President Obama recently announced his support for same-sex marriage and while this issue is regularly discussed at a university level, at the high school and elementary school levels, it’s an issue that is handled with kid gloves. I do understand this to an extent. Kids can be cruel. No, strike that, kids are cruel. They spit out insults with little or no understanding or appreciation for the consequences they could face. Thousands of young teens are terrified to come out to their friends and families because society has slapped the label of freak across homosexuals. I discuss this particular issue regularly, as I’m both an atheist and proud supporter of same-sex marriage. I actively participate in the pride parades, and advocate for equal rights for all, it just isn’t a complicated moral issue for me. I don’t believe in sin, and I don’t believe in intolerance.

But what of those classrooms across Canada and the USA that proselytize  about the teachings in the bible, promote Creationism and  undermine the importance of diversity? It’s a fair question and I am certainly not the first person who has asked the question. I’m a thirty year old woman, and in the not so distant future, I would like to start a family. But I have these fears about my child growing up in a society that is dictated by the words of a fictional book, written thousands of years ago. I want my children to be able to stand up in a classroom setting, and discuss these sorts of issues in a safe setting, without the fear of being punished or discriminated against, not by their fellow students, but by their teachers. Many parents wonder whether or not the classroom is an appropriate place to bring up issues like same-sex marriage, or human rights, and my answer has always been an enthusiastic yes!

Why do you think there are bullies roving around our elementary and secondary schools? What do you think creates bullies? Intolerance in the home for one. If you are not having those pertinent discussions at home about difference and diversity, acceptance and tolerance, than as a parent, you are contributing to a potential problem. Many parents at home lack the tools needed to conduct these discussions, so why not encourage your child in a safe setting, a setting supervised by a qualified adult, to discuss issues that we all face on a day to day basis? Education sets you free, and ignorance keeps you in chains. If you want your child to be successful later on in life, than encourage your child to ask the questions.

If you are interested in studying at a business school or would like to pursue business careers then you should also consider applying for a business scholarship. Scholarships are designed to help needy students attend college so that they can better their career and therefore their lifetime opportunities. Many business scholarships only require that you have a suitable school grade, the intention to study at a business school and of course, are in need of a business scholarship. Here are a few business scholarships you should consider applying for.

Anna B Spangler Memorial Scholarship – This scholarship offers 2 scholarships of $500 to two (2) female business students with a high GPA. You should have good test scores and plan on studying for a high level business degree before applying for this degree.

AACE International Competitive Scholarships – AACE International offers 2 academic scholarships to students studying engineering management, construction management or a related field. Application deadline is April 15 of the year you wish to receive the scholarship. Scholarship award amount ranges between $2,000 and $8,000 annually.

¡Adelante! Fund – MillerCoors Brewing Company Scholarship – This scholarship is for Latino students who are interested in studying for a business degree. The Scholarship offers money to legal U.S. residents and the amount given is $1,000 to $3,000 annually. You must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be attending a business school.

Mabel Snoeyenbos Scholarship – This scholarship offers up to $500 annually to students attending a business school program. This scholarship is offered to one student per year.

CWIT Scholarships – If you are a full time resident of South Carolina then you can apply for one of two $1,500 scholarships offered to international trade students. You should write a 2 page report/essay on the importance of international trade and explain what your goals are working for the business environment and why you deserve the scholarship. Deadline is April 28 of the year you wish to attend college.

COAG Scholarship – This scholarship is limited to Georgia student who will be graduating from high school (or GED equivalent) in the same year as receiving the scholarship. You should present a 1000 word essay based on a theme that changes yearly and include a copy of your letter of acceptance to a business school. You should also include a copy of your letter of application to prove your application to an acceptable degree.

Dr. Alma Adams Scholarship – Deadline for applications for this business scholarship is April 40 of the year you wish to receive college funds. The award is up to $10,000 divided between two applicants. You must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, have a documented need of financial aid and be involved in community service such as volunteering or counseling.

Dacotah Bank Scholarship – The Dacotah Bank Business Scholarship offers two $500 scholarships to students attending the Valley City State University.  Awards are given to one male and one female and one new student and one classman per year.

Surety Industry Scholarship Program for Minority Students – This is a $2,500 scholarship that is given to minority business students who show excellence in the academic field.  You should have a declared risk management statement as well as a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4 point scale. You should also have completed at least 30 hours of your semester including a minimum of 6 hours towards your chosen current major. You must have financial need in order to qualify for this business scholarship.

Ford Motor Company Tribal Scholarship – The Ford Motor Company Tribal Business Scholarship offers $5,000 annually to an exceptional student studying for a business degree.  This degree is for Alaskan Natives, American Indian or Tribal Natives with proof of descendancy. You should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have achieved sophomore status.

If you are considering studying for your medical assistant training then you should also consider finding a medical assistant scholarship. Typically, studying for a medical assistant degree will take between one and two years. Depending upon where you study you can expect to pay between $10,000 and $20,000 per year for this study. Unless you are rich or are guaranteed to get a high paying job after graduation, the fees can be a little expensive.

Medical assisting is a needy job. That means there are not enough people working in the career to fill the posts open. Because of this, there are a wide variety of medical assistant scholarships that you can apply for to get free cash to help you get your medical assistant certification.

American Medical Technologist Scholarship

The American Medical Technologist offers a scholarship of up to $500 to students studying to be a medical assistant. The scholarship is given to 5 students annually and is given to the most needy students. If you are short on cash and could use the extra $500, you should try applying. The only requirements are that you have been accepted to study as a medical assistant, are financially needy and a legal resident of the U.S.  Scholarship awards are sent directly to your school to pay for your tuition.

Maxine Williams Scholarship

The Maxine Williams Medical Assistant Scholarship offers a $1,000 scholarship as well as a one year membership in the American Association of Medical Assistants to one academically qualified and financially needy student. The scholarship requires that you maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the duration of your scholarship. You should apply to this scholarship through your school rather than through the website. Simply fill out the application and turn it in to your program director.

Specialized Medical Assistant Scholarship

The most common medical assistant scholarship that you can earn is a grant directly from your school. Financially needy students with a GPA of 2.0 or higher can expect to earn $200-$2,000 in scholarship money directly from their program.

JCAHPO Scholarship

The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology Medical Assistant Scholarship offers $500 to students who are attending a ophthalmology assistant program. Not all schools are participating with the commission so you might want to check with your director before applying. The scholarship requires you to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The grant also offers $100 vouchers to qualified students who are not eligible for scholarship. The voucher is intended to pay for the cost of the Medical Assistant Certification Examination.

ADEA Scholarship

The ADEA Dental Assistant Scholarship offers up to $2,000 to qualified and financially needy students. You must be enrolled in a 4 year program in order to qualify and you should have already completed your certification or associates degree.

Criminal justice is an important part of society. Criminal justice covers everything from being a cop, a forensic examiner, criminal psychologist or several other job positions. Salaries can range anywhere from $20,000-120,000 which makes criminal justice a very broad job choice with a lot of options for everyone. Criminal justice is also a career that will give you the satisfaction and pride that you are doing something to help others. Unfortunately; studying for criminal justice careers can actually be expensive and if you can’t afford it; you can’t help anyone.

If you are interested in studying for a criminal justice career, this student aid information should help you out. Criminal justice is unfortunately a necessary job which is why there are a lot of criminal justice scholarships that are designed to help you study and get you into your career.  If you qualify, there are scholarships and grants that will help pay or even completely pay for your criminal justice tuition.

Education-Portal.com Undergraduate Award

This is an undergraduate award of $500 per student. You must be a legal resident of the U.S. and must have been accepted to study for a criminal justice career. Awards are given based on academic history and extra-curricular activities. Application deadline is April first of the year you wish to receive the scholarship.

Education Portal also offers a $500 scholarship for students who are pursuing a criminal justice career through distance learning. To qualify you must have enrolled in and been accepted at an accredited distance learning school. Deadline is April 1’st.

Straightforward Media Law Enforcement Scholarship

StraightForward Media offers a $500 scholarship every three months to students pursuing a Criminal Justice Career. Application is rolling and requires that students be legal residents of the U.S.A. and be studying for a criminal justice career.

Department of Homeland Security Undergraduate Scholarship

The Department of Homeland Security offers $1,000 per month for nine months to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in Homeland Security. The criminal justice scholarship also offers up to $5,000 towards an internship for the student. This is a competitive scholarship and the competition is announced in the fall of each year. You should participate in the year before you wish to attend college.

Captain James J. Regan Memorial Scholarship

The deadline to apply for this scholarship is March 31’st. The scholarship offers two $500 awards to students who are either graduating with the intent of studying for a criminal justice degree or who are already enrolled in a program. The scholarship is merit based meaning that students are chosen on their academic record rather than by need basis.

ACJS Scholarships

The Academy of Criminal Justice offers scholarships and need based aid to its students who are studying criminal justice programs. You should apply in the fall of the year before you wish to receive aid. Aid is need based and can vary per student.

NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund

This grant is a writing scholarship for children in grades 12 and below. Each student should write an essay and submit it to the NRA website. (Essay subject changes per year and is posted on the website.) The winners will receive a $1,000 savings bond for the purpose of attending college after they graduate. Multiple awards are given including second and third cash prizes.

There are many other scholarships you can use for your criminal justice career. For example, Federal Grants support Criminal Justice students with extra cash, there are grants available for high need students (such as Criminal Justice or Nursing students) and even grants that are available to everyone such as the Federal Pell grant.

Attending college can be one of the most expensive things that you ever do (next to buying a house). Most colleges (even online colleges) cost around $20,000 per year of attendance which will usually rack up to around $80,000 in fees.

If you are like most of us, you need scholarships for college just to afford attending. Fortunately, scholarships aren’t usually very hard to earn. Most of them just require that you have applied to legitimate and accredited colleges and intend to study.

College Scholarships by Major

Did you know that you can earn scholarship money based on what you are studying? Scholarships by major include nursing scholarships, medical scholarships, teaching scholarships and more. This type of scholarship is usually given to someone who is studying a minority or needed major. For example, there is a high need for nurses and teachers in the United States and therefore there are a lot of scholarships that you can earn for learning in these fields. If you aren’t sure if your major qualifies for a scholarship, try searching it online. A scholarship by Major can cover anywhere from a few thousand dollars to full tuition.

Merit Scholarships

Merit scholarships are any scholarship awarded based on your educational merit. If you don’t have good grades and a GPA of 3.0 or higher than you don’t even want to consider applying for these. Merit or Academic Scholarships can usually be awarded at any time throughout your college attendance. However; they can also be taken away should your grades drop too low.

Sports Scholarships

Sports scholarships are possibly the most famous type of scholarship in existence thanks to movies and media. If you excel in sports you can most likely get a scholarship that will allow you to study while you play sports. These do generally come with the restrictions that you must maintain both your grade average and your playing average in order to continue to receive the scholarship.

State Scholarships

Most states give out scholarships based on nothing more than the fact that you are a citizen of the state and studying within that state. For example, if you are a citizen of Colorado and wish to study at Colorado State University, you can earn as much as several thousand in scholarship money towards attending college.

Federal Scholarships

There are several Federal scholarships that require nothing more than for you to be needy, attending college and that you maintain a GPA of 2.7 or higher. For example, the popular Pell Grant offers students up to $5,600 per year with almost no requirements.

Minority Scholarships

Minority Scholarships are intended to help minority students to attend college. This type of scholarship includes those for women, racial minorities, tall people, short people and even left handed people. If you feel you fit into a minority than you might want to consider applying for a scholarship.

Because of this; it’s only natural that there would be scholarships for women. If you are female and want to study than you have a lot of options.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarships

This scholarship is specifically aimed at older women who have decided to go back to school. You must be at least 30 in order to qualify and you must be going after a first time degree. Preferably an associate or bachelor degree rather than a diploma or course, however; you may also use the money to peruse your GED or High School Diploma. The foundation scholarship is especially aimed at single mothers who are still raising children who are under the age of 18. Funds may be used to pay for tuition, college supplies, transportation and even child care. Deadline of application is November.

Emerge Scholarship Program

The deadline for this scholarship is January 5^th of the year you wish to attend college so, if you want to attend in 2013, you have almost a whole year to apply.  The scholarship focuses on recognizing women of special talent and awarding them with scholarship funding. This scholarship will not cover all of your tuition and is only awarded to a few women per year so if you apply, make sure you apply to other student aid programs as well.  The maximum scholarship from Emerge for 2012-2013 is $5,000

SWE Scholarship Program

The SWE scholarship program (Society of Women Engineers)aims to give aid to women who are enrolled in ABET/CSAB accredited baccalaureate programs (engineering, engineering technology, computer science). The degree offers 188 need based scholarships with a total value of $540,000 meaning on average, each scholarship is about $3,000. You should apply between December and February 15 if you are attending as a sophomore and between January and March 15’th if you are attending as a freshman.

No matter what scholarship you are looking for, you can probably find it. There are literally hundreds of scholarships available for women. These include Federal, Private and Institutional grants that you can apply and qualify for!

If you are considering attending college after high school then you should consider the Duct Tape Brand Stuck at the Prom Scholarship. The Scholarship offers up to $10,000 to the winning candidate or team (college money) for no other reason than wearing duct tape to the prom.

Before you get excited thinking all you have to do is wrap yourself up in duct tape and show up, a bit embarrassing but easy… think again. This competition is highly competitive and 2011’s winning costumes featured matching outfits with multiple colors, dress, tuxedo and the works. All made out of duct tape. If you want to win, you will have to be creative.

Entry Date

The 2012 competition runs from March 7 on 12:00 PM eastern time to 12:00 PM eastern time on June 12. Any entries submitted before or after these deadlines are not considered eligible for the contest.

Eligibility

You must be a legal resident of the United States (or one of its provinces) or Canada in order to apply. You must also be 14 years old or older and have parental permission. You must also be studying in high school, home school and be planning to attend a school sanctioned prom. You must wear the duct tape to the actual prom in order to qualify.

How to Enter

If you wish to enter the Duct Tape Brand Stuck at the Prom contest then you should first find a partner. No entries are eligible as solo entries. Your partner can be either male or female but must be 14 or older and attending school with the intent of attending a school sanctioned prom.  Entries should be 100% original and made out of duct tape. You should take between 1 and five high quality photos of your entry (while wearing it) and submit it through the entry form.

Please also remember to have your parent or legal guardians sign your permission form in order to validate your entry.

You will be allowed one (Two costume) entry per team. Each entry must be unique and the photos will become the property of Duct Tape Brand. You will have no rights to the photos and your name and location can be used in online promotions.

Judging

Judging is important because it can help you decide how and what to make. Your pieces will be judged on workmanship, color, originality, accessories and of course, how much duct tape you use. Therefore, the more colorful, complicated and the more accessories you have the higher your chances of winning. Especially if your pieces are high quality and constructed completely of duct tape!

Judges select ten finalists and upload them to the Stuck at the Prom website. Users are then allowed to vote for the best. The winners receive $5,000 in scholarship each; the runners up $3,000 each and all of the top ten finalists receive $500 each.

Finding a grant is easy but finding one that is easy to get can be difficult. Most grants require that you either fill certain obligations or submit a long essay with no promise of reward. However; there are plenty of no essay scholarships out there for people who hate essays. No essay means easy scholarship in most cases which is great because it lets you spend more time focused on preparing for college instead of writing essays.

Scholarships for Working Adults

Scholarships for Working Adults is a program that requires a simple registration in order to be eligible. Registration deadline is February 29^th of the year you wish to study. Students will be randomly selected for award and will be notified via mail. You must be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Free Military Scholarships

Free Military Scholarships is a program that is available to U.S. citizens in the Military as well as their family and spouses. The scholarship can be used to pay for GED coursework, online college or tuition at a traditional college and can even be shared with a family member or spouse. Deadline is February 29 as the scholarship is an extension of free scholarships.

Scholarships For Moms

Scholarships for Moms is another great site that offers a $10,000 scholarship that doesn’t require an essay. You have to be a mother and you should already know what program you are interested in but other than that, there are pretty much no limitations. Remember to apply by February of the year you wish to apply. You will have to submit your name, location and contact info. However; you will not have to submit school information until you have won a scholarship.

No matter what you are trying to study, there is a scholarship program for you. Remember that in order to win a scholarship, even a no essay scholarship, you have to apply. Use search words and remember that if anything asks you to pay money, it is a scam and you should avoid it. Good luck and enjoy your scholarship money.

The Educational Foundation of America is an organization founded in 1958 by Richard Ettinger (the co-founder of Prentice-Hall Publishing.  The foundation supports a variety of education (mostly arts), living causes and environmental issues.  As a student; you can receive a lot of benefits from the EFA (not grants), even if you are studying at an online college.

First and foremost, the Educational Foundation of America does not give grants to individuals. However; it does give grants to schools and colleges at requests in order to improve living conditions, improve study options and to help supply college students with the materials they need to study with.

Grants

The Educational Foundation of America gives grants to schools and colleges, usually between the amounts of $20,000 and $300,000 (grants are very rarely over $200,000) a few grants that have been given in the past include:

$150,000 to the Hudson Opera House, Hudson, NY for their community arts program (2008)

$150,000 to the Project Vote – Voting for America, Washington, DC for their 2008 Voter Registration Program (2008)

$75,000 to the Center for Investigative Reporting for Blackout (2008)

Each of these programs received money either for aid in improving their study conditions or towards their cause.

Goals

The goals of the Education Foundation of America include preserving the environment, helping to fund and continue education. The Foundation also works to preserve art and they study of art and often funds most of its money to art based schools and organizations.

The EFA also helps to fund sustainable population organizations and gives thousands of dollars each year to helping keep the ecology stable and working.

Application

If you wish to apply for a grant from the Education Foundation of America you should send a solicited email through their website. (They do not accept unsolicited mail). In your application, you should outline what your school or organization does, why you need the funds and the depth of your financial situation. The board of directors at the Education Foundation of America will review your case and decide whether or not you qualify for a grant and if so, how much money you qualify for. This process can take several months so be sure to apply well in advance of when you will need the funds.

The Hillsborough Education Foundation is a learning foundation offering scholarships and grants as well as student aid to high school seniors and college students in the Hillsborough Florida area.  The Hillsborough Education foundation was founded in 1988 and has since collected almost 5 million yearly to donate to public schools in need and needy students.

Fund Raising

The Hillsborough Education Foundation participates in several fund raising campaigns throughout the year including requests for donations, dinners, dances and musical events such as concerts that are designed to raise money for education. The foundation generally succeeds in raising about 5 million per year and donates about 92% of this directly to schools and needy students.

Scholarships

The Hillsborough Education foundation offers scholarships to needy and talented students between the amounts of $500 and $20,000 depending upon available funds, student need and donation matches received by the foundation. This means that for post-secondary education, a qualifying student can receive anywhere from a small amount of aid to full coverage for a year of tuition.

Improving Public Schools

The main function of the Hillsborough Education Foundation is to provide funding for needy public schools in order to improve their learning programs, teacher salary and etc. This includes awarding cash prizes to teacher of the year, helping with tuition and book purchase for schools and much more. While this is not of any aid to students wishing to pursue higher education, it does improve the general quality of education for many children which can be a great benefit later in life.

Career Academies

Career Academies are programs funded by the Hillsborough Education foundation with the purpose of teaching students college preparatory classes for a variety of subjects. These courses function as a way of preparing high school students to attend college and to give students a basic knowledge of a course so that they can enter an entry level job or etc.

Application for Scholarships

If you would like to apply for a Hillsborough Education Foundation scholarship than you should fill out the application form along with an FAFSA and request a student financial aid letter from the college you are planning to attend.  Application is open between November and January 11 of the year before you wish to attend college.