Scholarships & Contests (for teachers and students)

The Horace Mann Scholarship Program for Educators is offering scholarships for educators in public and private schools to take college courses.
Maximum award: $5,000.
Eligibility: Educators must be employed by a U.S. public or private school district or U.S. public or private college/university at the time of application and at the time the scholarship is awarded, and must have at least two years of teaching experience; not open to residents of Hawaii, New Jersey, or New York.
Deadline: March 12, 2009.
https://www.horacemann.com/resources/scholarships/default.aspx

The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards.
Maximum award: $25,000.
Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school.
Deadline: April 30, 2009.
Click here to go to the website.

Do Something Plum Youth Grants are available to young people who submit creative proposals to further the growth and success of their existing community action project.
Maximum Award: $500.
Eligibility: Applicant must be 25 or younger at the time of application.
Deadline: weekly.
http://www.dosomething.org/plum_youth_grant_application

The NetAid Global Citizen Corps is a national network of high school students working to educate and mobilize their peers in efforts to end global poverty and address global challenges like HIV/AIDS, hunger, and access to education. Places are still available for this year's online program.
Maximum Award: n/a.
Eligibility: students attending high school in the 2006-2007 school year.
Deadline: rolling.
http://www.netaid.org/global_citizen_corps/

Scholarships for NYC Students
This scholarship guide was compiled using a variety of online searches and clearinghouses.In this guide you will find scholarships that are awarded based on: academic achievement; learning and physical disabilities; non-citizen and international status; gay and transgender concerns; and interests in community service, journalism, performance, the arts, science, writing, and much more.
http://www.newvisions.org/teaching_learning/downloads/scholarshipguide06.pdf

The National Association for Gifted Children has announced the NAGC-Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award Program for students who have distinguished themselves in academic achievement, leadership, or the visual or performing arts.
Eligibility: one student in every state from the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth grade.
Deadline: Various.
http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=558

Fund for Teachers is a unique foundation whose mission is to enrich the lives of schoolteachers and students by providing recognition and opportunities for renewal to outstanding teachers. Making a difference one teacher at a time, Fund for Teachers awards grants directly to teachers to support professional development opportunities of their own design. The number of awards will be limited only by the merit of the applications and by the funding available. There is no minimum or maximum award number per year. Teachers may request funding for activities up to $5,000 per individual and up to $7,500 per team project.
http://www.fundforteachers.org/

A List of 17 Unusual Scholarships
Lesser known endowment funds are available to golf caddies and pagans, speakers of Klingon and ghost hunters, twins and plain old average students. Would-be college kids with extremely specific skills, talents or qualifications can find scholar dollars for their quirky, odd and specialized talents in the article below.
Deadline: varies with scholarship. http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/college/finances/20041122a1.asp

USA TODAY seeks 20 teachers, both individuals and instructional teams, to honor as representatives of all outstanding teachers. Teachers from urban, rural, and suburban schools, teachers of special education and gifted students, teachers of core subjects and electives, and teachers who travel to more than one school throughout the year have been named to the team.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2003-10-15-2004-teacher-team_x.htm

The Association for Career and Technical Education awards program seeks to promote excellence in career and technical education by recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field, programs that exemplify the highest standards and organizations that have conducted activities to promote and expand career and technical education programs.
http://www.acteonline.org/about/awards/index.cfm