Deadline is March 29
for Upcycle Challenge

Students in first through 12th grade can participate in ecomaine’s annual Upcycle Challenge for the chance to win a $250 award. Two winners will be selected from groups split by grade – 1-6 and 7-12.

Participants are asked to “transform discarded items into fresh, functional designs,” the organization wrote in a press release. Past winning creations have been a working chandelier made from old plastic bottles, a bike rack made from bikes, clothing made out of plastic and old curtains, furniture from old tires and even a movie projector made from an assortment of recycled materials.

Submissions are considered based on ingenuity and functionality, as well as student inclusion in design and construction processes. A teacher, adviser, administrator or other school leadership from a K-12 school in one of ecomaine’s member communities must approve the submission. A list of member communities can be found at ecomaine.org under “Municipal Services.”

The deadline to submit is March 29 and finalists will be voted on by the public to choose this year’s winners. To see the full list of rules, guidelines and the entry form, go to ecomaine.org.

Scholarships available from
Mitchell Institute and MES

Maine students can apply for two scholarships by April 1.

The Mitchell Institute’s $10,000 scholarship will be given to nearly 200 seniors in Maine public high schools. The institute also has fellowships of up to $1,500 for professional and personal development like unpaid or underpaid internships, study-abroad experiences and professional licensure fees.

Applications require a high school transcript, recommendation letter from a teacher, counselor, principal or adviser, and the Student Aid Index from the FAFSA application. Learn more and apply online at mitchellinstitute.org/scholarship.

The MES Foundation will award its $5,000 Richard H. Pierce Memorial Scholarships to 10 Maine students entering their first year of higher education.

Applicants must intend to or be enrolled in an accredited two- or four-year college or university. Send two letters of recommendation, a grade transcript and an essay of 300 words or more to apply.

The scholarship is renewable for up to four years. Apply at mesfoundation.org.