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application form

The Education Fund of the United Steelworkers is offering 21 scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00 to qualified secondary school students across Canada, to be distributed as follows:

District 3: 5 Scholarships (Western Provinces)
District 5: 6 Scholarships (Québec)
District 6: 2 Scholarships (Atlantic Region)
District 6: 6 Scholarships (Ontario)
National: 2 Scholarships

The conditions of these scholarships are:

(1) The scholarships shall be awarded to members, or sons and daughters of members, of the United Steelworkers.

(2) Recipients of scholarships must be prepared to show their level of education is sufficient to allow admittance to an approved institution of higher education, such as university, technological institute, nursing school, etc. People who have already completed some post-secondary studies are NOT eligible for this award.

(3) The student must complete an application form which may be obtained from the office of the District Director or from the Regional Representative of the United Steelworkers in the community.

(4) The application form, to be submitted no later than JUNE 30TH, 2010, must be accompanied by an original essay in either French or English of approximately 1,000 words dealing with one of the following topics:

a) Is there a role for unions today? Your essay should examine what role unions play in today’s economy, and what kind of difference being a member of a union can make. You might want to interview your mother or father about the history of the Steelworkers in their workplace and what difference the Union has made in their lives. What areas or issues could the Union better address in the workplaces of today? How can the union build support of members and their families?

b) Organizing locally and globally: As corporations merge and grow, unions too are seeking out partners and entering into strategic alliances. Discuss in your essay how these global alliances can help workers better address the challenges of, for example, poverty, the spread of AIDS/HIV, or climate change. Pick one of these areas to explore in your paper.

c) Your vote is your say: If democracy is so important to us, why aren’t more people voting in elections? Discuss in your paper why politics and participation in political action is important to our democratic society. What do you think Steelworkers and others can do to help encourage young people to become politically active? What could the Union do differently or better?

(5) Essays must be typed and double-spaced on 8-1/2" x 11" paper.

(6) The selection and judging will be done in each District by a committee consisting of a representative of the District Director, a judge from outside the labour movement and the Education Department of the United Steelworkers in Canada.
*Please note that any evidence of plagiarism will result in disqualification. Proper citation and accreditation is expected.

(7) Proof of acceptance at an institution of higher education will be requested before an award is made.

The awarding of scholarships in each District will be based on the following principles:

1. the academic record and all-around achievement of the student, attested to by the school principal; (Attach transcript and letter of recommendation from your teacher or principal to the application form).
2. the 1,000-word essay; and
3.  Proof of acceptance in an institution of higher education.