Although in first reading it may sounds like freak show, this award is indeed very prestigious and not on last place big as amount. Davidson Institute for Talent Development awards young people of 18 years of age or less, who have completed significant piece of work in different fields.
These are annual prices that the institute awards are $50,000 for the first place winner, $25,000 for the second and $10,000 for the third. The prices are annual and for 2015 the deadline for applications is 11th February. You can apply and win only once. The categories are philosophy, technology, music, science, math and literature. There is also one more category: “Outside of the box”.
Davidson Fellows Scholarship Program is considered one of the 10 most generous in the world and one among the 7 most prestigious in USA.
To be eligible for it you need to be not more than 18 years old of 15th October 2015. There is no minimal age for application. Also you have to be either US citizen, or US resident; also if you are military you can be situated temporary outside the country without losing your application rights. The project that you will submit should be close to college graduate level, showing your depth of knowledge in any of the areas of study that the categories represent.
What should be your project? In short, it can be everything that the experts in the particular area count as meaningful, significant and contributive to the society. It can be: a prodigious performance, an interdisciplinary discovery, new high impact idea, innovative broad-range implication solution, important advancement that can be used as base and be built on, exceptionally creative application of existing knowledge and any other extraordinary accomplishment demonstration.
Complete your application here https://prd.davidsongifted.org/exmusl and if you still have any questions you can turn to DavidsonFellows@DavidsonGifted.org. If you have applied before, use the same account and don’t create new one.
When you submit the primary form of your application/ a portfolio, it will be revised and you will receive a letter saying if you are eligible or not and if you are, there will be description of the steps to follow. You will have to name a list of nominators (name and e-mail) that will have to fill Nominating Form and to submit it to Davidson Institute. In the end if your application is accepted, your parents will also receive an email with Parent Form link that should be filled.