National leadership development & scholarship opportunity

Bezos Scholars Program @ the Aspen Institute seeks applications from public high school juniors & educators

ASPEN, Colo., Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bezos Scholars Program @ the Aspen Institute seeks outstanding high school juniors and educators for a powerful leadership development opportunity and scholarship to attend the 2013 Aspen Ideas Festival. This national scholars program is a collaboration between the Bezos Family Foundation and the Aspen Institute. Application deadline: February 8, 2013.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121113/DC11714)

As Bezos Scholars, 12 public high school juniors and 12 dynamic educators will receive an all-expenses-paid scholarship to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, June 25 – July 1, 2013. Past Bezos Scholars spent exclusive time with retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Twitter founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, oceanographer Sylvia Earle, journalist Nicholas Kristof, and many others. On the Aspen Institute campus, Student and Educator Scholars attend seven days of seminars, tutorials, lectures and debates by global leaders.

"The Bezos Scholars Program has allowed me to grow in tremendous ways," says 2012 Student Scholar Candace Joyner. "I'm ready to cast my stone in the pond and watch the ripple that will follow. The fear of failure is gone and there's only one way to go—forward."

The program begins in the scenic Rocky Mountains of Colorado and continues as scholars return home with inspiration, tools and resources to grow their own big ideas in the form of Local Ideas Festivals. Since 2005, Bezos Scholars have launched more than 67 Local Ideas Festivals on a range of topics, with seed funding from the Bezos Family Foundation. Scholars are mobilizing classmates and communities to exercise their right to vote, increase gender equity, boost literacy and address many other critical global issues. This 4-minute video captures the experience in Scholars' own words.

Students must meet the following criteria to apply:

• Public high school junior during the 2012-2013 academic year
• Demonstrates leadership in school and community
• Has scored exceptionally well on PSAT/SAT/or ACT
• Taking Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate classes or college/community courses
• GPA of 3.5, or higher
• Legal U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Availability of student & educator on all dates

Applicant schools must meet the following criteria:

• Public High School (including Charter and Magnet schools)
• At least 25% of students are eligible for free/reduced lunch program
• Offers Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or college credit courses

Application deadline: February 8, 2013

For more information, including photos, videos and testimonials, visit:
www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org/scholars or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/bspaspen

SOURCE Bezos Family Foundation