The National Peace Essay Contest promotes serious discussion among high school students, teachers, and leaders about international peace and conflict resolution. Students in grades 9-12 in the U.S. and U.S. territories are eligible to apply. This year's topic is natural resources and conflict.  To learn more about contest rules and guidelines, visit http://www.usip.org/ed/npec/index.html. The deadline is February 1, 2008.

Semester of Service is a new, public-private strategy to help young people find their voice, take action, and have impact on the most critical problems facing the world. In January 2008, Youth Service America and the Corporation for National and Community Service are encouraging students, ages 5-25, to develop a 14 week service-learning project that launches on the Martin Luther King Day of Service (January 21, 2008) and culminates on the weekend of Global Youth Service Day (April 25-27, 2008). To learn more, visit http://www.ysa.org/semester.    

Get involved globally and participate in the National Student Dance Initiative to eradicate malaria!  Every day, 3,000 children die of malaria-but a simple $10 bed net can help to protect them from mosquitoes that transmit the disease.  Host a Malaria No More Stayin' Alive dance or make it part of the upcoming Valentine's Day, Spring Fling or Prom season. Donate a portion of the proceeds, raise awareness and save lives. To learn more, visit http://www.MalariaNoMore.org/stayinalive.  

Children for Children is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation on the Sweat for Nets Program, to engage young people from all around the world to get active in the fight against malaria.  A program toolkit is available to help young people develop fun and meaningful service-learning programs at home, school or in the community.  To learn more and download the toolkit, visit http://www.childrenforchildren.org.

NetAid, an initiative of Mercy Corps, is accepting applications for the Global Action Awards. The awards honor high school students in the United States who have shown great leadership in areas such as preventing disease, alleviating hunger, protecting the environment, promoting human rights, and improving access to clean drinking water, health care, or education. Projects may involve organizing advocacy campaigns, raising funds, volunteering, or using media and technology to involve others in the fight against global poverty.  The honorees receive $5,000 each for college or a charitable cause of their choice, and are honored at a ceremony in New York City.  Applicants must be a current U.S. high school student, or have graduated from high school in spring 2007. For guidelines and application materials visit, http://www.netaid.org/global_action_awards/application.html. The deadline is January 31, 2008.

The Miss P.E.A.R.L. of Dallas Inner Beauty Scholarship Pageant is turning beauty inside out and providing scholarship money!  The girls involved in the pageant are rewarded for their academic achievement, civic engagement, public speaking skills and leadership abilities. Selected participants become apprentices in the P.E.A.R.L. Girl's University - a six to eight week personal development program.  Any Dallas ISD junior or senior is eligible to apply.  For additional information, please visit the website at www.ourpearlgirls.org. The application deadline is February 11, 2008.

The Sodexho Foundation seeks nominations to recognize students in grades K-12 and college who are doing great things to fight hunger and poverty in America.  The STOP Hunger Scholarships recognize and reward students who have made a significant impact in the fight against hunger and its root causes in the United States by providing $3,000 scholarships for tuition and related fees at an accredited post secondary education institution.  To learn more, visit http://www.helpstophunger.org/scholarships. The application deadline is February 29, 2008.

 

Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant

The Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant program funds school improvement projects initiated by parents to build stronger community spirit.  Lowe's will donate a total of $5 million to schools and school parent teacher groups at more than 1,500 different schools in 2008. Any nonprofit K-12 school (including charter, parochial, private, etc.) or parent group (associated with a nonprofit K-12 school) is eligible to apply. Up to $5,000 per school is available. The application deadline is February 15, 2008. For more information, visit http://www.toolboxforeducation.com.

Action For Nature, a nonprofit organization that encourages young people around the world to carry out individual environmental action projects, presents the International Young Eco-Hero Awards to recognize the individual accomplishments of young people (ages 8-16) whose personal actions have significantly improved the environment. Action For Nature will award cash prizes of up to $500 each to young Eco-Heroes for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research or protection of the natural world. For complete program information and application guidelines, visit http://www.actionfornature.org/.  The application deadline is February 28, 2008.

For additional information or to download the application, visit http://www.smu.edu/lead/jbs.asp or contact the Office of Leadership and Community Involvement at 214-768-4403. Applications are due February 1, 2008.  

www.fwcds.org/summerbridge/

Student Leaders Program

If you are a high school junior or senior with a passion for making a difference in your community, Bank of America can help you turn that passion into action!  Bank of America is looking for the next generation of community leaders to participate in The Student Leaders Program, part of Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. The Student Leaders Program recognizes five high school students in each Bank of America market in their junior or senior year that have demonstrated an interest in improving their neighborhoods. 

To further the students' personal and educational growth, each selected Student Leader will have an opportunity to participate in an eight-week, paid, summer internship with a local community organization and spend a week in Washington, D.C. learning how nonprofits, governments and businesses work together to improve our communities. The application deadline is February 29, 2008.  Local markets include Dallas and Fort Worth. For additional information or to apply, visit www.bankofamerica.com or click here.

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