Make a DonationSubsribe to get the latest updates
Lowell Milken Center - Discovery Award
Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award

Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award

Explore unsung heroes in history and win $10,000


Holocaust heroine Irena Sendler saved 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. Fiery-tempered Irishman Andrew Higgins had the foresight to design proper wooden boats for the U.S. Navy to use on D-Day. Photographers and documentarians Martin and Osa Johnson brought the world of African tribespeople to Westerners. While these people influenced our lives, their own names are often not found in history books. Now is your chance to tell the story of an unsung hero who has changed history. The Lowell Milken Center Discovery Award, which celebrates its inaugural year in 2012, is a unique opportunity for students to use creative talents to research primary sources and develop outstanding projects featuring unsung heroes who now serve as models for how to improve the lives of others.


Topic Guidelines

  1. The topic of the project must be an unsung hero.

  2. The topic must have shown impact over time.

  3. The topic must have shown change in history.

Selection Criteria for Projects

  1. Must show originality of topic and research.

  2. Include an annotated bibliography supporting primary sources.

  3. Include a process paper describing process of the project. ( Example )

  4. Show potential for life beyond the development of the project and must have sustaining value.

  5. Provide examples of how the unsung hero is a role model.

  6. Topic and mode must be approved by February 1, 2012.

Project Guidelines

  1. The project must be in one of the following categories:
    1. Documentary film or multimedia ( Example )
    2. Performance ( Example )
    3. Exhibit ( Example )
    4. Website ( Example )

  2. Documentary film or multimedia cannot exceed 12 minutes and must include:
    1. Primary source photographs
    2. A 500-word process paper
    3. An annotated bibliography, separating primary and secondary sources

  3. Performance
    1. Cannot exceed 12 minutes
    2. A 500-word process paper
    3. An annotated bibliography, separating primary and secondary sources
    4. Props must be portable and able to travel

  4. Exhibit
    1. Cannot exceed a height of 6 feet
    2. Cannot exceed a width of 4 feet
    3. Exhibit display cannot include more than 500 words of text
    4. A 500-word process paper
    5. An annotated bibliography, separating primary and secondary sources

  5. Website
    1. Cannot exceed 1,200 student-composed words
    2. Use no more than 100 MB of file space
    3. Website theme continues through every page
    4. A 500-word process paper
    5. An annotated bibliography, separating primary and secondary sources

Please explore this website to see more examples of projects that meet these guidelines.


Eligibility

  1. Student or students enrolled in a U.S. school as of September 24, 2011

  2. Students in the United States from grades 4-12

  3. Any individual student or group of students numbering five or less

Judging

  1. Judges are outstanding educators in the area of project-based learning who will use a rubric to evaluate each project on the following:
    1. Excellence of quality
    2. Originality
    3. Analysis of the subject
    4. Annotated bibliography demonstrating depth and scope of research
    5. process paper

  2. All finalists will participate in a 20-minute phone interview.

Prizes

The recipients of the prize determine the use of the funds. The funds are unrestricted.

1ST PLACE is $10,000 and project will be featured on the Lowell Milken Center website and in future printed publications.

2ND PLACE is $3,000 and project will be listed on the Lowell Milken Center website.

3RD PLACE is $1,000 and project will be listed on the Lowell Milken Center website.

Certificate of recognition will be sent to those projects with promise which did not place.


Submission of Projects to the Lowell Milken Center

  1. All submissions must include 4 copies of annotated bibliography and process paper.

  2. Documentary film or multimedia
    1. 4 copies of the script
    2. 4 copies of the documentary film or multimedia

  3. Performance
    1. 4 copies of the script
    2. 4 videos of the performance

  4. Exhibit
    4 CDs including:
    1. All of the images and wording on the exhibit
    2. Copies of photographs of the exhibit
      1. Full photo of the entire exhibit
      2. Photo of the left side of the exhibit
      3. Photo of the right portion of the exhibit
      4. Photo of the top of the exhibit
      5. Photo of the bottom of the exhibit

  5. Website
    1. Web address of the website
    2. 4 CDs with the website

Deadlines

  1. Intent to enter must be submitted to the Lowell Milken Center by February 1, 2012 in the form of an email application attachment to Norm Conard, Executive Director, Lowell Milken Center at nconard@terraworld.net. Intent to enter must include topic, mode, names and emails for participating students, name and contact information of supporting teacher, and name and complete address of school.

  2. Entries must be received by June 1, 2012.

  3. The winners will be announced by July 1, 2012.

Information about the Lowell Milken Center

  1. Download an application

  2. Contact email: nconard@terraworld.net

  3. Contact number: 620.223.9991