Students in grades K-8 are invited to enter the annual Kids Are Authors contest sponsored by Scholastic, Inc. Teams of three or more students may submit fiction and nonfiction stories written in picture book format. Winning books will be published by Scholastic and distributed through book fairs. Required forms and additional information are available at teacher.scholastic.com/fairs/kaa. Deadline for entries is March 15.
The P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education is offering five Moss Foundation 2004 Educational Grants for teachers. The $1,000 grants are to be used for new or evolving programs that incorporate arts into the curriculum, targeting children with learning disabilities and other special needs. Applicants must submit an application form, lesson plans, and a portfolio of supporting documentation. Additional information is available at www.mossfoundation.org/id.cfm?ID=55. Deadline for applications is March 1.
Students in grades 2-8 may enter the eighth annual Young Inventors Awards Program, sponsored by Craftsman and the National Science Teachers Association. The competition challenges students to use science, technology, and mechanical ability to invent or modify a tool. Awards are U.S. Savings Bonds ranging in value from $250 to $10,000. Winning teachers and schools receive prizes from Sears, Roebuck, and Co. stores. Additional information is available at www.nsta.org/programs/craftsman. Deadline for entries is March 16.
The HP K-12 Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative, sponsored by the Hewlett-Packard Company, supports innovative and collaborative use of technology as a teaching tool in K-12 classrooms. Teams of five teachers from at least 150 U.S. public schools will be selected. Each team member receives an HP Tablet, HP multimedia projector, HP Help Desk technical support for one year, a $500 stipend, and individualized professional development opportunities. Participants may be invited to apply for additional larger grants in 2005. For more information, visit grants.hp.com/us/programs/tech_teaching/k12_main.html. Deadline for applications is March 1.
Public school systems and boards of education may apply for Enhancing Teaching and Learning with the Web grants, sponsored by Docutek Information Systems, Inc. The grants provide schools with a customized version of Docutek atSchool for two years. Grantees also receive remote Web hosting and training. Further information is available at www.docutek.com/products/atschool/grant.html. Deadline for submitting proposals is March 15.
High school teachers, administrators, and library staff may enter the FRONTLINE Teacher Center Contest, sponsored by PBS Online and FRONTLINE. Three top prize winners receive a TiVo Digital Video Recorder for their school, a lifetime subscription to the TiVo service, and a $50 Staples gift certificate. Enter the contest by subscribing to FRONTLINE Planner, FRONTLINE's free semimonthly online newsletter for teachers. Additional information is posted at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/contest.html. Deadline for entries is March 31.
Tip of the Month
Writing a solid grant proposal requires time and resources. Before making the decision to go for a grant, make sure that the funds you are seeking support your school's or district's needs and that the requirements described in the request for proposals, including timelines, are manageable in your circumstances.
Resource
One charge of the National Science Foundation is to "foster and support the development and use of computers and other scientific methods and technologies, primarily for research and education in the sciences." The NSF administers grant and awards programs that directly support K-12 educators. Such programs as the Math and Science Partnership encourage colleges, universities, and nonprofits to partner with schools to provide teacher professional development. Learn more about current and future funding opportunities by visiting www.nsf.gov/home/grants.htm.
Visit the Grants Database to search through the extensive listings of grants and contests.
Read other articles from the February Issue
