Grants, Awards & Freebies
Grants, awards & freebies - March 13, 2008
Mar 13, 2008 1:15 PM
Teaching Ambassador Fellowship: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship empowers teacher leaders from the nation’s public schools to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue about public education and provide them with an opportunity to learn more about education policy. Teachers will collaborate with colleagues in schools as well as others in the education community at the district, state and federal levels to explore the most effective strategies and policies for educational improvement. Fifty fellowships will be awarded during the 2008–2009 school year. DEADLINE: April 7. CONTACT: For program overview, visit the Web site at: www.ed.gov; e-mail: teacherfellowship@ed.gov; Program Contact: Jocelyn Pickford at 1-202-708-5772; Application Contact: Desi Avila at 1-202-205-4288.
Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year Awards: The National Council for the Social Studies presents these awards to recognize exceptional classroom social studies teachers for grades K–6, 5–8 and 7–12 who teach social studies regularly and systematically in elementary school settings and at least half-time in middle or junior and high school settings. Awards of up to $2,500 are available. Anyone may nominate; self-nominations will be accepted. DEADLINE: April 1. CONTACT: www.socialstudies.org/awards/teaching/; e-mail: excellence@ncss.org.
Science fair contest seeks teacher input: Scholastic is asking educators: “How do you get your students to do their very best at the science fair?” Teachers are invited to write a one-page essay telling Scholastic how they prepare students for science fair success and then tell the publisher what books they use to help. Twenty-five teachers will win an instant Classroom Science Center — which consists of every book, game, learning kit and software item in Scholastic’s Super Science and Sensational Math catalog, plus a copy of Amelia Bedelia’s “Rocket Scientist?” for every student in the class. DEADLINE: March 30. CONTACT: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/contests/index.htm.
School Video Contest: This is something teachers can do with their students. The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and Quantum Shift TV have joined up to launch a competition called “Be the Change, Share the Story! School Video Contest.” The contest challenges teams of students to pick a social or environmental project and create two short videos. One video will explain how the team plans to make a difference in improving the environment, while the other video shows the team in action, making a difference. There are three different contest groups: grades 1–6, grades 7–9 and grades 10–12. Students, viewers and celebrity judges will be able to log on to the Web site and vote for their favorite video. A group of students with a “Team Leader” can apply. The Team Leader must be a K–12 teacher or administrator. Grand Prize is $50,000 in cash and prizes for your school. DEADLINE: April 30: CONTACT: www.quantumshift.tv/schools/.
Reach for the stars: The Christa McAuliffe Award, sponsored by the National Council for the Social Studies and the Fund for the Advancement of Social Studies Education, is helping teachers “reach for the stars” in memory of Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to participate in space flight. The $2,500 grant is to support student development and implementation of imaginative, innovative social studies teaching, citizenship projects, field experiences and community connections. Applicants must be NCSS members and K-12 social studies teachers whose programs can serve as models. DEADLINE: May 1. CONTACT: Web site: www.socialstudies.org/awards/grants/mcauliffe/; e-mail: excellence@ncss.org; phone: 1-301-588-1800 ext. 106.
Scholarship for teachers of gifted children: The National Association for Gifted Children annually awards the Harry Passow Classroom Teacher Scholarship to teachers who have shown the ability to meet the needs of gifted students and a commitment to furthering the development of their teaching skills. The scholarship is designed to reimburse or defray the costs of continuing education for up to two eligible teachers currently teaching gifted students in a variety of educational settings ranging from a homogeneous or full-day special class to a heterogeneous classroom. The award is for up to $2,000. Eligibility: K-12 teachers who have been members of NAGC for at least one year can apply. DEADLINE: April 7. CONTACT: www.nagc.org.
Free K–12 resources for art and history: Picturing America introduces students to America’s art treasures and promotes American history in schools and public libraries. The initiative invites K–12 schools, home schools consortia and public libraries to apply for a set of 20 laminated posters and a teacher’s resource book that include pictures of “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” and “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” DEADLINE: April 15. CONTACT: http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/.
School in-service training grants: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership and professional development to help teachers ensure equitable mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. The council is accepting applications for in-service training grants to elementary, middle and high schools for in-service math education. Awards are for $4,000 that may be used for honoraria and expenses for consultants, materials, substitute time and conference or workshop registration. Schools with a current (as of April 30, 2008) NCTM K–8 school membership are eligible to apply. DEADLINE: May 9. CONTACT: www.nctm.org. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191; phone: 1-703-620-9840.
History grants: The History Channel offers grants of up to $10,000 for Save Our History projects about community preservation in which school groups and historical organizations collaborate. Eligibility: elementary, middle, and high school teachers who teach American, state or local history in a social studies or history class in a public, private or home school located within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. DEADLINE: June 6. CONTACT: e-mail: info@saveourhistory.com; Web address: www.saveourhistory.com.
All-USA teacher team: USA Today wants 20 excellent teachers, or teams of up to four teachers, to participate in a collaboration that plans, teaches and evaluates the same group of students. Full-time, certified K-12 teachers with at least four years of experience must be nominated by colleagues, students (present and former), parents, staff members or administrators. No self-nominations. Winners’ schools receive $2,500 for instruction, $500 for each teacher with the remainder to be used in the school as the teacher(s) designates. Winners will be featured in October in USA Today. DEADLINE: April 1. CONTACT: Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope specifying the All-USA Teacher Team to: Carol Skalski, USA Today, 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22108-9995; 1-703-854-5890; e-mail: allstars@usatoday.com; Web site: www.usatoday.com/news/ education/2005-09-23-teacher-about_x.htm.
Summer seminar to study the Holocaust: Secondary school educators who teach about the Holocaust will have the opportunity to apply for a three-week seminar this summer on the Holocaust and Jewish Resistance. The program will be held July 6–21 and is co-sponsored by the AFT. Participants pay $2,300 which covers round-trip airfare from New York City, trips to historic sites in Poland and Israel, hotels (double occupancy) and two meals a day. Presenters will include prominent scholars from Poland’s Jewish Historical Institute, Israel’s Yad Vashem Center and the Study Center of Ghetto Fighters’ House. DEADLINE: April 1. CONTACT: Holocaust Study Summer Seminar, Jewish Labor Committee, 25 East 21 St., New York, NY 10010; phone: 1-212-477-0707; Web site: www.jewishlabor.org or www.ushmm.org.
