The Bezos Scholars Program selects 30 top high school students and exceptional educators from across the U.S. and from the African Leadership Academy to receive a seven-day, all-expenses-paid scholarship to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, June 26 – July 2, 2014. From the U.S., 12 public high school juniors and 12 educators from respective schools are selected.
On the Aspen Institute campus, Scholars take full advantage of Festival offerings and participate in exclusive roundtable discussions with change agents from around the world. Past Bezos Scholars have met with Twitter founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, author and columnist Arianna Huffington, and New York Times columnist David Brooks, among many other notables. It’s a week that leaves participants exhilarated and ready to return home to activate change in their local communities.
Following this “mountain top” experience, Bezos Scholars hone their leadership skills through a year-long virtual series, designed to support them in the creation of their own Local Ideas Festivals. Scholars apply for seed funding to help design, launch and sustain projects that address a community need. Past scholars have tackled a range of topics including poverty, civic engagement, literacy and health among many other issues.
Click here for more information and the application to the Bezos Scholars Program http://www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org/scholars