How to Apply for the Truth About IB Scholarship: Have an Opinion on the International Baccalaureate?

TAIB wants parents, students and taxpayers to know that we are not just naysayers without any positive solutions. We have been alerted to several situations where student reporters in IB schools tried to do an objective story on IB and for whatever reason, their stories got shot down and never ran. That's not right. That's censorship and biasing of the student press.

TAIB also believes in encouraging excellent writing, honest journalism, freedom of speech/press and the bravery it takes to tell the truth in our Progressively controlled public schools.

It's not much. $500. But every little bit helps to offset the high cost of secondary education. If anyone is feeling unusually generous and wants to make it more, please feel free to contribute HERE.

Who is eligible? - Senior HS students who attend an IB high school and who are on the staff of/or have written for their school newspaper, or enrolled in a journalism class. School may be public, private or charter.

What are we looking for? - a student's perspective on how IB has affected their high school, all aspects. YOU make the case as to whether overall, IB has a positive or a negative effect on academics and the overall culture of the school. Now we realize that the entries we will receive will be overwhelmingly of the negative variety, because if it was positive, the school would have run the article and this wouldn't be an issue. But if by some really remote chance, a super gloppy I love IB article was refused by a school paper, please feel free to enter as well. Fair and balanced.

Criteria - Essays must be a minimum of 500 words, no longer than 4,000 words (or like the IB examiners, we will not read past 4,000). No. we're kidding. Make it as long as you want. We're looking for quality of writing, clarity of expression, perhaps some humor, and of course, well researched and sourced is a must. Essays may contain personal opinion.

How to Apply -

1. Please copy and paste your article into the body of an e-mail and send it to info@truthaboutib.com

2. For Subject, please type SCHOLARSHIP

3. Please attach an e-mail from either your editor, advisor or guidance counselor stating that the school would not publish the article. They need not give a reason.

Deadline - June 30th, 2011

Judging and Award - As the essays arrive, they will all be posted on this page for all to read. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite essay. The public vote will carry 60% weight in the final decision, the other 40% being TAIB's administrators. The winner will be announced on July 4th, 2011, and the $500 will be issued to winning student's account at the university they will be attending in September, on August 1st, 2011

Good Luck!

Lisa E. McLoughlin
Truth About IB
March 28, 2011