Family Travel Forum Announces Teen Travel Writing Scholarship Contest

Exploring Ausable Chasm, in the Adirondacks of New York State. This year’s FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship prizes include the I Love New York Teen Travel Writing Scholarship which will be awarded to the best blogs about travel in New York State © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Family Travel Forum’s (FTF) eighth annual FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship program offers more prizes than previous competitions.  Merit scholarships provided by 2014 sponsors will triple teen travel writers’ chances of winning cash grants and travel prizes from past years. Members of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) – representing travel’s most trusted voices – will work with FTF to judge submissions.  Teens can submit their work through July 27, 2014 at www.Scholarship.FamilyTravelForum.com.

“SATW is proud to partner with Family Travel Forum for its Teen Travel Writing Scholarship each year to provide young people with the opportunity to share their travel memories,” said Steve Giordano, president of SATW.  “SATW believes travel is a bridge between people and our goal is to assist in promoting a quality travel experience among all travelers, especially students who will soon be setting travel trends,” he continued.

Prizes for the FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship include $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place.  There is also an opportunity to win one of 25 Honorable Mention prize passes to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attractions along with travel gifts provided by National Geographic Kids.

The winner of Best Video will receive photo-journalism merchandise and 10 finalists will win a pair of CityPASS ticket booklets containing prepaid admission to the top attractions in their choice of 10 North American destinations.

Two additional FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship prizes include the I Love New York Teen Travel Writing Scholarship which will be awarded to the best blogs about travel in New York State.  Prizes are $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place.  The winning blog, written by a student residing within 100 miles of Times Square in New York City, will earn the $500 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship from the New York Travel Writers Association.

The 2014 FTF Teen Travel Writing scholarship program is open to all students aged 13-18 who are enrolled in a junior high, high school or homeschool program in the U.S., Canada or American school abroad.  Students are asked to submit a maximum 600-word essay on any trip they have taken in the last five years, along with a photo or video.  For more information on eligibility, rules and scholarship applications, visit www.Scholarship.FamilyTravelForum.com.

Winners of the 2014 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship program will be announced on Oct. 23, 2014.  For more information about all FTF grants and scholarships for college, visit www.Scholarship.FamilyTravelForum.com.

The scholarship program is produced by Family Travel Forum (FTF) in association with the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), I LOVE NEW YORK (ILNY) and the New York Travel Writers Association (NYTWA) to promote literacy and inspire young people to travel by encouraging all teens to share their travel experiences in words and images.

Additional sponsors of the 2014 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship program include Cayman Islands, CityPASS, Niagara Falls, Taking the Kids, TMS Family Travel, Travel Media Showcase and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

Society of American Travel Writers (SATW)’s 1,000-plus members include journalists, photographers, editors, bloggers and online content providers, broadcasters, television and film producers, and travel industry public relations representatives. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, SATW is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) professional association. Members strive to maintain the industry’s highest professional and ethical standards.  Their dedication and experience represent the Society’s commitment to journalistic integrity and credibility.  SATW truly comprises “Travel’s Most Trusted Voices.”

Family Travel Forum (FTF) is an award-winning media company guiding those who Have Kids, Still Travel!® in print and online since 1996.  FTF’s expert and community content has been seen on Disney’s Family.com and other sites, in “The Complete Idiots Guide to the Best Family Destinations,” “Amazing Places to Take Your Kids in North America” and by millions of traveling families.  In addition to co-hosting the annual TMS Family Travel Summit and conferences, other FTF ventures include MyFamilyTravels.com; an annual Teen Travel Writing Scholarship with SATW; “The Family Vacationist” blog and e-alert; and Family Travel Consulting to the trade in partnership with Taking the Kids.

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Adventures Cross-Country Makes Scholarships Available to Teens For Summer Travel

On the Adventures Cross-Country teen adventure to Thailand, students work alongside the mahout, a traditional elephant caretaker, bathing, feeding and riding elephants deep into the jungle while embarking on a journey to protect and care for these animals in their native land.

Adventures Cross-Country of Mill Valley, California, is making scholarship assistance available to teens who have a yen to travel and be a force for positive change this summer.

Founder’s Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 per student will be applied to program tuitions for students who meet criteria outlined by Adventures Cross-Country (ARCC) and who enroll by May 9 in ARCC programs ranging from Costa Rica to Thailand.

“Meaningful travel as the best way to inspire teens to become responsible global citizens. I am extremely proud of the lasting impact that ARCC students have had on people, on communities and on the environment around the world,” reflects Scott von Eschen, parent of two teens and President of Adventures Cross-Country. “Often their travel experiences are life-changing as students learn to be contributing members of our global community.”

Scholarships are available to boys currently in grades 9-12 for two programs:  Thailand Elephant Service that runs July 1-31 and Costa Rica Service Ultimate that runs June 28-July 18.  A third scholarship program open to boys in grades 7-9 is Hawaii Service with two departures, July 1-14 and July 18 -31.

Scholarships are available to girls currently in grades 8-9 for Costa Rica Service Ultimate that runs July 16-Aug. 5 and for girls currently in grades 7-9 for Costa Rica Service Classic that runs July 21-Aug. 3.

Thailand Elephant Service – In Thailand students work alongside the mahout, a traditional elephant caretaker, bathing, feeding and riding elephants deep into the jungle while embarking on a journey to protect and care for these animals in their native land. Students volunteer in a hill-tribe village, learn how to cook tasty Thai delights, spend the night among monks at a Buddhist monastery, explore the temple wonderland of Chiang Mai, scuba dive spectacular multi-colored coral reefs, whitewater raft the Pai gorges, teach English and make friendships with children in a local primary school in this country named The Land of Smiles.

Costa Rica Service Ultimate – Student travelers dive into the heart of Costa Rican culture by working with school children and rural farmers on community service projects. Enroute they whitewater raft through the jungle on the Pacuare River, surf an unspoiled coastline, patrol turtle nesting beaches,  help a community build a shelter, do daily chores with a family and help educate village youth.

Costa Rica Service Classic – Students teach English in a local school, whitewater raft through the jungle on the Pacuare River, engage in conservation and ecological preservation, come together with a rural community to build a shelter, plant a vegetable garden, explore lush rainforests, untouched beaches, and a rainbow of exotic wildlife, and surf the friendly waves of the Pacific Coast.

Hawaii Service – Students traveling here engage in a celebration of a landscape of perfection, where the beauty of turquoise waters melt into captivating sunsets. Enroute they engage with communities in helping preserve natural and cultural environments while sharing a laugh with local children at a Boys and Girls Club, surfing, swimming and hiking the magnificent Na Pali coast.

Founded in 1983, ARCC has become a leading provider of Community Service, Service Learning and Adventure Travel programs for youth ages 13 to 19. For over 30 years ARCC has been offering life-changing experiences to students who participate in two- to four-week small group programs that visit 21 countries on six continents. From teaching primary school English and building water purification projects in Africa to running whitewater rapids in Costa Rica to enhancing fluency in Spanish or Mandarin in Spain or China, ARCC brings youth face to face with the challenges, realities and beauties of nature and our global community. For post-high school students ARCC operates Gap Programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These offer an educational and cultural bridge between high school and college combining a rich academic curriculum with the experiential benefits of international travel.

Adventures Cross-Country’s 50-page catalog details Community Service, Language Immersion and Multi-Sport programs in 21 countries on six continents for youth seeking a summer service learning experience, all while exploring cultures and communities off the beaten path. The full catalog in a digital version can also be viewed online (415-332-5075, www.adventurescrosscountry.com).
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