Grants & Contests

Follett Challenge Returns to Reward Innovative Schools

The Follett Challenge, which awarded $100,000 worth of products and services to six K-12 schools a year ago, is returning with the prize money doubled and a new focus looking to reward top-notch educators who are aligning their curricula to teach 21st-century learning skills. While the inaugural contest sought entries solely from school libraries, the second Follett Challenge has evolved and expanded to seek entries from educators throughout all departments in schools that are designing programs that develop critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration between students and among educators. Six winners again will be selected, with this year’s total prize value increased to $200,000.

Deadline: Jan. 4, 2013

Details:www.follettchallenge.com.

Teacher Innovator Awards

PBS LearningMedia and The Henry Ford today announced the third annual Teacher Innovator Awards. Teachers can apply for the Teacher Innovator Awards by submitting a video, up to three minutes in length, or a written essay, up to three pages with images. Entries must address how they are using digital media to enhance students’ learning by augmenting the traditional textbook approach to teaching. Thirty educators in total will receive prizes for their outstanding work with the top 10 winners receiving a professional development prize package for a week-long, all-expense-paid “Innovation Immersion Experience” at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, and a PBS TeacherLine course.

Deadline: December 12, 2012

Details:www.pbslearningmedia.org/innovators

Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge

Since 2008, through the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, K-12 students have been asked to identify environmental problems or issues in their schools, communities, and across the globe and devise plans to solve them. The Challenge pairs student teams with advisors, asks them to tackle local (K-5), regional (6-8) and global (9-12) environmental problems or issues and find replicable green solutions. A panel of environmental experts and science educators will judge teams based on their research, analysis and the ability of the solution to be replicated on a larger scale.

Deadline: March 5, 2013

Details:www.wecanchange.com

Global Student Invention Contest

ePals announced the launch of Invent It, the second annual invention contest for K-12 students in partnership with the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. Each challenge will have four age categories for submission: ages 5-7, 8-11, 12-14 and 15 and up. Submissions, which can be in the form of videos, PowerPoint presentations. or printed documents, will be judged on originality, effectiveness, creativity, and technical quality.