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In addition to being a day off from work or school, today is designated as a day to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his immense contributions to the Civil Rights movement. America has taken tremendous strides toward equality in the past several decades, in large part due to King's activism in the 1960's. While honoring King, now is also a good time to keep in mind some of the other major contributors to the civil rights movement.
This week's Scholarship of the Week gives high school students an opportunity to do just that. High school seniors have a chance to win two $2,500 scholarships by writing a scholarship essay of 1,000 words or less about Jackie Robinson, the first African American player in Major League Baseball, focusing on his contributions to the Civil Rights movement and the way he broke racial barriers in his career. The Jerry Malloy Negro Leagues Committee Scholarship is sponsored by the Negro Leagues Committee of the Society for American Baseball Research.
Students respond to one of two prompts: "What influence or impact did Jackie Robinson, as the first African American to play modern day Major League baseball, have on the Civil Rights Movement?" or "What are the comparative aspects of the historical breakthroughs of Jackie Robinson in baseball and Barack Obama in politics?" Formatting guidelines and a list of potential references can be found on the contest website.
Prize: Two $2,500 scholarships
Eligibility: Current high school seniors who are planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 at the end of their junior year and must be planning to graduate this academic year.
Deadline: February 19, 2010
Required Material: A completed scholarship application, found online, a list of high school and community activities you have been involved in, a letter of recommendation from someone in your high school (a teacher, counselor, or school administrator), and a 1,000 word essay response to one of two essay prompts.
Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.