Do you have aspiring songwriters at your library? They should definitely check out this contest! It’s for teens ages 15-19 who are unsigned songwriters and/or producers. The deadline to submit their original songs is March 10, 2008. Judging will be based on innovative lyrics that convey a positive message, as well as melody and composition.

And get this, winners will attend the 2008 Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program (July 12–August 15), which immerses students in performance, music theory, and music technology, with electives focused on songwriting, music synthesis, and music business. Two of the three winners will receive the grand prize of a full scholarship, including tuition and room and board (each valued at $6,930). The second-place winner will receive a tuition-only scholarship (valued at $4,130). These three winners will also perform at the 2008 Peace Hip-Hop Festival on August 2 at Boston’s City Hall Plaza.

Here are the details:

Essence’s Take Back the Music campaign and Berklee College of Music are again looking for the next generation of hip-hop stars. Since 2005, Take Back the Music has examined the ways in which black women are depicted in popular music and videos. The campaign continues to promote balance in mainstream hip-hop’s messages, and remains the inspiration behind the third songwriting contest.

Entry forms and contest details are posted at Essence.com/takebackthemusic and Berklee.edu.

I just read an article in eSchool News about teachers who are incorporating geocaching into their curriculum with kids. How cool is that?! If you’re not familiar with it, geocaching is like a scavenger hunt using a handheld GPS device. Caches are hidden all over the world, but like the official website says, it’s one thing to find it on the GPS and another to actually find it wherever it’s hidden. Caches usually contain a logbook for you to sign, and sometimes small items for you to take. (The general rule is if you take something you’re supposed to leave something of equal value for the next person.) A quick scan of their site today showed 213 caches in Massachusetts alone! Each listing gives you the coordinates and sometimes a description of where to find it.

Wouldn’t that be a fun program for teens in the summer? Maybe a local orienteering group or geocaching group could lend their expertise and/or their GPS units!

Co-sponsored by the American Library Association’s Social Responsibility Round Table and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Round Table, the Rainbow Project proudly announces its first annual bibliography for young readers from birth through age 18.

These 45 fictional and informational books that validate same-gender lifestyles and experiences were chosen for their high appeal to readers, quality writing and illustrations, and realistic portrayals of issues.

An annotated list is available at the Rainbow Project official site.

The Legislation Committees of YALSA, ALSC and AASL are asking for your help with a fun project. This Valentine’s Day, have your teens flood federal elected officials’ district offices with Valentines that express love for your library and its staff and ask for support for important legislation.

The ALA Youth Divisions - AASL, ALSC and YALSA - are sending out a call to action to library workers to have teens, children, parents and library supporters in their community send “I Love My Teen Services Librarian” or “I Love My School Librarian” Valentine cards to their U.S. Senators and Representatives, and to ask their elected officials to co-sponsor the SKILLS Act and/or support LSTA funding for libraries. Their voices are powerful and need to be heard, and you can help them do that! Let the legislators know you and your patrons support:

• The SKILLs Act, which guarantees that all students in the U.S. will be served by state-certified library media specialists and will have the resources they need to succeed.
• The Library Services Technology Act (LSTA), which can help libraries of all kinds expand services and access to information resources for people of all ages.

How can you make this happen? Host a program in your public or school library and invite teens, parents, children and library supporters to make and sign “I Love My Librarian” valentines. Make it a fun craft project for the whole family!

Find out more about this exciting project on the YALSA wiki at:

http://tinyurl.com/32frpb

Do you know teen bloggers who would be interested in blogging for YALSA? Do you know teens who like to write about books, music, movies, etc. and would be a perfect candidate for a position as a YALSA blogger? Are you a teen that would like to write for the YALSA blog? If so, now is your chance.

At their meeting on Monday, January 14, the YALSA Board of Directors voted to include teens in the YALSA cadre of bloggers.

What do this mean? Well, first a teen that is interested in blogging for YALSA needs to fill out and submit a teen blogger application. The application will be reviewed and teen applicants will be notified of the decision.

Once a teen blogger is accepted, a blogging account will be setup for that teen and information on how to use YALSA’s blogging software will be provided.

This is a really exciting opportunity for teen writers. If you have any questions about being a teen blogger - or helping a teen in your community become a blogger - contact Linda Braun, the YALSA Blog Manager, at lbraun@leonline.com