Bechtel Prize for Educating the Imagination
The Bechtel Prize for Educating the Imagination is a $3,500 honorarium and publication in a special issue of Teachers and Writers Magazine for an outstanding article or essay on the topic of creative writing education, literary studies, and/or the profession of writing.

It is suggested that applicants read Teachers and Writers before applying to become familiar with the style and tone of the publication. Potential topics include contemporary issues in classroom teaching, innovative approaches to teaching literature, and the intersection between literature and imaginative writing. Submissions must be previously unpublished and less than 5,000 words. Two copies should be submitted with a SASE by May 31. Full guidelines for the Bechtel Prize are available at www.twc.org/Bechtel_prize.htm.

Arts Education Partnership meeting
The Washington, DC-based Arts Education Partnership will meet on June 18-19 in Washington, DC, for its next Partnership meeting. Registration forms will be available in mid-April on the organization’s website at www.aep-arts.org. The Arts Education Partnership is a national coalition of arts, education, business, government, and philanthropic organizations demonstrating and promoting the role of arts in the educational development of children in American schools. The organization forms relationships with partner organizations to focus on the promotion of arts education.

ArtsEdge
The Kennedy Center’s ArtsEdge website at www.artsedge.kennedy.org offers nearly 250 arts-in-education lesson ideas. Target ages range from K-12, and suggested lessons are offered in all artistic disciplines. Lessons can be sorted based on target grade audience and artistic discipline. Some suggested lessons topics are the introduction of the concept of “junk art” or “found art” to K-4 students, the interpretation of mythology through dance for students in grades 5-8, and the use of folk art as a form of communication for students in grades 9-12.

Braille music and technology services
The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians offers services relating to Braille music and technology, as well as information enabling the visually impaired to study music. The organization provides consultation, training, and will direct inquirers to a network of musicians and teachers. The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians’ staff travels throughout New York State and New England to conduct workshops for school staff and to provide training to students. Moreover, staff is able to refer students to visually impaired musicians in their local area who often serve as mentors. For more information, visit www.blindmusicstudent.org.

Summer Arts Institute in Russia
The Summer Arts Institute (SAI) in Russia offers the opportunity for arts educators to discover the culture and customs of Russia through a partnership with Russian educators from July 14-28, 2004. Activities will include performances and museum visits. SAI is co-sponsored by Nassau BOCES, the Hermitage State Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Russian Mission to the United Nations. School districts may be able to subsidize participation in some cases. For more information, call 516.396.2345 or email mjbolin@mail.nasboces.org.