Victorious Foundation: 2013 International Youth Essay Contest

The Victorious Foundation, sponsored by The Starlight Foundation, is giving away cash prizes to talented and creative writers.

Essays should be no more than 750 words in length and double-spaced, with a 12 pt. font.

Topics will be regarding social networking sites:

1. Choose the social networking site you believe has been the most successful. What features have contributed to its success? Explain its personal relevance to you. Have you chosen to use it? If so, what do you use it for? What type of friends, followers, etc. do you have? If not, why?
2. Are social networking sites good for society? In what ways have they positively or negatively impacted society in this day and age?
3. What role have social networking sites played in the spread of controversial issues and/or social cause? Have they been successfully utilized to promote these issues and cause? If so, why? If not, explain why they have been unsuccessful. Cite specific examples as evidence.

Cash prizes will be given on a first, second, and third place basis with 10 entires recieving an honorable mention. The winning essays will be choosen based on orginality and creativity.

The contest is spilt into two different categories: Junior and Senior.

Junior Category (ages 11-14):

• 1st place recieves $250
• 2nd place recieves $150
• 3rd place recieves $100
• 10 Honorable Mentions

Senior Category (ages 15-18):

• 1st place recieves $500
• 2nd place recieves $300
• 3rd place recieves $200
• 10 Honorable Mentions

The deadline for all submissions is March 31 and essays can be emailed to victoriousfoundationnet@gmail.com

Duluth Fine Arts League Scholarship

The Duluth Fine Arts League Scholarship is offering scholarship awards to high school seniors who plan on majoring in music, visual, or performing arts while in college.

The three scholarships available will be $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000.

The rules are as follows:

• You must be available on Sunday, April 28 from 2PM to 5PM for an interview and audition.
• You must be accepted into a two or four year college by April 28.
• You must be a student at Duluth High School or live in Duluth with a zip code of 30096 or 30097.
• You must be planning to major in music (instrumental, brass, woodwinds, piano, percussion, strings, or vocal) or fine art (art, photography, or graphic art) or performing art (theater or dance).

The deadline is March 30 at 6PM and you can apply online at www.artsduluth.org

2014 Annual Scholarship Program

• 1st place: $3,000
• 2nd place: $2,000
• 3rd place: $1,000

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 6pm - 9pm
Red Clay Theater
3116 Main St.
Duluth, GA 30096

Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall College recently announced a new financial aid initiative that may have an impact on your work and the students you recimmend to us.

In an effort to help families manage the challenge of college affordability and the student loan debt, F&M has launched the Student Loan RElief Program. Through this effort, we are capping federal loans packaged for qualifying students at a total of $10,000 for their four years of studying.

We know that now more than ever, the students you advise are facing the perception that a high-quality education is not affordable. National data shows that this is particularly true for the students in the "middle brackets," whose representation on selective private college campuses declining.

Our new Loan relief program benefits students who recieve institutional grants of $1 to $30,000 to help ensure that the high-achieving studentsfrom the middle-income bracket don't miss out on enrolling at F&M became a financial concerns. I have enclosed a short documentexplaining how the program works, along with a handy outline of F&M's approach to academic excellence, commitment to students' postgraduate success, and supportive intellectual and social communities.

An education is the most important investment a family can make. At F&M, we are committed to launching our students on trajectories of success. Limiting the level of debt they carry in their early years after college is a vital part of that commitment.

Kids' Chance of Georgia, Inc.

Kids' Chance of Georgia, Inc. provides academic scholarships to the children of Georgia workers who have been either fatally or catastrophically injured in work-related accidents.

Applicants must be between the ages of 16 to 25 and have had a parent that was injured while on the job, thus causing a decline in family income. Each applicant must meet the approval of the academic selection committe.

Application are due by March 15, 2013 and can accessed at www.kidschancega.org .

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation is an electric cooperative that serves 10 counties in North Georgia and offers three scholarship awards that assist local students in reaching their goals. Recipients are awarded scholarships based on academic ability, extra-curricular activities, involvement in the community, personal sketch, and faculty recommendations.

In order to be eligible, applicants must be:

• High school seniors who plan to or have already been accepted into a college
• Part-time or full-time students
• Recipients must be a customer of Jackson EMC or the son/daughter of a customer and be a resident of the home served by Jackson EMC

The three scholarships offered are:

• $1,000 A.T. Sharpton Unrestricted Scholarship Award, which is funded through the Gainesville State College Foundation and is payable to students that are enrolled in any two-or-four-year college, university, or technical college in the nation. If awarded, students must use scholarship funds during the first year awarded.
• $1,000 A.T. Sharpton-Gainesville State Restricted College Award, also funded through Gainesville State College is available exclusively to students who plan to attend Gainesville State College.
• The Walter Harrison Scholarship awards $1,000 to undergarduate students enrolled or accepted by a Georgia college, university, or technical college. Recipients for this award are accepted on the basis of financial need, academic ability, personal sketch, and letters of recommendation. Students must commence using the award within one year of insurance and be utilized within two years of the date of insurance.

All three scholarships require that recipients use all of the funds before the end of the second year, otherwise funds will revert to the Trust. If the required criteria is met, students may apply for one of the A.T. Sharpton Scholarships and the Walter Harrison Scholarship.

The deadline for turning in completed applications is January 24th. Applications must be received at Jackson EMC NLT 5 p.m. in order to be considered. The address is on the application, website and below. Applications received after that time will not be considered.

Visit www.jacksonemc.com/scholarships or www.ngcf.org to apply.

Quest Bridge College Prep Scholarship

The Quest Bridge College Prep Scholarship is offered to high school juniors, who despite financial issues, have shown outstanding academic ability. More than 2,000 students will be selected as College Prep Scholars and applications are open to all high school juniors who plan to apply to college the following school year.

The application requires:

• Information on an applicant's financial background and academic achievements
• One letter of recommendation
• A transcript
• An essay, along with short answer responses

When reviewing applications, Quest Bridge also pays close attention to an applicant's GPA, course rigor, writing ability, standarized test scores, and financial need.

Applying to Quest Bridge, also makes a student eligible for:

• Full scholarships to college summer programs
• College admissions conference invitations
• Individual college admissions counseling
• All-expense-paid college visits
• Telementoring with college students

It's free to apply and the applictaion can be accessed at www.questbridge.org . Deadline is March 26, 2014.

Watch a video to learn more about the College Prep Scholarship. www.questbridge.org/videos

The Brian Jordan Foundation Scholarship

The Brian Jordan Foundation Scholarship awards up to $1,250 for four years of college tuition, to students who are struggling financially.

Criteria for those who wish to apply are:

• A high school senior, accepted to an accredited, four year college or university
• Spent at least two years involved in school music, arts, or athletic programs
• Maintained an overall GPA of 2.7 throughout high school
• An essay explaining why you should be the recipient of the Brian Jordan Foundation Scholarship (minimum of 250 words)
• Three letters of recommendation, from non-relatives
• Financial information for need determination

The Brian Jordan Foundation Scholarship also takes into consideration an applicant's activities outside of the classroom, such as:

• Membership to academic clubs
• Band, sports, etc.
• Jobs/work experience
• Membership to social/religious organizations
• Demonstarting leadership skills in and out of the classroom 

Recipients of this award must maintain a GPA of 2.7 every year, by August 31 of that year. Failure to do so will result in the suspension of scholarship funds for that year. The deadline is May 2, 2014.

For more information and to access the application visit www.brianjordanfoundation.com