(New York, NY – May 10, 2011) Family Travel Forum, the award-winning resource for family vacation information, announces its 5th annual FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship. The merit scholarships, given in association with the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), encourage teens to share their travel experiences in words and images.
Cash grants ($1,000, $500, $200) are given to the top three authors in the teen writing scholarship, and the work of 25 additional Honorable Mention nominees is rewarded with passes to any Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum. Winners of the Best Photography and Best Video scholarship grants receive travel gifts, and all the top travel blogs are posted on Family Travel Forum’s site www.MyFamilyTravels.com.
“Family Travel Forum and SATW are proud to support the work of young travel bloggers with scholarships and grants,” says FTF editor Kyle McCarthy. “We know sharing their work in our online communities is educational and we hope it inspires the next generation of world travelers.”
The merit scholarship contest is open to students ages 13 to 18 who are enrolled in a junior high, high school or homeschool program in the United States, Canada or American school abroad. Students are asked to submit a maximum 600-word essay on any type or any aspect of a trip they have taken in the last five years, along with a photo or video. For more information, eligibility, rules and scholarship applications, visit http://scholarship.familytravelforum.com.
The 2011 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship runs between May 1, 2011 and August 1, 2011. The winning students’ work will be announced after November 1, 2011. For more information about all FTF grants and scholarships for college, visit http://scholarship.familytravelforum.com
About FTF
Family Travel Forum (FTF) has served all who “Have Kids, Still Travel” with print and online guides since 1996. FTF sites have won many awards for their global coverage of family vacations; the Top 10 Getaway survey of resort-based infant programs; a robust Flee Market™; forums on lifestyle travel and safety; gear reviews; pediatric travel health and a unique Custom Trip Planning service for consumers. FTF’s “The Complete Idiots Guide to the Best Family Destinations” (Alpha Penguin, 2011) is in bookstores now.
About SATW:
The Society of American Travel Writers was established in 1955, and its mission is to promote responsible journalism, provide professional development for its members, and encourage the conservation and preservation of travel resources worldwide. SATW’s more than 1,200 members include journalists, photographers, editors, electronic media specialists, film lecturers, television and film producers, and travel industry public relations representatives. SATW is a nonprofit professional association, and its members maintain the industry’s highest professional and ethical standards. Their dedication and experience represent SATW’s commitment to journalistic integrity and credibility. SATW truly comprises “Travel’s Most Trusted Voices.”
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Contact: Kyle McCarthy
Email: FTFstaff [at] familytravelforum.com
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Around the beginning of August of 2011 my parents decided to take a cruise to Mexico. At first I didn't want to go because my classes that I had at high school were College level classes and I didn't want to fall behind in them. It was my senior year, and I wanted to be on top of things. I would think that I would want to go and miss days of school, but this time around I was more focused on my education than anything. I fought really hard to stay in Florida, where I originally lived, so that I could focus on my studies, sadly, I had no choice but to go with them.
Upon arrival on the cruise things were ok. Actually it was more than ok. It was something I never experienced before. It was a mixture of different emotions. When I arrived, we had to go through a metal detector for obvious reasons. I thought I was in the clear, but every time I walked through, it would beep and I would be told to go back. I was sent back at least 10 times until the people behind me started to get mad. After about the 12th time, I finally realized what prevented me from going through. It was my belt. I had to take it off, and I thought it would be no big deal, but the minute I took it off, my pants began to drop. I quickly grabbed it, but then the officers gave me back all of my items that were metal, and without thinking I let go my pants and grabbed for the items, and the expected happened. My pants dropped. Luckily I had on long boxer shorts, but what was on the boxer shorts were even more embarrassing. My boxers had Sponge bob on it. What made it worse was that the little girl behind me saw it and shouted in excitement "Sponge Bob" and ran up to me and hugged my boxers. An outburst of laughter changed the angry crowds mood. Boy, was that embarrassing. After the embarrassing moment, it relieved some tension that I had about not going on the cruise. Even I had to admit that it was pretty funny. Eventually we settled in, got comfortable and cruised right along to Mexico.
Now since I live in Florida, I thought Florida was Hot, I was wrong. The instant I stepped off the boat into the sun, I felt as if the sun it self was cooking my face. The only way to describe or even come close to explain how hot it was is to tell you how I felt. The sun was so bright that my eyes squinted so hard that eventually after the trip I got wrinkles on my forehead from squinting so hard. I never felt a heat wave so strong as to where it made me regret ever stepping off the boat. Try standing a hot sun all day with your head hurting, eyes, and forehead. Any shade that I found was heaven for me; cause walking around in the sun was hell. The sun seriously cooked my face in to look a certain way. When I came back to Florida, everyone said that I looked older and angry. I laughed because I knew exactly why it looked the way it did.