Archive for December 2009

You are browsing the archives of 2009 December.

Merry Christmas!

dreamerentchristmas
Merry Christmas from Dreamer ENT! We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday, and that you enjoy it with lots of fun and quality time together! Have a very Happy New Year!

A Tribute to Service: Variety Power of Youth 2009

varietyyouthVariety Magazine honored five young performers, Corbin Bleu, Keke Palmer, Jesse McCartney, AnnaLynne McCord and Miranda Cosgrove, for their dedication to community service at a special ceremony on December 5th, 2009. Variety’s Power of Youth Initiative is focused on encouraging top young talent to become involved with philanthropic and humanitarian causes, using their positions in popular culture to motivate others to do the same. Check out the organizations each of the honorees gives their time to below, and learn more at www.variety.com/PowerOfYouth. You can also take action in your community, and maybe with similar causes, with a grant from the organization Do Something. Click here to learn how you can get involved.

kekepalmerActress and singer Keke Palmer spoke on how it felt to be honored, and the importance of service in her blog:

“…I attended an all day event honoring young entertainers in Hollywood, not for how many records they sold, or how many movies they have done, but for their charity work, and to be a part of that group was so very humbling for me.

“I could not even speak I was so nervous, I guess I could not believe that anyone would give me an award for helping people something that my parents taught me to do, with much given comes much responsibility, I hear that around our house a lot…

“Yes Charity begins at home, but if you can find some time, just a little time to think of others you will feel like a complete person, and what better time can we help others than at CHRISTMAS!!!!”

- Keke Palmer in her Myspace blog

Check out the honoree’s acceptance speeches in the videos below:

Corbin Bleu
(Disney’s High School Musical 1, 2 & 3)
Organization: Starlight Children’s Foundation

Keke Palmer
(Nickelodeon’s True Jackson VP)
Organization: Boys & Girls Clubs of America

(more…)

Fund Your Future: Scholarship Opportunities

scholarshipsIf you’re a high school student you can get a jump start on your future dreams now by beginning to apply for scholarships- even if you’re just a freshman or sophomore. Along with financial aid like government grants based on financial need (determined by filling out a form called the FAFSA), scholarships will help you to pay those large school fees, like tuition, books, and your dorm room – it’s basically FREE money! Apply to as many scholarships as you can, even if it may not seem to you like you will get it. For many of them you can use similar essays and information to apply, but be sure to check the rules to make sure you include everything they ask for. I was able to get enough scholarships to pay for my full college education – its possible for you too!

There is so much money out there going to waste, given by small and larger companies and organizations, just because people don’t apply. So take advantage of this, and even apply to the Duct Tape Prom Dress Scholarship (yes, it really exists!).

ducttape

gatesscholars

One scholarship you should definitely apply for is the Gates Millennium Scholarship. This scholarship was created by Bill Gates (of Microsoft), and his wife, and it is what allowed me to go to school pretty much for free! The scholarship is based on merit (your grades, community service, etc.) and financial need, and can cover everything that you might need as far as school and living expenses, based on need. Though the deadline for this year is January 11, I wouldn’t let this discourage you. I remember hearing about the scholarship late and pulling my application together a few days before it was due, and was excited that I was able to get it.

If you’re a senior this year, get your teachers to do recommendations quickly, and fill out the application as well as you can, because this is an opportunity not to be missed! If you’re a junior or sophomore, I would suggest you start early, getting your essays together now, and applying to scholarships available to younger students.

collegeforfree Some resources I would recommend that helped me to apply for scholarships are:

- Fastweb.com A great website where you can search for scholarships with a free scholarship matching service, get student financial aid and find money to pay for college.

- How to Go to College Almost for Free by Ben Kaplan – This book is fun to read and takes you through the whole scholarship application process. He gives you all types of tips like how to make the most of your past life experiences in your essays. Click here to visit the author Ben Kaplan’s website, he has so many tips for students on how they too can go to college for (almost) free.

- Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes – Another big book of scholarships galore!

- Kaplan Scholarships 2008: Billions of Dollars in Free Money for College – This book lists scholarships in every area you can think of; there’s something for everybody!

- Here’s a list of 100 Scholarships for Minority Students that might help as well.

You can do it – get started on your path to success now… Happy scholarship searching – and winning!

– Julene, Editor Dreamer ENT

Cruising Along: The Today Show’s Kid Reporter on Her First Assignment

todayshowreporter

In November the Today Show named 13-year-old Deidra Shores from Memphis, Tennessee, as the winner of the Today’s Kid Reporter contest. Deidra is an energetic and outgoing young lady and achieving student who wowed the judges with her creative entry video, “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” For the winning round, she and three other finalists reported on the world’s largest children’s book, a collection of children’s dreams created to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. All of the budding journalists did great work. Congratulations to Deidra on her win!

On her first assignment Deidra boards Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest ship to learn the ins and outs of working on a cruise ship. She seems to have fun interviewing and asking questions about how the ship runs and how the crew spends their time. Watch her in action in the video below:



Below, watch Deidra’s video experience on the Today Show:



You can also watch Deidra’s entry video for the contest below:

(more…)

Live Green, Learn Green, Save Green

Being green conscious can help save energy and put green back into your pockets, especially in the cooler months. Live Green Learn Green is a great organization started by two high school students, Richa and Aleeya, with a grant from Youth Venture. The girls help ‘green’ the homes of lower-income families, and aim to reduce the living costs for the families by providing them with energy efficient materials to install in their homes.

livegreenlearngreen The team raises money for the Green Kits by providing babysitting and tutoring services to families. The money earned is then donated to Live Green Learn Green and in turn the volunteers receive community service hours. It’s wonderful that they’re helping others, and allowing other young people to make a change in their community.

A Standard Live Green Learn Green Efficiency Kit Includes:
– Compact Fluorescent (CF) light bulbs
– Weather stripping for window crevices
– Window insulation film
– Door sweeps
– Water heater insulation blanket

Watch this video of the girls describing some of the methods they use, and how making a few changes around the house can conserve energy. Maybe you can start a similar project in your own community, or even make some of these green changes around your own house.