For the fifth year, America In Solidarity is providing scholarships for eligible high school seniors and current college students. Two service-based scholarships will be awarded in a separate category from the essay-based Ottilie Markholt Memorial Scholarships. America In Solidarity has awarded $14,600 in scholarships since 2004 and several hundred applications have been sent in each year from across the United States. Last year, nearly 400 applications were sent in. This year's service scholarship has been renamed the "Social Justice" scholarship as we seek to award students who worked on projects or volunteered with organizations or campaigns outside of school that promote issues central to working families. Three new essay questions were selected to reflect current issues. Applications must be received by April 1st, 2009.

The essay topics and criteria are:

Applicants need to include: Name, Address, City, Phone, email, high school or college, GPA, prospective colleges (if applicable) and majors, and a list of school and community activities. The scholarship committee would prefer materials be mailed in a 8.5x11-inch envelope. They will also to need to include a 3-5 page typed essay on one of the following topics:

1. How will the Employee Free Choice Act affect your family and/or your community?

2. Which current member of Congress has done the most to promote the issues of working families? Discuss how their actions or legislation has influenced your life and/or community.

3. Pick one of the following topics and argue why this is the most important issue for working families in 2009:

• Health Care reform
• Reexamining our trade policies
• Shifting our priorities from Iraq to rebuilding America