″ are eligible for the award. Candidates must be under 21 years old and plan to attend college in the fall.
Creativity
Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest
The Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck on Prom Contest is open to students age 14 years or older who are attending a high school prom in the spring. US citizenship is required. Entrants must enter as a couple (two individuals) and attend a high school prom wearing complete attire or accessories made from duct tape. The submission must include a color photograph of the couple together in prom attire. The first place prize consists of a $5,000 scholarship for each member of the winning couple and a $5,000 cash prize to the school that hosted the prom. Other prizes include $3,000 each for second place, $2,000 each for third, and $500 each for the remaining top 10 couples. The winning couple will be selected based on a variety of criteria, including originality, workmanship, quantity of Duck Tape used, use of colors, and creative use of accessories. The Duck Tape contest web site includes photographs of the winning costumes.
Seussville: Oh, The Places You’ll Go! College Scholarship
Random House, the publisher of the Dr. Seuss books, sponsors a $5,000 essay competition for high school seniors age 21 or younger. Essays must be original, typed, double-spaced, written in English, at most one page, in at least 12 point type and no more than 500 words. The essay must answer the essay question fully. The deadline is February 15.
National Make It Yourself with Wool Competition
The National Make It Yourself with Wool (NMIYWW) competition awards $2,000 and $1,000 scholarships for knitting wool garments. Winners are selected based on the appropriateness to the contestant’s lifestyle, coordination of fabric/yarn with garment style and design, contestant’s presentation, and creativity. For more information send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
National Make It Yourself with Wool Competition
Box 175
Lavina, MT 59046
Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contests
The Ayn Rand Institute sponsors several essay contests.
- The Anthem Essay Contest is open to high school freshmen and sophomores. It provides annual cash awards for short, original, unpublished essays on the philosophic themes in Ayn Rand’s novel, Anthem. The first prize is $2,000. There are three 2nd prizes of $500 and five 3rd prizes of $200. There are a total of 229 awards. The deadline is in mid-March.
- The Fountainhead Essay Contest is open to high school juniors and seniors. It provides annual cash awards for short, original, unpublished essays on the philosophic themes in Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead. The first prize is $10,000. There are five 2nd place prizes of $2,000 and ten 3rd place prizes of $1,000. There are a total of 244 awards. The deadline is in mid-April.
- The Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest is open to all college students. It provides annual cash awards for short, original, unpublished essays on the philosophic themes in Ayn Rand’s novel, Atlas Shrugged. The first prize is $5,000. There are three 2nd prizes of $1,000 and five 3rd prizes of $400. There are a total of 49 awards. The deadline is in mid-September.
Essay topics and other information about these contests can be found at www.aynrand.org/contests. For more information, send email to essays@aynrand.org.
Sports
Evans Scholars Foundation
The Western Golf Association sponsors the Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. Scholarship for golf caddies. Caddies must be nominated by their club, rank among the top 25 percent of their high school class, have a superior caddie record for two or more years, demonstrate financial need, and have outstanding personal character. More than 200 new Evans Scholars are chosen each year. Another scholarship for golf caddies is the Francis Ouimet Caddie Scholarship.
US Bowling Congress Scholarships
US Bowling Congress sponsors several scholarships for bowlers. The scholarships include:
- USBC Alberta E. Crowe Star of Tomorrow. US/Canadian female high school senior or college student, under age 22, with bowling average of 175 or better. $1,500/year. Deadline October 1.
- USBC Chuck Hall Star of Tomorrow. Male high school or college student. $1,250/year. Deadline November 15.
- USBC Annual Zeb Scholarship. Junior or senior in high school. $1,000. Deadline April 1.
- USBC Male and Female Youth Leaders of the Year. 18 years old or older. $1,500. Deadline January 15.
- USBC Gift for Life Scholarships. Twelve $1,000 scholarships for grades 9-12, based on financial need. Two are reserved for children of fire/police/EMT personnel. Deadline April 1.
- USBC Earl Anthony Memorial Scholarships. Five $5,000 scholarships for high school seniors and college students. Deadline June 1.
- Billy Welu Scholarship. College students. $1,000. Deadline May 31.
National Marbles Tournament Scholarships
The annual National Marbles Tournament awards $5,000 in scholarships to mibsters (marble shooters) aged 8 to 14. The tournament is held in June each year. The children crowned King and Queen of Marbles each receive a $2,000 scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to the boy and girl who win the sportsmanship award. For more information, write to National Marbles Tournament, 811 Roeth Avenue, Cumberland, MD 21502.
Field of Study
American Welding Society Scholarships
The American Welding Society Foundation offers several scholarships, fellowships and loans for students enrolled in a welding-related educational or training program. The deadline is March 1. For more information, write to:
AWS Foundation
550 NW Lejeune Road
Miami, FL 33126
TAPPI Scholarships
TAPPI awards several scholarships relating to the pulp and papermaking industries. The William L. Cullison Scholarship is open to college sophomores who are interested in pursuing a career in the pulp, paper and converting industry. The scholarship provides $4,000 per year for the last two years of the winner’s undergraduate program. The award is tenable at two dozen colleges that have pulp and paper programs or which have TAPPI Student Chapters. The deadline is May 1. The TAPPI web site also lists a variety of other scholarships, ranging from the best paper award to scholarships for corrugated packaging. Most of these awards have a January 31 deadline. For more information, call 1-800-291-3145.
The Final Frontier
Klingon Language Institute Scholarship
The Kor Memorial Scholarship is awarded by the Klingon Language Institute to recognize and encourage scholarship in the field of language study. Familiarity with Klingon or other constructed languages is not required, but creativity is preferred. The $500 award is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Nominations must be submitted by academic department chairs and/or deans. Only one undergraduate student and one graduate student may be nominated by each department chair or dean. The deadline is June 1.
Starfleet Academy Scholarship
The Starfleet Academy Scholarship offers several $500 scholarships for active members of the Starfleet Academy. Fields of study include medicine, veterinary medicine, teaching, writing, law enforcement, engineering, acting, dance, music, foreign languages, international studies, business and management. They are available for students at community colleges, technical schools, four-year colleges and graduate schools. The deadline is July 1.
Illustrators of the Future Contest
The Illustrators of the Future Contest is open to artists from all nations. An entry consists of three black and white works illustrating a science fiction or fantasy story with no recurring theme. Entries may not have been previously published. The award is up to $4,000. Additional information can be found on the web site.
Animal Appreciation
Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest
The Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest awards a $1,500 scholarship to the winner. The first runner-up receives a $500 scholarship, the second runner-up receives a $300 scholarship and the third runner-up receives a $200 scholarship. The contest is open to any high school senior in the United States who can call ducks. Contestants have 90 seconds to use four calls (hail, feed, comeback and mating).
National Rifle Association Scholarships
The National Rifle Association (NRA) sponsors several scholarships for NRA Junior Members. NRA Junior Members can qualify for the Outstanding Achievement Youth Award for such activities as participating in shooting or hunting clinics, participating in an NRA Postal Match, entering a submission in the NRA Wildlife Art Contest, and visiting the National Firearms Museum. Recipients of the NRA Youth Award Certificate are eligible for the NRA National Prizes. First place receives $3,500, second place receives $2,500, and third place receives $1,500. Participants in the NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) are also able to compete for the YES Grand Scholarship. The NRA also offers the Jeanne Bray Memorial Scholarship for children of law enforcement officers who are NRA members. For more information, call the NRA Youth Programs Department at 1-703-267-1505, write to NRA Youth Programs Department, Outstanding Achievement Youth Award, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 or send email to youth_programs@nrahq.org.
Food-Related
National Beef Ambassador Program
The National Beef Ambassador Program is a national public speaking competition for students aged 16 to 19. Winners are selected to represent the beef industry and win college scholarships and cash prizes. The cash prizes include $2,500 (1st place), $1,200 (2nd place) and $800 (3rd place). The scholarships, which are sponsored by the American National Cattlewomen Foundation, include $1,000 (1st place), $750 (2nd place), and $500 (3rd place). For more information, write to American National Cattlewomen, P.O. Box 3881, Englewood, CO 80155.
Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship
The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) offers two $5,000 scholarships each year to graduating US high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools and communities. The application requires an essay about how the applicant promoted vegetarianism in their high school or community. The deadline is February 20. Applications are available on the VRG web site. For more information, call 1-410-366-8343, write to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or send email to vrg@vrg.org.
AACT National Candy Technologists Scholarship
The American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT) sponsors an annual $5,000 scholarship for college freshmen, sophomores and juniors (for use in the next academic year) who have demonstrated an interest in confectionary technology. Candidates should be attending an accredited, four-year college or university in North America, be majoring in food science, chemical science, biological science or related area, and have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The deadline is March 31.
American Society for Enology and Viticulture
The American Society for Enology and Viticulture awards several scholarships to students studying grapes or winemaking. Candidates must be pursuing a degree in enology, viticulture or other curricula emphasizing a science relevant to the wine and grape industry. The deadline is March 1. Amounts vary. Applications are available on the ASEV web site. For more information, contact:
ASEV Scholarship Committee
PO Box 1855
Davis, CA 95617-1855
Email: society@asev.org
Fax: 530-753-3318
Phone: 530-753-3142
Activity-Related
Tupperware Home Parties Scholarship
Tupperware offers a scholarship to independent Tupperware dealers, managers, franchised distributors and their dependent children. The amount of the award varies. The deadline is January 15. For more information, write to:
Tupperware Home Parties
PO Box 2353
Orlando, FL 32802
September 2013 Edition
This edition will focus on awards for children 13 years and younger. Scholarships for this age group are the hardest to find, so I’m happy to be able to bring this lengthy list to you. A few of these awards will allow students up to 15 years of age. Pay special attention to the due dates as these are non-negotiable. Some of these awards are team sponsored, so get involved and help mentor a team in your school or encourage participation with the help of a teacher.
Action For Nature Eco-Hero Award
Action for Nature sponsors the International Young Eco-Hero Awards to recognize youth aged 8 to 16 who have completed environmental projects focused on environmental advocacy, environmental health, research or protection of the natural world. Cash prizes of up to $500 will be awarded. The deadline is February 28. For more information, call 1-415-421-2640, fax 1-415-922-5717, write to Action For Nature, 2269 Chestnut Street, #263, San Francisco, CA 94123, or send email to awards@actionfornature.org.
The Angela Award recognizes a female student in grades 5-8 who is involved in science. It is open to US and Canadian students. The award is a $1,000 US EE Savings Bond or Canadian Savings Bond. The award was established in honor of Gerry Wheeler, Executive Director Emeritus of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).
BattleBots IQ is a robot-building contest for teams of middle and high school students and college students. See the rules for more information, or send email to info@battlebots.com.
The BRICK Awards by Do Something provide community grants and scholarships to “change-makers” age 25 and under who work with Do Something to improve their communities. The competition is open to US and Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Five Do Something Award nominees will receive at least $10,000 in community grants and scholarships. Of the five winners, one grand prize winner will receive a total of $100,000 in community grants. The nominees also participate in a live VH1 TV show and will receive continued support from DoSomething.org. (The community grants are paid to the nominee’s organization or a not-for-profit organization of the nominee’s choice. All winners have the option of receiving $5,000 of the total award in the form of a college scholarship.) The deadline is March 1. For more information, send email to dsawards@dosomething.org.
Christopher Columbus Community Service Awards
The Christopher Columbus Community Service Awards are open to teams of students in grades 6-8. The competition focuses on using science and technology to solve real-world community problems. Each member of the winning teams receives a $2,000 US Savings Bond. Winners also receive a trip to the National Championship Week at Walt Disney World. The competition is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation in cooperation with the National Science Foundation. The deadline is the second Monday in February. For more information, call 1-800-291-6020, write to Christopher Columbus Awards, 105 Terry Drive, Suite 120, Newtown, PA 18940-3425, or send email to success@edumedia.com.
Courage in Student Journalism Awards
The Courage in Student Journalism Awards are sponsored by the Newseum, the Student Press Law Center, and the National Scholastic Press Association. A $5,000 award is granted each year to a middle or high school journalist who lawfully exercised his or her First Amendment press rights despite difficulty or resistance. The deadline is July 1 (postmark). For more information, call 1-703-284-3775, fax 1-703-284-3535, write to Barbara McCormack, NEWSEUM, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209 or send email to bmccormack@freedomforum.org.
Davidson Fellowships are awarded by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development to US students under age 18 who have completed a significant piece of work in the fields of Mathematics, Science, Technology, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box. The significant piece of work should have the potential to benefit society. The focus of the program is on gifted and talented students. There is no minimum age for eligibility. Four $50,000 scholarships, seven $25,000 scholarships, and five $10,000 scholarships are awarded each year. The deadline is March 31 (receipt); there are earlier deadlines for some forms. For more information, write to The Davidson Institute for Talent Development, Attn: Davidson Fellows Coordinators, 9665 Gateway Drive, Suite B, Reno, NV 89521 or send email to davidsonfellows@ditd.org.
Google is famous for the doodles that occasionally replace the Google logo. The Doodle 4 Google competition challenges children in grades K-12 to create their own play on Google’s logo. Doodles are judged in four grade groups: K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. There is one national finalist in each grade group. One national winner receives a $15,000 college scholarship, a trip to the Google New York office, a laptop computer, a digital tablet and a t-shirt with his or her doodle. (The winner’s school or after-school program also receives a $25,000 technology grant.) The other three national finalists receive a $5,000 scholarship, a trip to the Google New York office, a digital tablet and a t-shirt with his or her doodle. The registration deadline is in early March and the doodle entry deadline is in mid-March.
DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition
The DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition is sponsored by the DuPont Center for Collaborative Research & Education in cooperation with General Learning Communications. The competition is open to US and Canadian students in grades 7-12 inclusive. The competition involves writing a 700 to 1,000 word essay about a scientific or technological development, event, or theory chosen by the student. Topic areas include chemical sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences and space technology. There are two divisions: grades 7-9 and grades 10-12. Within each division there is one first place prize of a $5,000 US Savings Bond, one second place prize of a $3,000 US Savings Bond, one third place prize of a $2,000 US Savings Bond, and several honorable mention prizes of a $200 US Savings Bond. The first through third place winners also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Space Center Houston with a parent and the sponsoring Science and English teachers. The deadline is in mid-January. For more information, call 1-847-205-3000 or write to The DuPont Challenge, Science Essay Awards Program, c/o General Learning Communications, 900 Skokie Blvd., Suite 200, Northbrook, IL 60062-4028.
The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes program honors athletes for demonstrating excellence in school, on their sports team, and in their communities. This is an award where we celebrate YOU–not necessarily because you scored the winning touchdown or goal–but because sports have helped you grow into a strong leader in your community. Application opens October 2, 2013.
Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program
The Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program is open to girls age 12 to 18 who demonstrate entrepreneurship and make a difference in their schools and communities. The first prize winner receives is $10,000, the second prize winner receives $5,000, the third prize winner receives $3,000, and the 12 finalists receive $1,000 each. The award program is sponsored by Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. The deadline (receipt) is March 1.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes is awarded annually to ten US and Canadian students, aged 8-18, who have developed an extraordinary service project that helped people and the planet. Half of the winners are focused on helping their communities and people, and half are focused on protecting the environment. Winners receive a $2,500 scholarship. For more information, write to The Barron Prize, PO Box 17, Boulder, CO 80306-0017.
JIF Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest
The JIF Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest is open to children who are age 6 to 12. The grand prize is a $25,000 scholarship fund. The four runners up receive a $2,500 scholarship fund. The deadline is mid-November. The contest is sponsored by the J.M. Smucker Company.
The Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program (www.kohlskids.com) honors students age 6-18 who are involved in community service. Candidates enter by being nominated by an adult age 21 years or older. Nominees are considered in two age groups, 6-12 and 13-18, with three prize levels within each group. More than 2,000 children will receive a total of more than $350,000 in scholarships and prizes. More than 2,000 store winners each receive a $50 Kohl’s gift card, 194 regional winners each receive a $1,000 scholarship, and 10 national winners each receive a $5,000 scholarship. The deadline is March 15.
Letters About Literature is a national reading/writing contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the US Library of Congress in partnership with Target Stores. The contest is open to US students in grades 4-12. Entries consist of a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre, explaining how the author’s work changed the student’s way of thinking about the world or themselves. There are three competition levels: grades 4-6 (100-250 words), grades 7-8 (250-500 words), and grades 9-12 (500-750 words). Two winners are selected from each level and awarded a $500 gift card from Target. The contest opens in September and the deadline is December 1 (postmark). State winners are announced in March and national winners in April. For more information, send email to lettersaboutlit@epix.net.
MATHCOUNTS is a national math competition for middle school students (grades 6-8). Individuals and teams of four mathletes from each school compete on a local, state and national level. All 228 national competitors and their coaches receive all-expense-paid trips to the MATHCOUNTS National Competition. The national champion receives the $8,000 Donald G. Weinert Scholarship. The second place individual winner receives a $6,000 college scholarship. The third and fourth place winners (countdown round semi-finalists) receive $4,000 scholarships. The masters round champion receives a $2,000 scholarship. The written round winner receives a $8,000 scholarship and the written round runner-up receives a $6,000 scholarship. The members of the first place team each receive a $2,000 scholarship. Additional prizes include trips to US Space Camp, notebook computers, PDAs, and TI calculators. The registration deadline is in early December. Local and chapter competitions take place in February, state competitions in March, and the national competition in May. For more information, call 1-703-684-2828, fax 1-703-836-4875, write to MATHCOUNTS Foundation, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, or send email to info@mathcounts.org.
National Marbles Tournament Scholarships
The annual National Marbles Tournament awards $5,000 in scholarships to mibsters (marble shooters) aged 8 to 14. The tournament is held in June each year. The children crowned King and Queen of Marbles each receive a $2,000 scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship is awarded to the boy and girl who win the sportsmanship award. For more information, write to National Marbles Tournament, 811 Roeth Avenue, Cumberland, MD 21502.
The National Geography Bee is sponsored by the National Geographic Society. It is open to US students in grades 4-8 who are age 15 or younger by the date of the national competition. The National Geography Bee is a three stage competition, starting at the school level (competitions from mid-November through mid-January), followed by state competitions in April and the national competition in May. The ten finalists compete for college scholarships. The first place winner receives a $25,000 scholarship, the second place winner a $15,000 scholarship, and the third place winner a $10,000 scholarship. The school registration deadline is October 15. (There is a $50 school registration fee.) For more information, call 1-202-828-6659 or write to National Geographic Bee, National Geographic Society, 1145 17th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036-4688.
National High School Oratorical Contest
The National High School Oratorical Contest is sponsored by the American Legion. It is open to US students in junior high school or high school (grades 7-12) who are under age 20 as of the date of the national contest. State contests are held no later than mid-March, and the national contest finals are held in April. The American Legion pays for the travel and lodging expenses of the state winners and their chaperones. The first place winner receives an $18,000 scholarship. The second place winner receives a $16,000 scholarship. The third place winner receives a $14,000 scholarship. Each state winner who participates in the first round of the national contest receives a $1,500 scholarship. For more information, call 1-317-630-1249, write to National Americanism and Children & Youth Division, The American Legion National Headquarters, PO Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206, or send email to acy@legion.org.
The National History Day Contest is open to students in grades 6-12 in the junior (grades 6-8) and senior (grades 9-12) divisions. The projects relate to a specific historical topic or theme. There are seven categories, including individual papers, individual exhibits, group exhibits, individual performance, group performance, individual documentary, and group documentation. Within each category, the first place winner receives $1,000, the second place winner receives $500, and the third place winner receives $250. The national contest is held in June.
The National Spelling Bee is sponsored by the E.W. Scripps Company. It is open to students in grades 1-8 as of their school finals (February 1) and who are under age 16 as of the date of the national finals (June 1). The champion wins a total of $28,000 in cash prizes and scholarships. The second place finisher wins a cash prize of $6,000, the third place finisher receives $3,500, the fourth place finisher receives $2,000, the fifth place finisher receives $1,250, the sixth place finisher receives $1,000, and the seventh place finisher receives $750. There are also assorted other prizes ranging from $50 to $600 for students who are eliminated in earlier rounds. For more information, call 1-513-977-3040, fax 1-513-977-3800, or send email to bee@scripps.com.
NewsCurrents Student Editorial Cartoon Contest
The NewsCurrents Student Editorial Cartoon Contest is sponsored by Knowledge Unlimited, Inc. and is open to students in grades K-12. There are three divisions: grades K-6, 7-9 and 10-12. First, second and third place winners in each division receive US Savings Bonds. The deadline is March 1 (postmark). For more information, call 1-800-356-2303 or write to NewsCurrents Cartoon Contest, PO Box 52, Madison, WI 53701.
Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition
The Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition is open to students in grades 7-12. Entries from home-schooled students are not accepted. The six winning haiku received $50. The deadline is March 25 (receipt).
Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Awards
The Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Awards are sponsored by the Nicholas Green Foundation and administered by the National Association for Gifted Children. One $500 US Savings Bond is awarded to a student from each state. Candidates should be students in grades 3-6 who have distinguished themselves in academics, leadership or the arts. The deadline is June 1. Individual State associations may have earlier deadlines (in some cases as early as January 1). See the web site for additional details.
Olive Garden Pasta Tales Essay Contest
The Olive Garden Pasta Tales essay contest is open to students in grades 1-12 from the US and Canada. Essays are 50 to 250 words on a topic that changes each year. The deadline is in early December. The grand prize winner will receive a $2,500 savings bond and a 3-day trip to New York City. One student in each grade category will receive a $500 savings bond,
Patriot’s Pen is an essay writing contest (patriotic theme) sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It is open to US students in grades 6-8. More than 115,000 students enter the contest each year. The first place winner receives a $10,000 US Savings Bond. The 28 top national winners receive US Savings Bonds of $1,000 to $10,000. Entries are submitted through local VFW Posts. The contest is also known as the VFW Youth Essay Contest. The deadline is November 1. For more information, call 1-816-968-1117.
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recognize children in grades 5-12 who have engaged in volunteer activities and have demonstrated exceptional community service. The program is sponsored by Prudential in conjunction with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). State winners receive a $1,000 award. National winners receive a $5,000 award. The student application deadline is in late October.
Sponsored by the American Licorice Company, the Red Vines Drawing Contest is open to children in three age groups (as of May 1): kids (ages 6-12), teens (ages 13-18) and adult (ages 19+). In each age group and entry format there is one first prize winner of a $2,500 scholarship, one second prize of $250 and one third prize of $100. Entries (one per person) consist of an original work of art that features the Red Vines logo. Winners will be selected on the basis of creativity and relevance to the Red Vines brand candy. The deadline is September 30. For more information, visit the web site or write to American Licorice Co., 2796 NW Clearwater Drive, Bend, OR 97701.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are open to US and Canadian students in grades 7-12. It is sponsored by Scholastic Inc. and administered by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Inc. More than 250,000 students enter the competition each year. Gold Portfolio Award recipients receive $10,000 scholarships (5 for art, 5 for writing, 2 for photography). For more information, call 1-212-343-6493, write to The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, or send email to A&WGeneralinfo@scholastic.com.
Team America Rocketry Challenge
Team America Rocketry Challenge is a national model rocket competition open to US junior high school and high school students (grades 7-12). It is sponsored by AIA and the National Association of Rocketry. The top 100 teams compete for $60,000 in scholarships. The application deadline is November 15. For more information, send email to rocketcontest@aia-aerospace.org.
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards
The Toshiba ExploraVision Awards is a competition for teams of 2-4 US and Canadian students in grades K-12. The goal of the competition is to encourage students to explora a vision of a future technology. The teams research a technology or device and project how it might change in the future. They identify necessary breakthroughs to enable the development of the technology and discuss the positive and negative impact of the technology on society. There are four divisions: grades K-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, and grades 10-12. Within each division, there is one first prize and one second prize. The first prize consists of a $10,000 US Savings Bond for each student on the winning team. The second prize consists of a $5,000 US Savings Bond for each student on the winning team. ExploraVision is sponsored by Toshiba and National Science Teachers of America. Materials are available starting in September. The deadline is February 1. For more information, call 1-800-EXPLOR9 (1-800-397-5679), write to ExploraVision, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000, or send email to exploravision@nsta.org.
West Point Bridge Design Contest
The West Point Bridge Design Contest is open to US students age 13 through grade 12 at the time of registration. Students compete individually (team of one) or in teams of two members. This engineering competition involves designing truss bridges. Each member of the first-place team receives a $10,000 scholarship. Each member of the five finalist teams wins a notebook computer. Registration opens in early January and ends on February 28. The final round is held in April.
The Young Naturalist Awards is a research-based science essay contest open to US and Canadian students in grades 7-12. It is sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and the Chase Manhattan Foundation. Two scholarships are awarded to the winning essays at each grade level. The 7th grade winners receive $500. The 8th grade winners receive $750. The 9th grade winners receive $1,000. The 10th grade winners receive $1,500. The 11th grade winners receive $2,000. The 12th grade winners receive $2,500. Award winners and their family members also receive travel and lodging to attend the awards ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History in the spring. There are also 36 finalists who receive a cash award of $50 and a certificate. The deadline is in early March. For more information, call 1-212-496-3498, write to Young Naturalist Awards Administrator, National Center for Science Literacy, Education, and Technology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192 or send email to yna@amnh.org.
Youth Service America offers the State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants to US children age 5-25 to implement service-learning projects for National Youth Service Day in April. One hundred $1,000 grants will be awarded. The application deadline is in mid-October. For more information, send email to GoodNeighbor@ysa.org.
The National Education Association (NEA) sponsors Youth Leaders for Literacy in conjunction with Youth Service America. This program awards 20 $500 grants to student-led initiatives. The program is open to applicants aged 21 and younger. The application deadline is in mid November.
Scholarships for Children Who Are Age 13
Many scholarship search sites take a more restrictive approach than required by COPPA, requiring individuals to be at least age 14 in order to register. (This is probably due to errors in published summaries of the requirements of COPPA. The act and regulations define child as “an individual under the age of 13”.) This may make it more difficult for students who are 13 years old to find out information about scholarships.
The following scholarships are open to students who are 13 years old.
American Morgan Horse Institute Graywood Youth Horsemanship Grant
The American Morgan Horse Institute (AMHI) sponsors the Graywood Youth Horsemanship Grant for members of the Morgan youth club or American Morgan Horse Association, ages 13 to 21. One or two grants are awarded each year. The grant is used to cover costs of study of horse care, breeding, management, training and riding of Morgan horses. See the application for additional details. The deadline is February 1. For more information, send email to amhioffice@aol.com.
Sizzling Style & Scholarly Smarts Scholarship Sweepstakes
CollegeBound Teen Magazine and N.Y.C. New York Color sponsor the Sizzling Style & Scholarly Smarts Scholarship. $1,000 will be awarded to the best 200-word essay about “what your one and only ‘can’t live without’ beauty product is and why you can’t live without it”. Candidates must be at least 13 years old and legal residents of the United States. The deadline is January 31. For more information, write to CollegeBound Teen Magazine, N.Y.C. New York Color/Sizzling Style & Scholarly Smarts Sweepstakes, 1200 South Avenue, Suite 202, Staten Island, NY 10314.
Check back often as this list will be updated as I find information. Next edition will include links for High School Scholarships.
