June 25, 2008

2008 Winning Essay

When asked "Recent Polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map - why do you think this is?", Timothy Ames Leong of Hampden, ME submitted the following winning essay:

When I was a preteen I was conscious of the world around me. There were times I was confronted with people who were not aware of the outside world. As time progressed, I became dismayed at this unfortunate truth and felt the urge to lead my generation in a positive direction. Many recent studies have made startling discoveries revealing that a fifth if Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a world map. This problem is developing and only appears to be getting worse. Although it lends for great concern, this problem is rooted in shifts in society.

To make matters worse, in a recent survey only one in seven Americans could identify Iraq on a map of the world. Even worse, 49 % could not identify New York, and 11 % could not locate the United States. (Source National Geographic by RoperASW). Shocked at these astounding figures, I feel compelled to help my generation become more aware of news and world events. I believe that I may have an impact on the lives of people throughout my community my generation, and the future as a whole. Before any improvements can be made the cause of the issue must be addressed.

As the United States has emerged from many global conflicts, its citizens have focused less on the outside world and more on immediate interests. Currently, high school and college age students are labeled as the “me” generation. Concerned with consumption and material wealth, the American perception has become clouded. People are considering the events and problems of the world as a secondary concern. With a decrease of foreign awareness, people lose sight of its importance. Additionally the increase of technology has drastically lessened the dependence on personal knowledge. Today one can simply pull up a map of the world in seconds because of the internet. People no longer need to memorize where the United States is located on a map in order to understand geography.

For all of the reasons above I feel moved to study political science. I feel inspired knowing that there are people dedicated to helping people achieve their future endeavors. One person can make a difference and because of this I am seeking to be this difference.

June 15, 2008

2008 Winner Chosen

We are happy to announce this year's winner of the Carlstrom Family Scholarship. Timothy Ames Leong of Hampden, Maine is this year's winner.

We will follow up with additional posts with more details about Timothy's upcoming plans, and the actual winning essay.

Much thanks to this year's applicants, donors, and judges. Best of luck to Timothy and the entire class of 2008!

February 15, 2008

2008 Application

Many of you may have already seen Miss South Carolina's response to this past Miss Teen USA's question and answer segment. As of today, the video is ranked #43 as the most-viewed YouTube video of all time with over 22 million views.



"Recent Polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map - why do you think this is?"

It's probably fair to say her response came as a result of being put on the spot and cracking under pressure. But if you were asked this same question - how would you respond? Please respond in essay format, in 500 words or less.

We will publish the top three finalists' essays here on the Carlstrom Fund Blog.

Essays are due no later than May 15th, 2008 by 6pm Eastern Time.

For full a set of rules, eligibility requirements, and details on how to submit, please visit the official Carlstrom Fund 2008 Application Page.

February 7, 2008

2008 Scholarship Application Coming Soon

Details for this year's Scholarship application will be posted in the very near future. We encourage you to subscribe using the links on the right-hand side of the page. This will ensure you get updates in the future via RSS or email.

January 15, 2008

Mission Statement 2008

It's important for any organization to have a clear set of goals. For the Carlstrom Fund in 2008, they are:

1) Innovate. While the Carlstrom Fund is near the forefront of technology, we think we can do better. We have new ideas to share the vision of the fund and help make it a bigger success. By challenging all those involved with new technology, we hope to facilitate a learning experience amongst peers and mentors.

2) Encourage. This year, we will publish our finalists' essays on the web. By doing so, we hope to encourage a sense of community, and inspire others to pursue a career in education. It will also challenge future applicants to do their best.

3) Expand. There is much to be done to greaten the reach of the the scholarship program. We are continually looking for new ways to publicize, advertise and share the scholarship to all those eligible. As always, If you have any ideas, please share.

4) Extend. We will undertake new fundraising efforts this year to ensure the endowment grows for years to come.