Grants, Awards & Freebies

C-SPAN’s StudentCam2020 is an annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think seriously about issues that affect our communities and our nation. Students in grades 6–12 are asked to create a five-to-seven minute video documentary on a topic related to the 2020 competition theme: “What’s Your Vision in 2020?” Explore the issue you most want presidential candidates to address during the campaign. Cash and prizes totaling $100,000 will be awarded to recognize 150 student documentaries and 50 teacher advisers. Eligibility: individuals or teams of two to three students in grades 6–8 and grades 9–12.

DEADLINE: Jan. 20; winners will be announced March 11.
CONTACT: StudentCam.

The SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment Environmental Excellence Awards recognize the outstanding efforts of students, teachers and community leaders across the country who are working at the grassroots level to protect and preserve the environment. To apply, submit a video nomination of five minutes or less using YouTube. Include the link and a one-to-two page, double-spaced program description of your outstanding environmental project. Award: $10,000 and an expenses-paid trip to attend the National Science Teaching Association’s National Conference.

DEADLINE: Dec. 18.
CONTACT: awards@nsta.org; National Science Teaching Association.

Evergreen Packaging and KidsGardening.org are accepting entries for the annual Carton 2 Garden Contest. The contest awards $1,000 to $5,000 prizes to K–12 schools for garden creations featuring creative and sustainable uses for repurposed milk and juice cartons. Schools must collect and use at least 100 cartons for their creations. Schools with the most unique carton creations will be selected as winners. Your school does not need a garden to participate.

DEADLINE: Entries due April 1; winners announced April 30.
CONTACT: Carton 2 Garden

The L.I.F.T. Foundation is accepting applications for its minigrants program, which seeks to support educators in underserved and often underpaid communities with the purchase of classroom supplies and books. Grants range from $100 to $500. Eligibility: K–12 educators.

DEADLINE: Applications accepted throughout the academic year.
CONTACT: rsklift@gmail.com; L.I.F.T. Teacher Grants.

Educators are invited to an introduction of The Constitution Works program. TCW curriculum provides age-appropriate (grades 5–12) case materials, aligned with new DOE learning standards, developed around each of the three branches of government. Students are introduced to constitutional issues as they take on a role of attorney or Supreme Court justice in a First Amendment Supreme Court case, or as a senator applying the 14th Amendment to debate a bill in a Senate hearing. Students will study landmark Supreme Court cases and learn to apply the rules and laws established by the precedent cases to hypothetical fact patterns provided. In the culminating “role play” activity, at the U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Court in downtown Brooklyn, students will apply what they have learned in front of their teachers, family and friends. The professional development session will be held during the fall and spring semesters of this school year. A $765 fee includes professional development training, one class set of textbooks, one teacher’s manual and one role play at the bankruptcy court.

CONTACT: The Justice Resource Center at 212-580-5905; theconstitutionworks1989@gmail.com or the Justice Resource Center

The American Chemical Society is seeking applications for the ACS-Hach Professional Development Grant program, which helps high school chemistry teachers identify and pursue professional development opportunities as well as enhance their teaching of chemistry. Funds: Grants up to $1,500. Eligibility: High school chemistry educators teaching in U.S. or U.S. territory schools. Funding may be used for conference or workshop registration fees; travel expenses; tuition and educational expenses for new and upcoming courses; books and online instructional resources and substitute teacher pay.

DEADLINE: Jan. 4.
CONTACT: hach@acs.org; American Chemical Society.

The Captain Planet Foundation is soliciting applications for the ecoTech Grants program. The program seeks to engage children in inquiry-based, STEM-related projects that leverage technology and/or use nature-based designs to address environmental problems in local communities. Pre-K–12 schools can apply for grants up to $2,500. Examples of previously funded projects include: the integration of robotics and sensors to explore water bodies, collect data and organize cleanups; the development of aquaponic and hydroponic systems using Arduino and remote sensing; renewable energy design challenges; biotechnology research; and nature-based design applications.

DEADLINE: Applications accepted from Sept. 15 through Jan. 15.
CONTACT: Captain Planet Foundation.

Rakuten OverDrive announced that library patrons and students of participating public libraries and schools can borrow and read digital versions of Pokémon Adventures and Pokémon movie adaptations of manga titles published in English by VIZ Media. Public library patrons can access the titles via the Libby app or access them on a computer browser. Students of participating schools can use Sora, the student reading app, or obtain access via a computer browser.

CONTACT: OverDrive.

The Earthwatch Institute’s Teach Earth Fellowship program offers teachers the opportunity to step out of the classroom for an outdoor environmental learning experience. Fellows will embark on a fully funded seven- to 14-day science learning and professional development experience in natural landscapes on an Earthwatch Expedition. Eligibility: K–12 teachers. Fellows will also participate in five workshops led by an experienced senior fellow on transitioning the field experience to the classroom and will become part of the Teach Earth Alumni Network.

DEADLINE: 2020 deadline TBA; check the website and sign up to be notified when the application goes live.
CONTACT: info@earthwatch.org; Earthwatch.

The National Council of Teachers of English is requesting nominations for the NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator in the English Language Arts Award. The award seeks to recognize a distinguished national or international educator who has made major contributions to the field of language arts in elementary education. Award recipient is presented a plaque at the Elementary Section Get-Together during the NCTE Annual Convention. Nominees must have dramatically influenced literacy classroom practice, made ongoing contributions to the field of literacy, obtained national and/or international influence in literacy teaching and learning, and contributed a body of work that is compatible with the mission of NCTE.

DEADLINE: Dec. 15.
CONTACT: NCTE.

The Broadway League on Broadway Bridges, in partnership with the UFT, is offering $10 tickets to Broadway shows to high school students in the 10th grade and their chaperones. Our shared goal is to provide the opportunity for every New York City public high school student to see a Broadway before graduation.

Participating shows for fall 2019 include Aladdin, Beetlejuice, Come From Away, Frozen, Oklahoma!, The Phantom of the Opera, The Great Society, The Lion King, Tootsie, Wicked, and more.

Tickets are on sale now. Register online on the Broadway Bridges website for performances from Sept. 25 through Dec.13. Ticket requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Send an email to Robin Aronson at bridges@broadway.org if you have questions about the program.