NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Goldman Sachs Foundation and Asia Society today announced a new student prizes component to the annual Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education, expanding the program to identify and recognize young people who demonstrate an in-depth understanding of key issues in international affairs and the global economy.
"Preparing today's students for success and eventual leadership in the global economy is the single most important task facing U.S. education," said Stephanie Bell-Rose, President of The Goldman Sachs Foundation, in announcing the youth prizes program. "If young Americans are to take on challenging global leadership roles in the future, they must possess a deep understanding and appreciation for other cultures, geography, history, and languages. The Prizes program is designed to show students that international education can be challenging, interesting, and relevant in preparing them for the world."
High school students from across the United States will be eligible to submit entries for the youth prize, to be evaluated by a panel of judges including Lisa Ling, host of National Geographic Explorer, and SuChin Pak from MTV News. Five students who demonstrate an in-depth understanding of key issues in international affairs and the global economy will receive a $5,000 scholarship prize each. The five prize-winners will be published on Asia Society's award-winning website for educators and youth: www.AskAsia.org. Winners will also receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City in early December to be recognized at Asia Society's Annual Gala Dinner.
In this national competition, students will respond to global citizenship and global economic challenges as posed by India's renowned world leader, Mahatma Gandhi and by New York Times' Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Thomas Friedman. A variety of formats, including written essays, audio or video documentaries, or animated multimedia presentations, will be accepted.
The new youth prize will become part of the annual Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education, which was created in 2003 to raise awareness of the growing importance of international knowledge and skills for U.S. students. In addition to prizes amounting to $25,000 for the youth winners, four additional prizes of $25,000 will be awarded to schools, states, and media/technology groups that are bringing the world into America's classrooms. These prizes will recognize creative and effective programs and leaders who are integrating intellectually rigorous international content into schools, fostering effective teaching and learning of world languages, and bringing the world to America's youth in exciting new ways through the use of media and technology.
"Over the past three years, the prizes program has identified, supported and encouraged schools and programs that are rethinking what it means to be an educated American in the 21st century," said Vivien Stewart, Vice President for Education, Asia Society. "While we are delighted by the creativity and innovation evident in international education efforts across the country, the pace of change at the district, state, and national levels must now accelerate. The new prize represents a way to activate youth directly to build momentum for more rigorous and engaging international content in schools."
Find additional information on the Prizes, contest rules, and judging criteria at www.InternationalEd.org/prizes. Deadline for entry for the youth prize is October 23, 2006, and for the school, state and media/technology prizes January 12, 2007.
About The Goldman Sachs Foundation
The Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization funded by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The Foundation's mission is to promote excellence and innovation in education and to improve the academic performance and lifelong productivity of young people worldwide. It achieves this mission through a combination of strategic partnerships, grants, loans, private sector investments, and the deployment of professional talent from Goldman Sachs. Funded in 1999, the Foundation has awarded grants of $72 million since its inception, providing opportunities for young people in more than 20 countries. Visit the Foundation at www.gs.com/foundation.
About Asia Society
Asia Society is the leading global organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. We seek to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture. Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
www.asiasociety.org, www.askasia.org, www.internationaled.org