YOU GO, GIRL! The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America has announced the launch of the 2005 Girls Going Places Scholarship Program, a national competition that annually recognizes and rewards entrepreneurial girls ages 12-18. Guardian and Girls Going Places will award 15 girls a total of $30,000 to be used toward furthering their education and supporting their entrepreneurial pursuits. Three top scholarship prizes of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 and 12 finalist prizes of $1,000 each will be granted. Adults are asked to nominate girls by submitting a 750- to 1,000-word essay on why the nominee deserves the award. Entries are being accepted now through Feb. 25, 2005. Information and nomination forms can be found at www.girlsgoingplaces.com.

ESSAYS FOR ALL Teachers, students and families are invited to participate in an online essay contest sponsored by the nonprofit Web site, www.smithsonianeducation.org, which is dedicated to bringing the resources and knowledge from the 16 Smithsonian museums to the public. The contest launches in late December and runs through March. Teachers are invited to write essays up to 750 words detailing how they have used a Smithsonian resource in their classrooms. The winner will receive a free trip to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., complete with air, travel and lodging. Students can compete for prizes with essays about what they collect in their hobbies, and families can offer essays describing a memorable trip to the Smithsonian. For details visit the Web site.

NEW AUTHORS WANTED The “Kids are Authors” competition encourages students to use reading, writing and artistic skills to write and illustrate their own books. The winning books are published and distributed nationwide through Scholastic Book Fairs. Two grand-prize winners are selected for fiction and nonfiction, and 25 honorable mentions are awarded each year. In addition to having their books published, the grand-prize winners receive a medal, a commemorative certificate, and a copy of their published book. Their schools will receive a $2,000 merchandise certificate from Scholastic Book Fairs and 100 copies of the printed book. Scholastic Book Fairs also award $200 in merchandise and certificates of merit to 25 runner-up schools. The deadline for entries in the 2005 competition is March 31. To enter, visit www.scholastic.com/kidsareauthors.

TRAVEL CREDIT Teachers can now earn continuing education units (CEUs) by leading an EF educational tour. EF is accredited by both the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) and the Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCES). In addition to the teacher CEU program, students can earn high school elective credits by taking an EF educational tour program. To earn credit, teachers must lead a tour and complete a course before, during and after the tour. Credit seekers also must pay $200 or redeem points from the company’s affinity program to cover the cost. Teachers also take the course at no cost if at least one of their students on tour takes EF’s course for student credit and the tour leader grades that student’s coursework. For more information about EF Educational Tours and its accreditation, visit www.eftours.com/credit.

KIND INSTRUCTION Are lessons in wildlife appreciation or responsible pet care part of your curriculum? Do you lead your class in recycling projects, park cleanups or collections for the sick, elderly or needy? Whatever you’re doing to teach your students kindness to people, animals and the environment, the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) wants to hear about it. NAHEE is seeking nominations for the 2005 National KIND Teacher Award. The annual award will recognize an outstanding K-6 teacher who consistently incorporates humane education into his or her curriculum. Any K-6 classroom teacher is eligible for the award. Teachers may nominate themselves or another teacher. Nomination forms are available online at www.nahee.org in the “Awards” section. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 15, and the winner will receive an award plaque, a feature story in NAHEE’s annual teacher resource book and the Teacher’s Care & Carry Kit, which includes lesson plans, posters and other materials.

HOME SAFETY The Home Safety Council has just launched a new suite of educational resources to help teachers promote safe practices at home. The lesson plans and content are primarily for elementary school teachers—showing children how to spot home hazards and to call a grownup for help. Among these are an online resource center filled with information and activities that teach students about home safety. Educators can visit www.homesafetycouncil.org/teacher to download Weekly Reader curriculum, children’s activities, checklists and safety advice. Information on the Great Safety Adventure, the council’s interactive exhibit that tours the country teaching children about home safety is also available online.

LOVE OF LIT Students must act fast to participate in “Letters About Literature,” a national competition that invites students in grades 4-12 to write a personal letter to an author, past or present, who somehow changed their view of the world or of themselves. Six winners are chosen annually to receive awards ranging from $500 Target gift cards to a grand prize trip to the National Book Festival. The deadline for next year’s contest is Dec. 4, 2004, and details can be found at www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/letters.html.

CHALLENGING DESIGNS Explore the universe in the Space Day 2005 Design Challenges, an educational initiative produced by the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. “Return to the Moon” is the theme of this year’s program. This inquiry-based learning tool emphasizes collaborative learning and academic excellence in science, math and technology. Submissions are due by Feb.15. A committee of education experts will select the winning teams. Members of the winning teams and their teacher or leader will be invited to the Space Day national celebration in May 2005 in Washington, D.C. where they will participate in a recognition ceremony. Full details and registration forms are available at www.spaceday.com.