Check out these fun ways to challenge your mind and win fun prizes!

- First Freedom Student Competition

Students grades K-12 participate in a national essay and video contest. Students compete for $2,500.

- Carnegie Council's International Student/Teacher Essay Contest

This essay contest is open to teachers and students anywhere in the world. The topic is: In your opinion, what is the greatest ethical challenge or dilemma facing the planet? All entries should be in English. It should be written in op-ed style, length 1,000 to 1,500 words. First prize is a $250 Amazon gift card, second prize is a $150 Amazon gift card, and third prize is a $75 Amazon gift card.

- Americanism Essay Contest

Annual contest offered to students in grades 7-12, with the first-place winner granted a $10,000 savings bond.

- Ayn Rand Institute Essay Contest
 Contest open to middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students to write an Ayn Rand-themed essay for cash prizes.

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Alliance for Young Artists & Writers

Students grades 7-12 submit their best works of visual art - including sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, animation, video and animation - and writing - including poetry, play scripts, personal essay, works of journalism, satire and short fiction - to compete for scholarships.

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John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest
 Annual competition open to high school students nationwide to write an original essay about an elected official who has demonstrated political courage to receive awards totaling up to $8,500.

- Society of Professional Journalists Essay Contest
 Contest open to high school students nationwide to write an essay on a given media-related topic, with winners receiving scholarship awards ranging from $300-$1,000.

- National Peace Essay Contest
 Annual essay contest sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace, open to high school students to write a peace-themed essay for cash prizes.

- The Holocaust Remembrance Project
 National essay contest open to high school students in the United States and Mexico, designed to encourage and promote the study of the Holocaust. Contestants compete for scholarships and a trip to Washington, D.C.

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Annual Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest
 Each year, a new book is chosen for students to read and write about. High school juniors or seniors or home-schooled students between the ages of 16-18 are eligible to compete to win a $1,000 scholarship.

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The Humanist Essay Contest for Young Women and Men of North America
 Contest is open to students residing in the United States or Canada who are enrolled in grades 9-12 to compete for $1,000 and a three-year membership to the American Humanist Association.

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American Fire Sprinkler Association National Scholarship Essay Contest
 Ten $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to select students who read a 3,000 word sprinkler essay and complete the exam that follows. For each correct answer, the student will be reentered into the competition.

- First Freedom Student Competition
 High school students compete for a $3,000, $1,500 and $750 award, as they examine religious freedom, its history, current importance, and relevance in their lives.

- Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Contest
 High school students compose an audio-essay on a theme selected by the U.S. Veterans of Foreign Wars to compete for more than $3 million in scholarships.
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- The American Mathematics Competitions

Various math competitions open to qualifying students of all grade levels.

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Team America Rocketry Challenge

Students in grades 7-12 can register as a team to design and build a safe and stable one-stage model rocket. Prizes include $60,000 in cash and scholarships and participation in NASA's advanced rocketry program Student Launch Initiative.

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NASA Space Settlement Contest

International contest open to 6th-12th graders (11-18 years old). Students compete in teams to develop space settlement designs and related materials for various prizes.
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- Global Virtual Classroom Contest

Global team cooperation and Web site-building activity for students from 7 to 18 years of age. Awards range from $3,000 to $750 per team.

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ThinkQuest Web site Competition

Teams create an original Web site on a topic of global importance for a student audience. Prizes include a trip to ThinkQuest Live in San Francisco, laptop computers, digital cameras and school monetary grants.

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International Schools CyberFair

Students ages 5-19 years old conduct research about their local communities, then publish their findings on the Web for various prizes and awards.

- Doors to Diplomacy

U. S. Department of State "Doors to Diplomacy" educational challenge to encourage middle school and high school students to produce Web projects that teach others about the importance of international affairs and diplomacy. Students on winning team receive a $2,000 scholarship, and the winning coaches' schools each receive a $500 cash award.
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Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

Students ages 8-18 must be nominated by a qualifying adult for their leadership and courage in developing and implementing an exceptional service project. Ten students will be chosen to win $2,500 to be applied to their higher education or service project.

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The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

Art, photo and other project-based contests open to students of all ages.

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World of Escher Contest

International Escher-inspired creative contest that combines mathematics and artistic ability; prizes awarded.

- National History Day Contest

Students in grades 6-12 engage in discovery and interpretation of historical topics related to an annual theme. Awards range from $250 to $1,000, in addition to other prizes.

- The Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program

Contest open to girls ages 12-18 who demonstrate budding entrepreneurship. Prizes totaling $30,000 are granted to three top winners and 12 finalists each year to further their entrepreneurial pursuits or save for college.

- National High School Chef of the Year

High school students submit an original creation recipe to compete for tuition scholarship prizes to JWU culinary school.

- Young Epidemiology Scholars Competition

High school students submit original research projects using the methods that epidemiologists utilize to discover ways to improve the health of the public to compete for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $50,000.

- Fastweb

Great site for finding scholarships, internships and other resources.

- Herff Jones Nystrom Tech Out Your School Contest

Every month, Herff Jones Nystrom is giving away a 1-year license for StrataLogica, an interactive program for teaching social studies, history and geography. To enter, visit Herff Jones Nystrom's Facebook page and click "Contest."
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