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Attention High School Seniors! It's Time to Apply for the 2003 ACLU
Youth Activist Scholarship
DEADLINE: December 2, 2002
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is encouraging graduating high school seniors who have been active leaders or participants in a civil rights or civil liberties struggle to apply for the ACLU's 2003 Youth Activist Scholarship Program.
This year, ten high school seniors nationwide will each receive scholarships in recognition of their proven dedication to furthering the cause of civil liberties in their schools and communities. Each winner receives a grant of $4,000 toward his or her college tuition.
Candidates must be graduating seniors who intend to attend college during the next academic year. They must have demonstrated a strong commitment to civil liberties through some form of student activism.
Examples include:
- playing a leadership role in establishing a students' civil liberties club or group;
- demonstrating a commitment to a particular ACLU issue through such activities as organizing a rally, circulating a petition, drafting letters to administrators, etc.
- serving actively as a plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit;
- participating in an affiliate board of directors or some other local leadership committee
To apply, candidates must:
1. Submit a 500 word essay describing their reason for becoming a civil liberties/civil rights activist and describing the activist work they've accomplished, in terms of the criteria listed above. (Feel free to supply materials that demonstrate the project or activist work)
2. Mail all materials, including name, mailing address, telephone number and email address, no later than December 2, 2002 to: Civil Liberties Scholarship, c/o ACLU of Florida, 4500 Biscayne Blvd., #340, Miami, Florida 33137
A panel of judges will select winners based on: (a) the strength and depth of the candidate's contributions to civil liberties and the rights of young people; (b) the likelihood of his or her continuing commitment in the future; and (c) the obstacles the candidate had to overcome (e.g., living in a hostile community). Winners will be announced on March 15, 2003.
For more information, contact Alessandra Soler Meetze, ACLU of Florida Communications Director, by phone at (305) 576-2337 ext. 16 or via e-mail at: asoler@aclufl.org.
