Nominate a Young Person Who is Changing the World!

The 16th Annual Power of Children Awards will recognize 6 extraordinary young change agents from around the country who are making significant contributions to their communities and the world through projects they created. If you know a young person in grades 6-11 who meets the participation rules (below), please nominate them to be considered for this national award from The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The online application period is Feb. 12–May 31, 2020!  

Each Winner Receives: 

• A $2,000 grant to continue their extraordinary project
• A partial four-year College Scholarship from select Indiana universities
• Recognition in the museum’s The Power of Children® exhibit for at least one year
• Recognition during a special awards event at The Children's Museum on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020 and at The Power of Children Symposium on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020

How to Nominate a Youth:

Nominate a Youth Today

Power of Children Award nominations are accepted online only through the AwardSpring application site by clicking on the button above. A complete application will include the Adult Nominator form, the Parent/Guardian permission form, and the Youth Nominee form. The Nominator and Nominee sections of the application contain general questions (including contact information and four essay questions that must be answered (first by the Adult Nominator and then by the Youth Nominee) in four independent essays limited to 200 words or less each. Each of the essays will be evaluated and scored by the Power of Children Awards Adjudication Committee separately. The criteria-based essays are:

• Need Addressed: How the Youth became aware of a need or cause facing their community or world and what they did to address it.
• Impact Achieved: How the Youth’s project has made a real impact (short-term and/or long-term) and what they and others have given to the project (time, talents and resources donated and invested).
• Learning and Skills Developed: How the Youth has grown in skills and knowledge through the course of their project.
• Engagement/Empowerment Continued: How the Youth plans to continue the project or support its cause, and how the funds from the Power of Children Awards will be used.

The Parent/Guardian permission form (required for participation) is also located through the link above.

Rules for Participation

• Only individuals are eligible for nomination. Projects started by groups are not eligible.
• Youth must be enrolled in Grades 6 to 11 in the school year of 2019–2020 as of the application deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST, Sunday, May 31, 2020.
• Youth under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian permission for his/her application to be completed, submitted and reviewed.
• Adult Nominators must be adults, 21 years of age or older, and may not be a parent, guardian, or immediate family member of the Youth Nominee. The Nominator must complete the application using their own words and insights about the Nominee’s project (rather than the Youth’s words).
• Youth Nominees must have actively participated in the projects during the 2019–2020 school year.
• All Nominees must certify, if selected as an award recipient, they will attend the awards presentation at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020 and the Power of Children Symposium on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. Due to travel and accommodation assistance being provided, failure to attend will result in forfeiture of the award
• An Adult Nominator may submit a nomination for more than one young person; however, only one nomination per Youth Nominee will be accepted
• Only applications that contain the following three items and have been submitted online at childrensmuseum.org/AwardSpring no later than 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, May 31, 2020 will be considered: (1) a completed Adult Nomination form; (2) a completed Parent/Guardian permission form; and (3) a completed Youth Nominee form (including references).

For more information, please contact 

Luana Nissan, Program Manager
The Power of Children Awards
317-334-3821
lnissan@childrensmuseum.org

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