|
March 15, 2002
Grants, Contests, Etc.
Compiled by Susan Brooks-Young
Looking for funds to make an innovative technology project possible? Seeking recognition for outstanding teachers or students in your district? Here are some great opportunities.
The United Nations Association of the United States of America and the Ross Institute are sponsoring the 17th annual National High School Essay Contest for students in grades 9-12. This year's topic asks students to explain, in a 1,500-word essay, how the nations of the world can work together to successfully address the issue of global warming. Cash prizes are awarded: first place, $1,000; second place, $750; third place, $500. Information and application materials are available at the Web site. The deadline for submissions is April 12.
Do you remember the interlocking salamanders, twisting stairways, and other works of M.C. Escher? Teachers and students may enter their own symmetry artwork in the 13th World of Escher's Tessellation Contest, sponsored by World of Escher, Inc. Using the art-works of M.C. Escher as a model, entries may be in watercolor, colored pencils, pen and ink, marker, or computer generated and up to 8.5" x 11" in size. Submit artwork using e-mail or regular mail (you must e-mail the Webmaster for the mailing address). Visit the Web site to see previous winners and for further information. The deadline for the current contest is April 1. Prizes are selected from the online Escher store and include T-shirts, calendars, posters, and books.
All full-time classroom teachers are eligible for the 12th annual Disney American Teacher Awards. Anyone may nominate a teacher by calling (877) ATA-TEACH or visiting the Web site. Nominations are due March 31. Once a teacher is recommended, s/he receives an application to actually apply for the award. The application is due May 25. There are 10 categories in the competition. Thirty honorees, three from each category, will be selected. Ten semifinalists are identified during a special ceremony, and one teacher from this group is chosen by fellow honorees to be named Outstanding Teacher for the Year. Prizes are awarded to teachers, their schools, and their school districts. In 2001 the awards totaled $515,000.
Teachers or paraprofessionals who work with students in grades 6-12 at schools where at least 40 percent of the population is eligible for free or reduced lunches may apply for a Jordan Fundamentals Grant through Nike, Inc. Applicants develop an original lesson plan or thematic unit; unique teaching methods and projects are encouraged. Grant funds may be used for resource materials, supplies, equipment, transportation, or other costs related to field trips. Approximately 1,200 grants of $2,500 have been awarded since 1999; visit the site to review past winners. All application materials are available at the Web site. Submissions are due June 15, and winners will be funded for the 2002-03 school year.
Roughly 90 percent of the classrooms in the United States do not have telephones. The Wireless Foundation has teamed with Nokia and local wireless service providers to create ClassLink, a program designed to donate wireless telephones and airtime to schools. Since its inception, 6,000 telephones have been donated to 350 schools across the United States. Selected schools go through an application process that includes a review by representatives from the wireless industry and educational institutions. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For additional information, visit the Web site.
Since its founding in 1964, the Texas Instruments Foundation has awarded Foundation Grants to a wide variety of projects from early childhood education through higher education programs. There is not a formal application form. Applicants are encouraged to submit a one- or two-page proposal that explains the purpose of their organization, the population served, the amount requested, how the funds will be used, and how the project correlates to the goals of the TI Foundation. Additional information about the application process may be obtained on the foundation's Web site. Proposals are accepted throughout the year.
Read other articles from the March Issue
Send a letter to the Editor in response to this article.
|
