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(This list of scholarships is the honey to attract the bees.  The real nectar is in the monthly newsletters.  It not only lays out scholarships in a chronological order, it gives you tips on how to get them.  Sign up now.
 
Scholarships 
 
1.  2008-2009 Patriot's Pen Contest  This national youth-essay writing contest gives students an opportunity to express their views on democracy. More than 115,000 students participate by submitting a 300-400 word essay based on the published theme. The first-place winner receives a $10,000 savings bond and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. Other national winners each receive a savings bond ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.  The deadline is November 1, 2008.

2.  2008 Stand Up for Freedom Contest Fourth Annual Stand Up for Freedom Contest.  Deadline information should be on their site in October 2008.

3.  Achievement Awards in Writing The National Council of Teachers of English gives achievement awards in writing to students nominated by their schools.  The high school must nominate the students and they must be juniors for the academic year 2008-2009 (they must be candidates for high school graduation in 2009).  This is an extremely prestigious award that makes the admission's officers take notice of the candidate.  The deadline for submission of the application is February 18, 2009.

4.  Ayn Rand Institute: Anthem and also Fountainhead  For over 20 years The Ayn Rand Institute has been giving away prizes to high school and now college students for writing about Ayn Rands books.  There are 536 prizes to be given away this year.  Depending on the student's grade, they have to read one of Ayn Rand's books: Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged and write an essay about the story.  The deadline for 9th and 10th graders is March 20, 2009, for 11th and 12th graders the deadline is April 25, 2009. 
 
5.  Random House, Inc. Creative Writing Competition  This is a writing and music competition for 12th-grade New York City public high school students.  The first prize is $10,000.  There are 34 winners and 75 honorable mentions.  The deadline is in February 2009 for poetry/spoken work, fiction/drama and personal essay/memoir.  The graphic novel deadline is expected to be in March or April 2009.
 
6.  Best Buy Scholarships The Best Buy Foundation provides 12th grade students with scholarships for demonstrating academic excellence and a commitment to community service.  Applications will be available in January 2009.

7.  BP Community ScholarshipThe BP Community Scholarship program has not yet been approved or announced. Please visit the website, www.bpscholarships.org, around the early January 2009 timeframe for program availability. This is one of the few scholarships on this list that require the recipient to demonstrate financial need.  In addition and the academic requirements are lower than most scholarships.  Recipients must be from one of three geographic areas: Chicago, New York or Washington, DC (note: you can live in the vicinity of these cities to be eligible - see applications). 

8. Coca-Cola Scholars  One of the most competitive scholarships in the country, it is also well respected.  Recent years have seen over 100,000 applicants for this multistage scholarship.  The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation gives out 200 $10,000 scholarships and 50 $20,000 scholarships.  Click here for more information about the Coca-Cola Scholars Program.

9. Davidson Fellows  They aren't necessarily great students, but they are people who have made a significant piece of work that has the potential to benefit society.  The awards are substantial: $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 scholarships.  The deadline for the 2008 application is March 4, 2009.  For children younger than 16, check out the Davidson Young Scholars Program.

10. DuPont Challenge is a science essay competition.  The objectives are to help increase scientific literacy among students and to motivate students to excel in communicating scientific ideas. First place winners in each division receive an educational grant, an all-expenses-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort, an exclusive VIP tour of Kennedy Space Center and an awards luncheon with an astronaut. All essays must be submitted electronically.  January 31, 2009 is the deadline.
 
11. ExploraVision encourages kids to explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science. Entrants must also be full-time students, in grades K to 12, currently enrolled and attending a public, private or home school.  Participation is by teams and they can have two, three or four students each. The deadline is January 28, 2009.

12. Elks Americanism Essay Contest An essay contest for 5th through 8th grade students to write about Americanism.  The national deadline is in January, but Local deadlines vary, contact your local Elks Chapter for that information.

13. Fed Challenge is an academic competition that provides high school students (grades 9 to 12) with an insider's view of how the Fed makes monetary policy.  It begins with a local competition.  Participants compete as a team of two to five students.  Contact your local Federal Reserve Bank for deadlines.  

14. Gates Millennium Scholarship (often called the Bill Gates Scholarship) promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for outstanding minority students with significant financial need.  Paper applications must be postmarked by January 12, 2009,  online applications must be submitted by January 12, 2009.     Click here for more information about the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

15. George & Stella and Knight Essay A participant must write an historical essay that must have a minimum of 800 words and not exceed 1,200 words.  Contestants shall be in the 10th through 12th grade when participating in the contest.  The contest must be entered through a Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution near the student's residence.  Check local chapter for deadlines (in many locations the deadline is December 31, 2008).

16. Kaplan/Newsweek "My Turn" Essay  To participate write a 500 to 1,000 word personal essay on a topic of your choice, your essay should reflect your personal experiences.    There will be ten winners with the maximum scholarship of $5,000.  All high school students are eligible entries are due in February 2009.

17. National History Day The mission is to provide students with opportunities to learn historical content and develop research, thinking and communication skills through the study of history.  Deadlines vary by state, contact your local state representative.  
 
18. Organization Of Chinese Americans in order to promote access to quality education and resources for under served communities, including the Asian Pacific American (APA) community, OCA administers this scholarship for high school seniors.  The deadline for this year's students is expected to be in mid April 2008.  Check their website in the spring.

19. Prudential Spirit Community Award honors young people in middle schools and high school for outstanding volunteer service to their communities.  The applicant must be sponsored by their school or other qualified group.  The deadline is October 31, 2008.  There will be 102 State Honorees and the 234 Distinguished Finalists of those, 10 will be chosen as the top youth volunteers.

20. Spirit of Anne Frank Awards are given out in several categories including: Outstanding Youth Scholarship Award, Outstanding Youth Award and Outstanding Citizen Award. A candidate must be nominated by one person and obtain two letters of support.  In addition, the candidate must submit a 250 word essay.  The deadline for submission is January 15, 2009.

21. The Holocaust Remembrance Project is a writing contest about the Holocaust.  Participants should study the holocaust and then, in an essay of no more than 1,200 words: (a) analyze why it is so vital that the remembrance, history and lessons of the Holocaust be passed to a new generation; and (b) suggest what they, as students, can do to combat and prevent prejudice, discrimination and violence in our world today.  The 10 First-Place Winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., and each First-Place Winner will receive a scholarship ranging from $2,500 to $10,000.  Information about this year's writing contest will be posted on the website by October 1, 2008.  The deadline is expected to be in April.

22. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is a competition for young artists and writers who are currently enrolled in grades 7 through 12.  Graduating seniors may present portfolios of art, photography and/or writing. They will be eligible for regional scholarship opportunities.  Those who earn national level awards have the opportunity to participate in a pool of $1.5 million in tuition scholarships from arts colleges, universities and institutes participating in the program.  Updated guidelines and deadlines will be available on their website by October 1, 2008.  Deadlines vary by region.

23. Toyota Community Scholars Program recognizes outstanding high school seniors throughout the United States for their scholastic achievements, leadership, and community service.  Each high school can nominate
one or two graduating seniors.  The program awards 100 renewable scholarships valued at $10,000
and $20,000 over four years.  Since nominations are made by the school, applications should be available from the guidance counselor.  Schools are allowed one nomination unless they have more than 600 seniors, in which case they can nominate two students.  In October the high schools are sent nomination information.  This year's deadline is in December 2008.

24. West Point Bridge Design Contest is for future engineers.  The West Point web site has software that you download and use to design a bridge.  Registration for the contest began October 1 , 2008 and the contest will end June 2, 2009.  The object of the contest is to build an inexpensive, but structurally sound bridge (don't worry the software tells you the cost of the bridge and whether it's sound). It is open to students aged 13 up through high school seniors.

25. Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition requires the participant to do a research project that sheds light on a health problem, using the methods that are employed by epidemiologists. To accomplish that, the research project should do the following things state a question or hypothesis about a health problem, select an appropriate study design, obtain and analyze data, present results and suggest potential ways to improve people's health.  The top prize is a $50,000 scholarship.  The deadline to submit the project is February 2, 2009.