The program seeks to inspire theteaching of environmental and cultural stewardship through cross-curricularapproaches. Participating teachers will be encouraged to develop creativeteaching strategies for all subject areas using their experiences in Costa Rica. While visiting Costa Rica, participants will interactand learn from native peoples. Educators will observe classes and interact withCosta Rican students and educators. Participants will also exploreenvironmental projects, speak with experts and community advocates, and takepart in group learning activities aimed at encouraging an internationally andenvironmentally-oriented interdisciplinary curriculum.

The YSA Youth Venture Program is now accepting applicationsfrom young people nationwide who are interested in starting their own sustainablesocial ventures. Ventures must be youth-ledand designed to be a lasting, sustainable asset to the community. YSA YouthVenture teams are required to plan a Global Youth Service Day project everyyear that their venture is operational. The YSA Youth Venture Program providesa variety of resources including: a national network of like-minded youngpeople, media opportunities, technical support, helpful toolkits and workshopsas well as seed money funding of up to $1,000 for start-up expenses.

NAIS’s Challenge 20/20 programprovides an opportunity for schools — public and private, elementary andsecondary — to develop globally based, experiential curricula and to buildeducational partnerships with schools around the world. Challenge 20/20 students form authentic bondswith students from across the globe. They learn first-hand about cross-culturalcommunication. Together, the teamstackle a real problem. Upper school students may have an opportunity to sharetheir experiences at the NAIS Institute for Student Leaders in 2008.

The Vernier/NSTA Technology Awards promote the innovativeuse of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, orother handheld in the science classroom. Each award will consist of $1,000 incash for the teacher, $1,000 in Vernier Products, and up to $1,000 towardexpenses to attend the 2007 NSTA National Convention.

Through a partnership with Microsoft Corporation, Hope forEducation will provide more than $2 million in technology and software to K-12schools in the U.S. that enter an essay competition describing how technologycan help improve students’ education. The program, in its fourth year, is ademonstration of the company’s unwavering commitment to making a positivedifference in the lives of children and youth in supporting education andtechnology in schools nationwide.

Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale grants program helps ensurethat low-income children receive nutritious food during critical times whenthey are out of school and particularly vulnerable to hunger. The Great American Bake Sale grants programwill support efforts to increase participation among low-income children insummer and after-school meal programs. Share Our Strength is specificallyinterested in increasing participation in meal programs that utilizeUSDA-reimbursement through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), NationalSchool Lunch Program (NSLP), or Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

The BR!CK Award celebrates young people making the world better. The BR!CK Award accepts applications fromcitizens and permanent residents of the UnitesStates and Canada. All BR!CK Award winnershave a chance to win $25,000, international recognition, and pro bono legalservices. The BR!CK Award celebratesyoung stars of social change.

The purpose of the program is to increase nationalunderstanding of the charter school model and to expand the number ofhigh-quality charter schools available to students across the nation byproviding financial assistance for the planning, program design, and
initial implementation of charter schools, and to evaluate the effects ofcharter schools, including their effects on students, student academicachievement, staff, and parents.

Students,recent graduates, and others who have educational debt are eligible to enterany published work, and the winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship to helppay off their student loans. The requirement that the entries bepublished, in print or on the web, is aimed at encouraging more public dialogueon this issue — for example, by encouraging students to examine and publiclyreport on the lending practices of their own schools. In addition toprint entries, audiovisual pieces also are eligible to win the prize.