U.S. heritage scholarships open

High school juniors and seniors in Stanislaus County are invited to participate in the 2012 American Heritage Scholarship program, sponsored by The Modesto Bee, Modesto City Schools and the Stanislaus County Office of Education.

Students attend a lecture, and then write an essay. Winners of the essay contest will receive scholarship awards ranging from $100 to $2,000.

The lecture will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Martin G. Petersen Event Center, 720 12th St., Modesto, featuring Keith W. Smith, an assistant professor of political science at the University of the Pacific. He will speak on the 2012 presidential campaign. Students will write an essay on the theme of whether the media has advanced or hindered voters' ability to make informed decisions. The essays are due Oct. 26.

Essay applications are available from high school counselors and from the county Office of Education at (209) 238-1706 or online, www.stancoe.org/scoe/admin/american_heritage/index.html.