Student Travel Scholarships Available from SYF

Who knew a "What I did on my vacation" essay could be worth so much? Folks at the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and sister organization SYTA Youth Foundation (SYF) who know how invaluable student travel is, that's who. To prove it, they're offering a $750 US scholarship to the best 500-word penning of a travel experience by a secondary school student. If you're the winningest writer, you'll also fly to Boston to receive your award and read your essay at the SYTA Annual Conference September 11.

SYF "Road Scholarship"

In addition to the Ripley Hunter "World is a Classroom" $750 scholarship, the philanthropic SYF offers up to 30 "Road" Scholarships per year -- awards of up to $1000 to 25 year-old or under students who want to participate in group student travel but don't have the scratch. That kind of cash could cover a whole lot of an EF Tours or Explorica trip set up by a teacher at your school. No trips in the offing? Teachers travel free with some organized group student travel; give the info to your history or language teacher (a teacher or group leader must nominate you for a "Road" scholarship). One scholarship per group; next application review deadline is August 15.

"Travel is an integral component of education," says SYF director Elaine Dyklas in an award application letter. And that's the gold medal truth.

• Call Wendie Pridmore at 248-693-1872 or email sytayouthfoundation.org., or enter the SYTA Ripley Hunter "World is a Classroom" student travel scholarship contest online
• Read about SYF's "Road" student travel scholarship

^{Related: Glimpse Student Travel Writing Contest | Backpacker Gude Seeks Writers | About Student Group Travel}