02.07.07
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 3:32 pm by Meg
Sylvan Dell Publishing is proud to announce that they are accepting entries for their first Picture Book Writing Competition for Homeschooled Students.
The author of the winning picture book manuscript will receive a $200 prize and his or her manuscript will be considered for publication in 2009. Students who would like to submit manuscripts should follow the submission guidelines and contest rules posted on the Sylvan Dell website, www.SylvanDellPublishing.com.
Sylvan Dell owners, Lee and Donna German are former home schooling parents, and they are excited to offer this opportunity and to give back to our home schooling students across the country. “In fact, the idea to make our books educational came from watching our daughters learn in museums and Jr. Ranger programs,” Mr. German explains. “They were always so excited to get ‘handson’ experience that we decided to include a scientifically accurate learning activity section in each book.”
The three to five page educational section is called “For Creative Minds” and features fun facts, teaching trivia, games and even crafts related to the nature, math and science themes of each book. The section supports Sylvan Dell Publishing’s mission to create picture books that excite children’s imaginations, are artistically spectacular and have educational value. “We’re really looking for a manuscript that fits with our other picture books,” continues Mr. German. “The winning entry will be related to science or math and will fit into our 32 page format.”
“There isn’t a word limit,” Mrs. German adds, “but students should keep in mind that picture books are typically less than 1,000 age appropriate words—if their manuscript is written for children ages four to eight, the subject matter and vocabulary should fit. A good way to estimate your manuscript’s reading level is to use the ‘readability statistics’ tool in Microsoft Word.”
Questions about the competition should be directed to Home Schooling Market Liaison Maggie Stuart by calling (877) 9582600 or by emailing MaggieStuart@SylvanDellPublishing.com
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10.01.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 1:34 am by Meg
Entries will be accepted from October 2 through December 1.
“If you could create a new holiday, what would you name it and how would it be celebrated?”
OLIVE GARDEN SEEKS NEW HOLIDAY IDEAS FROM YOUNG WRITERS
11th-annual Pasta Tales essay contest begins Oct. 2
ORLANDO, Fla. – Olive Garden is asking students in first through 12th grade: “If you could create a new holiday, what would you name it and how would it be celebrated?” Answers could be worth a trip to New York and a $2,500 savings bond, as part of Olive Garden’s 11th-annual Pasta Tales writing contest.
“This year’s essay question is a lot of fun and it gives young writers the opportunity to demonstrate some inventive thinking,” said Steve Coe, spokesperson for Olive Garden. “Our goal with Pasta Tales is to spark imagination and provide a platform for individual personalities to shine through.”
From Oct. 2 through Dec. 1, Olive Garden will accept essays of 50 to 250 words from students in the U.S. and Canada. Entry forms and complete rules will be available beginning Oct. 2 at local Olive Garden restaurants or by logging on.
The grand prize is a trip to New York, dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square and a $2,500 savings bond. A winner also will be chosen in each grade category and will receive a $500 savings bond and dinner with their family at their local Olive Garden.
Entries must include the writer’s name, complete address, phone number with area code, grade, date of birth including year, and a statement that the work is their own. Entries must be submitted either online or postmarked by Dec. 1 and sent to Pasta Tales, PMB 2000, 6278 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33308-1916.
Submissions are judged based on creativity, adherence to theme, organization, grammar, punctuation and spelling by the Quill and Scroll Society of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Iowa with finalists selected by Olive Garden.
For more information about Pasta Tales, call (954) 776-1999 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.
List of 2006 Pasta Tales Grade-Category Winners
Please be sure to read the official rules of the contest.
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09.11.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like, Books at 11:10 am by Meg
Complete entry form
READ. BE INSPIRED. WRITE BACK.
Author Roald Dahl once said that writing a book was like taking a journey. You knew where you wanted to go but you didn’t always know who you might meet or what you might experience along the way. Reading a book is also a journey. Where has a book taken YOU?
Have you wandered with J. D. Salinger through lonely streets in New York City? Did you trek back in time with Stephen Crane to crouch on a Civil War battlefield and understand, perhaps for the first time, fear? Maybe you stopped in the woods on a snowy evening with Robert Frost. Maybe your favorite voyage was to a fantastic place that exists only between the pages of book at 451degrees Fahrenheit!
LAL welcomes entries from all readers travelers! How can you enter? Select a book that took you on a surprising or inspiring journey. It might be a recent journey or one you remember from your childhood. Then write a personal letter to the author, explaining how
his or her work somehow changed your view of the world or yourself.
Do not summarize the book’s plot. After all, the author wrote the book and already knows what happened. What the author doesn¹t know is how the book affected YOU. Write honestly and in your own voice, as if you were having a conversation with the author. Those are the best letters to read and the most fun to write! The how-to-enter tips on the next page will help you write and prepare your letter for submission.
There are three competition levels, each based on grade level, starting with 4th graders.
STATE AWARDS
Judges for each participating state center for the book will select the top letters on each competition level to receive recognition. First-place winners will receive a cash award and a $50 Target GiftCard. The first-place winners in each state will then advance for national judging.
NATIONAL AWARDS
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will select two letters on each competition level as National Winners. Target will send these six national winners and their (2) parents/guardians to Washington, DC, to attend the National Book Festival in Fall 2007 where they will read their letters during the Letters About Literature national awards presentation. Each national winner will also receive a $500 Target GiftCard.
DEADLINE
Submit your letters by December 8, 2006. State centers for the book will notify state winners in mid-March 2007 and national winners in mid-May 2007.
CONTACT
To receive via Email free teaching materials, including lesson plans,
blackline masters, assessment sheets and sample letters, contact the LAL national program director at: lettersaboutlit@epix.net
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07.17.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 7:49 pm by Meg
The Museum of Science and Industry is raffling off a free trip to Italy as part of their Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibit. Even the runner prizes sound great to me.
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07.06.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 1:35 am by Meg
I just found The Book Samaritan. I’ve never used it, but it seems like such a great idea that I thought I’d let others know.
The idea is that if you are in a situation where you can not afford to buy books and the like, you send them a letter laying out your situation and what you would really like to have. They then try to put together a package for you and send it free of charge to your door.
They are also looking for people who can donate books that they are finished with (or cash) to keep The Book Samaritan’s shelves stocked with books.
What a wonderful idea. Has anyone used it? I wonder if they are above board and would love to hear if anyone knows.
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06.20.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 10:34 pm by Meg
I was reading Andrea’s blog and went over to check out the interview that HEM did about Homeschool journal when I noticed this little special offer hidden down the page.
One year introductory subscription to Home Education Magazine: only $20.00! (reg $32.00) MC/Visa/Disc cards accepted. To order: email Orders@homeedmag.com or call toll-free 1-800-236-3278. Secure online form: http://www.homeedmag.com/ORD/_hemonline.html. Home Education Magazine, PO Box 1083, Tonasket WA 98855. Please mention this newsletter when contacting us for this Special Offer.
The newsletter that they mention is their online Guide to Homeschooling Resources.
I get this magazine and really enjoy reading it. It’s fairly balanced between the many flavors of homeschooling and full of legal news as well.
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06.01.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 9:58 pm by Meg
In case anyone is interested, Barnes and Nobel has a summer reading program for grades 1 to 6. Kids that participate get a coupon for a free book and a chance for an autographed copy of the last of the Series of Unfortunate Events books.
They can do it twice over the summer (2 free books, 2 chances). The only catch is while you can download the journal form over the internet, you have to go to the store to turn it in.
Here’s the link.
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05.31.06
Posted in Scholarships, Contests, Reading programs and the like at 2:43 pm by Meg
This came my way and I thought I’d post it in case anyone is interested.
SIEMENS COMPETITION
Math : Science : Technology
WIN UP TO $100,000 IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS!
Over $1,000,000 in scholarships and awards will be given to talented
math, science, and technology students in 2006 — you could be one
of them!
The Siemens Competition, administered in partnership with the
College Board, is looking for talented students like you to
compete in one of the most prestigious and generous scholarship
programs in the nation.
We know you are a bright, motivated student with a great future
ahead of you. We also know you have interests and talents in math
and science. That’s why we are inviting you to enter a research
project in the 2006-07 Siemens Competition.
You could win valuable college scholarships, ranging from $1,000
up to $100,000, by submitting your independent research project
in the fields of science, math, engineering, or technology.
This competition is open to high school seniors (as of the 2006-07
academic year) entering individual projects. Students in grades 9
through 12 may enter as part of a two or three person team. Students
must be citizens or permanent residents (holding a Green Card) of
the United States.
For complete research project instructions and more information
about the Siemens Competition, visit our website at:
http://www.collegeboard.com/siemens
Your project must be received by October 2, 2006, 5 p.m. Eastern
Time, so don’t delay — start your research right away!
Sincerely yours,
Janet DeCarlo
Manager
College Board/Siemens Competition
Copyright (C) 2006 The College Board. All rights reserved.
The College Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY, 10023-6992.
College Board, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks
of the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the
College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Other
products and services mentioned herein may be trademarks of their
respective owners. Visit the College Board online: http://www.collegeboard.com.
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