American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest

Contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12 who are U.S. citizens. Students must submit an essay on a given topic related to the Foreign Service.

Award: $2,500

Deadline: March 15, 2016

More info: http://www.afsa.org/essay-contest

DNA Day Essay Contest

Contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12. Applicant must submit an essay on a topic related to genetics.

Award: Up to $1,000

Deadline: March 11, 2016

More info: http://www.ashg.org/education/dnaday.shtml

Courageous Persuaders Video Competition

Contest is open to high school students in grades 9-12. Student must create a commercial targeted at middle school students to warn them about the dangers of underage drinking.

Award: Up to $2,000

Deadline: Feb. 11, 2016

More info: http://www.courageouspersuaders.com/contest.htm

National Ag Day Essay Contest

Contest is open to students in grades 9 through 12 in the 2015-2016 school year. Applicant can submit an essay and/or video on the given topic related to agriculture.

Amount: $1,000 

Deadline: Jan. 29, 2016

More info: http://www.agday.org/media/pr5.php

National Sojourners Essay Contest

Applicant must be students in 9th through 12th grade. Applicant must submit an essay on a topic related to historical documents.

Award: Up to $2,000

Deadline: Jan. 15, 2016

More info: http://www.nationalsojourners.org/americanism-programs.php?sid=18

Gulen Institute Youth Platform Essay Contest

This contest is for high school students who are currently enrolled in 9th through 12th grade at a public or private school in the United States and from around the world. See website for updates and complete details.

Award: $100-$2000

Deadline: Dec. 15, 2015

More info: http://gulenyouthplatform.org

Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program

This scholarship program is an audio-essay contest. To qualify, applicants must be high school students in grades nine through twelve and be enrolled in a public, private, or parochial high school or home study program in the United States or its territories. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must submit an essay and a recording on the following topic: "Why Veterans are Important to our Nation's History and Future." Winners will be determined based on originality, content, and delivery.

Award: $1,000 - $30,000

Deadline: Nov. 1, 2015

More info: https://www.vfw.org/VOD/

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship

Scholarship is open to students in grades 9-12, college, or graduate school students who are legal U.S. residents. Applicant must submit an essay answering why they deserve the scholarship or their academic or career goals.

Award: $1000

Deadline: July 31, 2015

More info: http://www.genkellyscholarship.com/

Young American Creative Patriotic Art Scholarship

These scholarships are for high school students in grades 9 through 12. To qualify for these scholarships, applicants must create a piece of original patriotic artwork on paper or canvas; digital work is not accepted. Applicants must be sponsored by a VFW Ladies Auxiliary or a foreign-based Auxiliary or Post and must be attending school in the same state as the sponsoring organization. Home-schooled students are eligible for these awards; foreign exchange students are not. Art will be judged on originality of concept, presentation, and patriotism expressed; the content of how it relates to patriotism and clarity of ideas; the design technique; total impact of work; and uniqueness.

Award: $500-$10000

Deadline: March 31, 2014

More info: https://www.ladiesauxvfw.org/programs-page/scholarships/

Siemens "We Can Change the World" High School Challenge

This challenge is for high school students in grades 9-12. To enter, students must identify an environmental issue that has global impact and provide a viable, replicable solution. As a team, students must select an environmental topic relating to energy, biodiversity, land management, water conservation and clean-up, or air and climate. Teams must be made up of two, three, or four students (with one designated student Team Lead) under the guidance of a Team Advisor/Mentor who must be a full- or part-time school employee at a school attended by at least one of the student team members. Prizes for top winners include scholarship money, green prize packs, and school grants.

Award: $10,000 - $50,000 

Deadline: March 4, 2014 

More info:  http://www.wecanchange.com/high-school

 

VFW Patriotic Audio Essay Competition - $30,000

WHO CAN ENTER: The Voice of Democracy Program is open to students in grades 9-12 (on the Nov. 1 deadline), who are enrolled in a public, private or parochial high school or home study program in the United States and its territories.  

HOW TO ENTER: The deadline for submissions for the 2013-2014 program is November 1, 2013.

AWARD: Up to $30,000 scholarship and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C.

The theme for 2013-2014 is: “Why I'm Optimistic About our Nation’s Future”

Students should record their reading of the draft to a CD. The recording can be no shorter than 3 minutes and no longer than 5 minutes (plus or minus 5 seconds).

Entries begin at the Post level. Once the student creates their essay and completes burning the audio version to a CD, they can submit their typed version, CD and the Voice of Democracy entry form to their local participating VFW(Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post by the November 1 deadline.

More info: http://www.vfw.org/Community/Voice-of-Democracy/