AXA Achievement Scholarships - 52 $10,000 & Ten $15,000 Scholarships

SCHOLARSHIPS and THINGS TO DO

December 2014

Thank you to Amy Samelian for sharing her bulletin

Amy Samelian, Harding HS, , 651-744-3149

Contact Steve Olson in the Central Counseling Office if you have any questions.

COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIPS AT MINNESOTA COLLEGES: Deadlines & Criteria

SCHOLARSHIP DATABASES:

NAVIANCE

INFO. FOR SENIORS only:

2015-2016 CSS Profile = a 2nd REQUIRED Financial Aid Application for Carleton, Macalester, St. Olaf, Gustavus & others. This costs MONEY! Fee waivers available. Visit: and use ESTIMATED 2014 data first. BEWARE of CSS Profile PRIORITY DEADLINES!

THINGS TO DO Grades 9-12

Free ACT/SAT Review for “At Risk” High School Students (targeting 9th-12th minority & female students). Held at the U of M-Twin Cities for 10 Saturdays from 9am-1pm.Starts on Jan. 10 and ends on March 14 with a free Mock Test. Pick up a flyer in the CCC or Email name, address, phone number, current high school and grade level to ?s – contact Dr. Ernest Davenport 612-624-8241 or Kyle 612-626- 1662

ACT test prep on Naviance. 11 week, self-guided tutorial will give you practice tests and a wealth of preparation information! Go to click on PrepMe. FREE! 

Hands-on career exploration and mentoring with the Exploring program. Ages 14-20.Cost: $25 per year. Visit for a list of careers, including Police, Fire/EMS, Aviation, Auto, Vet, & more

YWCA IMPACT program = Work Readiness, Life Skills, and Academic Services Program for ages15-24,375 Selby Ave., Saint Paul. FREE! Possible internships after training. ACT test prep help, college visits, homework help, family nights, test prep help.

Contact Fatima at or call her at 651-265-0750 to learn more/sign up! 

Gap Year FairTake a year off after high school and experience personal growth through experiential education– travel, learn a new language/language immersion, directed study, outdoor adventure, community service and internships. Especially for Juniors and Seniors and their parent/guardian.GrovesAcademy, 3200 Highway 100 South, St. Louis Park, MN55416. Presentation: 6pm-6:30pm, FAIR 6:30pm-8pm. Jan. 28, ‘15

More info at: or or or 1-508-755-2571 ext. 18.

JOBS – pick up the JOB OPPORTUNITIES CHART in the CCC. Go online to search for employment. create a keyword (sales associate, food server, cashier, etc) + zip code,

Teach this Summer!JOBS!($2,500 for June ?– August ?) Breakthrough Twin Cities is looking for a diverse group of talented high school juniors and seniors & undergraduate college students to teach middle school students in Saint Paul. Breakthrough provides paid teaching internships complete with training & classroom teaching experience. See the website Early application: due in Late Jan.

Regular decision is due: Late February 2015. About 26 spots. Teach at: Mounds Park Academy, which is located at 2051 Larpenteur Ave E, St. Paul, MN55109.

VOLUNTEERING – pick up the VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES CHART in the CCC.

Go online to search for short term and long term projects, too. Visit: , , and

ScienceMuseum of Minnesota Volunteer and reap the benefits of community service such as professional and personal skills, meeting people, and letters of recommendation and references. Also get free admission, Omnitheater and special exhibit vouchers, discounts at the Explore store and cafes, recommendations and references, and free parking. Apply online at or e-mail

High School Students get extra college help! ?s – call (651) 221-9444

Hands on Twin Cities Volunteer Expo = Saturday, Feb. 14 from 10am – 3pmMall of America ROTUNDA and FIRST FLOOR. Meet over 75 organizations looking for volunteers. They need volunteers for the Volunteer Expo must be 16 years of age or older, SET-UP 7:15am-10am.

Information at:

STUDY ABROAD in a foreign country while in high school or right AFTER high school. Pick up the STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES CHART in the CCC for info. on Rotary, NSLI-Y and OTHER U.S. State Department programs, PLUS , , , , , , and , + GAP YEAR FAIR for ideas: Jan. 28

Congress-Bundestag Vocational Exchange Program Full Scholarship for 20-25 Graduating High School Seniors.

3.0 GPA or better, US Citizen. Spend a year in Germany living with a host family, participating in a school or training program, and getting hands-on work experience through an internship with a German company. MANY DIFFERENT AREAS!Receive two months of intensive German language training. Must pay for transportation to and from Washington, D.C. and provide own spending money while in Germany (estimated at about $400 per month). To apply visit Visit for other great study abroad opportunities as well!Contact Nacel Open Door St. Paul, MN office at651-686-0080 or 1-800-622-3553Jan. 31

SUMMER FUN:

Concordia Language Villages Summer CampsLearn Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and English.

1 week, 2 week, and for high school credit (4 week) camps.

Passport Scholarship

Application Process:Everyone fills out a form. ACT FAST! It cannot be faxed!

?s –1-800-222-4750, ext. 1or email:

Even scholarship students must submit a registration deposit with their application.

Very few exceptions are ever made. You must include a deposit when you register.

Deposit costs are: 1-Week Exploration: $125, 2-Week Immersion: $175, 4-Week High School Credit: $300.

Priority: Feb. 20, 2015.

Telluride Association Sophomore Seminars (TASS) Held June 23 – August 5, 2015 at Cornell University, Indiana University AND the University of Michigan. FREE! For: 54 exceptionally promising HS Sophomores. At TASS, 18 students live in a small residence at the host university and participate in an academic seminar let by 2 university scholars. TOPICS related to Critical Black and Ethnic Studies.

Ascending Melody: Contemporary African American Creative Arts and Critical Thought

Growing Up While Black: Coming of Age in Black American Literature, Music, and Film

Dreams of Freedom and Realities of Confinement

Read, write, discuss, + public speaking, computer instruction, field trips, mentoring, & field trips.

DEADLINE: by Paper (postmarked) = January 8. Online = 11:59pm EST on Jan. 8, 2015.

Telluride Association – Seminars led by college faculty - for JUNIORS Held June 23 – Aug. 5, 2015.

AtCornellUniv. in NY and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. COMPETITIVE.

TOPICS: Thinking About Cities: In Particular, Jerusalem / Mapping Fictions of American Identity: 1840–1940 / Science Fiction, Technology, and the Human Horizon / Paris and Edinburgh in the Enlightenment: Moral Challenge and the Ethics of Living, Learning, and Being

Application includes ESSAYS but NO transcript is required. Semifinalists are interviewed.

All expenses paid EXCEPT for transportation to the host college.

However, students with financial need may request financial aid to cover reasonable transportation costs.

In addition, they may get a $500 stipend to replace summer earnings lost while at the Seminar.

?s - email . FREE experience on a college campus!

DEADLINE: by Paper (postmarked) = January 20, 2014.

DEADLINE: Online by 11:59pm EST on January 20, 2014.

Bezos Scholars Program @ the Aspen Institute – JUNIORS with a 3.5 GPA or higher. US Citizen or Permanent Resident. Test high on the PSAT, SAT or ACT. This leadership development program inspires students and educators to put passion into action. 15 public high school juniors and 15 dynamic educators will receive a seven-day, all-expenses-paid scholarship to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, June 27 – July 3, 2015, in Colorado. Attend seminars, tutorials, lectures and debates. Share meals and Scholars-only roundtable discussions with some of the most provocative thinkers, writers, artists, entrepreneurs and change-makers from around the world. Each day, dedicated leadership trainings help them understand themselves as leaders and prepare them for the challenge ahead: Create sustainable Local Ideas Festivals that will transform your school and community back home. Go to” Due: Feb. 17, 2015

JUNIORS 1.) Must come from a PublicHigh School (including Charter and Magnet schools)

2.) Where At least 25 percent of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch program (this is a firm cutoff) 3.) That offfers Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or college credit courses.

Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology Imaging Careers and Networking Scholarship Program (ICAN) 4 days FREE at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester exploring MEDICAL IMAGING CAREERS July 20-24Explore MRI, CT, Ultrasound, General Imaging, Nuclear Medicine & Interventional Imaging. For TEN high achieving JUNIOR students of color with a 3.0gpa or higher. or visit NOTE Deadline:February 28, 2015.

SCHOLARSHIPS

For GRADES 9-12 = GREAT LINK!

AmericanLegionMinnesotaState Oratorical (speech) Contest – For Grades 9-12. Must be a US Citizen. $1500 1st place, $1000 2nd place, $700 3rd place, $500 4th place This is a speech contest based on Constitutional ideals. Post winners proceed to the District level, then to Department (State Level). State winners proceed to the National contest and compete for scholarships worth up to $18,000. Contact your District person (see MN pdf) for dates to give your extemporaneous speech on an assigned topic (a section of the United States Constitution). Must also fill out a form. Local Post contests are all DONEBEFORE Jan. 15, 2015, & usually in December. “Minnesota 2015 Oratorical Rules in PDF format” & look for “Fourth District” Oratorical Contest Contact Chair.?s – Call MN Legion at #651-291-1800, Jennifer Kelley, Nearby Arcade/Phalen MN Legion Post = 651-771-8778.

School Band Orchestra Magazine– Grades 4 – 12. In 250 words or less, answer this question: “How does your music class prepare you for life?” They give out ten $1,000 scholarships to the winners and also the winning students’ school music program will be awarded matching music products. Register online at Deadline: Dec. 31, 2014.

John F. Kennedy Profiles n Courage Essay Contest–9th – 12th Students are asked to write an original and creative essay of 700 to1,000 words that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage. Students should use at least five varied sources such as newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews, including one non-internet source, to address the following topic:Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a United States elected official that took place during or after 1956.Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level. Name of nominating teacher required. Apply online or by mail. First place winner receives $10,000 & free trip to Boston for the Award Ceremony. Second place winner receives $1,000. Up to five finalists receive $500 each. Due: Jan. 5, 2015.

The BestMidwesternHigh School Writing: A Celebration and Recognition of Outstanding Prose Creative writing, Non-fiction, and Journalism – sponsored by WesternMichiganUniversity.

For: 9th /10th graders & 11th/12th graders in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio. Cash prizes ($500, $300, $150) and publication, Classroom teacher resources, & Public recognition for your high school. 18 prizes total. Teacher recommendation required. Maximum length: 2,500 words. ?s (269) 387-3230

Due: January 16, 2015.

If I Had a Trillion Dollars Youth Film Festival asks youth UNDER age 23, “If YOU had the power to choose, how would you spend 1 trillion dollars? What could that money do for your family, for your community, for your nation, or for the world?” for more info. Submit on YouTube. Deadline = Feb. 1, 2015

The 2015 Drake Physics PrizeExamination. Top winner: FULL-TUITION scholarship to DrakeUniversity in Iowa. For ANY major. Must be enrolled in high school in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Take a physics test on the internet with a Harding proctor at a specified time between Jan. 28-30. TWO PARTS: Multiple choice AND more complicated problems with solutions written on 8 ½ X 11 inch paper. Top 50 Seniors: get an invitation to apply for a 2nd

4-year, full-tuition scholarship, restricted to physics or astronomy majors. REGISTER to take this famous exam by 1:00pm, Monday, Jan. 26, 2015. ?s -

C-SPAN StudentCAM 2014 Documentary Contest = an annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think seriously about issues that affect our communities and our nation. Create a short (5-7 minute) video documentary. This year’s theme: “The Three Branches and You”
Tell a story that demonstrates how a policy, law, or action by either the executive, legislative, or judicial branch has affected you or your community.Cash $ prizes. FOR GRADES 6-12.

Visit Due: January 20, 2015.

Submit ONLINE and make sure that your finished documentary is under 1.5gb in size and that it is in one of the following video formats: .AVI .MOV .MPG .MPG2 .MPEG2 .MPEG4 .MP4 .WMV

Media Literacy Project – Bad-Ad Counter-Ad Projects For: Ages 11-18.Find a bad ad in a magazine, internet, or other print source. Write an essay about why it’s bad and how it could be better. OR Take an ad and change it into a counter ad, delivering a more truthful or constructive message using altered images, words or persuasion techniques. Winners in each category (middle school and high school) receive $100. Runners up receive $50. medialiteracyproject.org/analyze/bad-ads Deadline: Jan. 30, 2015

 CHECK OUT THEIR Campaigns, Causes and Awesome-Things!

Scholarships for students making a difference in the lives of others!

SQ Playing with Purpose Award - $14,000 of scholarships available to Christian Student Athletes Currently in Grades 10-12. Must be a VARSITY level athlete in one or more sports AND have a minimum 2.0 GPA or higher. Visit for list of eligible sports/to apply. Feb. 1, 2015.

Moody’s Mega Math Challenge: Internet-based applied math competition requires students to solve open-ended, realistic, math-modeling problem in just 14 hours! Scholarships range from $1,000 to $20,000 to TEAMS of 3-5 high school juniors & seniors (between the ages of 16 and 18) with 1 teacher-coach from the same school may participate. Register by 4pm CSTFeb. 20, 2015

Challenge Day: CHOOSE either Saturday, Feb. 28 OR Sunday, March 1, 2015.

STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS:

Youth for Understanding - Finland, Japan, Germany Deadline: Jan. 15

AFS – Merit-based. up to 50% off the AFS program tuition!

= for MN students!

ASSE Deadline: Dec. 1, 2014.

Walking Tree Travel – world-wide Community Service.

Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest For: Middle & High School Students. Essays, poems and/or thank-you letters may be up to 500 words or less and typed in the English language on regular 8.5 by 11 inch paper. Regional winners get a $500 B&N gift card, & the WINNER gets $5,000 & prizes and their school gets $5,000, as well!! Mail your entry (postmark is okay), or hand deliver your work to a B&N store near you, or give to a teacher for them to send or deliver. March 1, 2015.

Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program - $420,000 in awards for students ages 6-18 who havevolunteered

and made a BIG difference in their communityin the last year. Nominate yourself or others at Applications open January 31, 2015 ?? . Deadline: Mid-March?? 2015.

2015AmericanForeignServiceAssociationNationalHigh School Essay Contest - Gr. 9-12 who are

U.S. Citizens. WINNER: $2,500 cash prize, free trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the Secretary of State, and full tuition for a Semester at Sea voyage (once the student is enrolled at an accredited university). The runner-up will win a full scholarship to participate in the International Diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference. Essay: 1000 -1250 words. Topic:You are a U.S. diplomat posted to one of the following locations. Explain what you would do, using the resources available to you as a Foreign Service member, to improve the relations between the U.S. and your chosen post, and how the major foreign policy differences between the two might best be handled in our national interest. This year, all essays must include a discussion of how social media might or might not be helpful as a part of the diplomatic toolbox. and also learn more about the Foreign Service.11:59 pm EST March 15, 2015.

Ayn Rand Essay Contest –Grades 8-10. You must read Anthem and write an essay between 600 and 1200 words in length on one of three topics. $2,000 - $30. March 20.

Federal Reserve Bank Essay Contest –For Gr. 9-12. Theme: What are the most important influences on economic inequality in the United States? 1st – place: $500 and a paid summer internship at the Mpls Fed., 2nd- place: $400, 3rd place: $300. 30-$100 awards. or call 612-204-5254 March 27, 2015

QuestBridge – College Prep Scholarship – FOR JUNIORS ONLY. FREE mentoring, summer camps at places like Yale, support for the competitive college application process, free ACT test prep, and more! Must be high achieving and low income. Application ready in February.

. LATE March, 2015.

Ayn Rand Essay Contest –Grades 11 & 12. . You must read The Fountainhead and write an essay between 800 and 1200 words in length on one of three topics. $10,000 - $50. April 26.

Minnesota Association of Townships Scholarship – JUNIORS,four $1,000 scholarships will be awarded based on a written essay. “2014 Scholarship Program” Deadline: May 1.

Looking for after-school activities, summer programs, or just fun things to do?

Sprockets= database of after-school and summer programs for kids, teens and youth!



MN Help Youth Corner = Info on Housing, Education, Jobs, Transportation, Money Management, Community Connections, Health Care, and Legal.

Set up an account at

COLLEGE SPECIFIC

SCHOLARSHIPS for SENIORS…

St.CatherineUniversity – Alumnae Referral Scholarship:$600 for St. Paul campus and $300 for Minneapolis campus. DUE: Within 2 weeks of applying. or see a counselor.

NROTC Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Scholarship ProgramFor: NROTC students who plan to attend an MSI (including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and High Hispanic Enrollment). Maximum award = Full Tuition! Applications are accepted through June 30, 2014. Can Apply ONLINE through January 31, AFTER THAT, apply by PAPER. (Colleges include: Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, Morehouse, Spelman, U of New Mexico, KennedyKingCollege, etc.)

College of St. Benedict/Saint John’s University FoCuS (Future Chemists Scholarships and Support) ScholarshipTo be considered, you must APPLY TO THE COLLEGE BY January 1, 2015.

MapCores Scholarship (for Women – math, physics, computer science, research) – Apply there by Dec. 15.

For more info on scholarships at this school,

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS – Apply now! Look up the essay topic first before you apply/write it out. PRIORITY: Jan. 15.