CHARLESTOWN, N.H., Oct. 8, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Student Conservation Association (SCA) and Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) have launched a nationwide competition to discover the next big idea in conservation, with a top prize of a brand new MAZDA3 and $10,000.
The SCA/Mazda Conservation in Action Contest, a cornerstone of SCA's 50th anniversary celebration, challenges young people to develop action-oriented environmental solutions and pays tribute to SCA founder Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam, who first proposed a "Student Conservation Corps" in her senior thesis in the mid-1950s. Entries may be submitted in all media formats including written word, PowerPoint, and video.
"The SCA/Mazda Conservation in Action Contest will not only mark SCA's first 50 years but expand our mark on the next fifty," states SCA President Dale Penny. "More than most, SCA recognizes that young people are powerful agents of change and we look forward to evaluating their fresh ideas and putting the best of them into action."
Contestants will compete in two divisions. Individuals aged 20-25 are eligible to win a 2008 MAZDA3 and $10,000 cash; $15,000 will go to the top entrant in the 15-19 category, and six regional winners will receive $2,000 prizes. All winners will also attend SCA's EarthVision: Actions for a Healthy Planet, a landmark youth in conservation summit to be held next April in Washington, DC. Additional information on EarthVision is available at www.thesca.org/earthvision_summit. Mazda will promote the contest at 600 showrooms nationwide and at major auto shows throughout the U.S.
"Mazda has proudly sponsored SCA for the past ten years, annually underwriting the placement of conservation interns in all 50 states," says Jay Amestoy, vice president of public and government affairs for Mazda North American Operations and a contest judge. "The SCA/Mazda Conservation in Action Contest will spur new thinking, new dialogue, and most importantly new practices to help protect our environment."
The contest deadline is December 1, 2007. Entries will be judged by a prestigious national panel including Jonathon Dorn, Editor-in-Chief of Backpacker magazine; David Lillard, executive producer of the American Conservation Film Festival; author and Middlebury College professor Bill McKibben; and Margaret Ronsheim, Director of Environmental Studies at Vassar College. For more information or to enter, visit www.thesca.org/contest or www.mazdausa.com.
The MAZDA3 is a high mileage/low emissions vehicle named Automobile magazine's All-Star for Best Small Car. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
The Student Conservation Association is a nationwide conservation force of college and high school volunteers who protect and restore America's parks, forests, and other public lands. Since 1957, SCA's active, hands-on practice of conservation has helped to develop a new generation of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save the planet. To learn more, visit thesca.org.
The Student Conservation Association logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3693