The American Meditation Institute in Averill Park today announced that four regional high school students will be awarded the first-ever National Conscience Month scholarships totaling $2,000. Recipients will be selected through original artistic creations inspired by the use or denial of the Conscience. Submissions will be accepted in four categories: Creative Writing; Visual Art (two-dimensional); Music or Song; and Video.

Contest entries will be reviewed, and a winner from each category will be selected by a panel of judges from The American Meditation Institute, the New York State Writers Institute, and representatives from well-known arts organizations located in New York’s Capital Region. The scholarship contest is sponsored by COGENCY GLOBAL, Agrawal Family Foundation and Key Private Bank.

According to Leonard Perlmutter, founder of The American Meditation Institute and originator of National Conscience Month, “We know that people in our current culture are moving and reacting quickly, rather than making discerning choices. At present there is no school curriculum focused on teaching students how to evaluate options or how to use their Conscience as a practical resource tool. In part, this scholarship contest intends to help establish an awareness in today’s youth of the positive value of regularly using their Conscience as a trusted guide that will lead them toward a happy, healthy, creative and productive life.”

The mission of National Conscience Month is to foster a national conversation that inspires individuals of all ages, and governments, school systems, faith leaders, non-profits, community organizations, corporations, atheists and agnostics across the United States to consciously experiment with using their Conscience in choosing their thoughts, words and deeds. The month-long observance identifies January 2020 as the perfect time to clarify our vision by using the Conscience as an inspired and trustworthy guide to making better decisions.

High schoolers can enter the scholarship contest immediately, and submissions are accepted through January 12, 2020. The contest winners will be announced the last week in January, 2020.

“At present there is no school curriculum focused on teaching students how to evaluate options or how to use their Conscience as a practical resource tool. In part, this scholarship contest intends to help establish an awareness in today’s youth of the positive value of regularly using their Conscience as a trusted guide that will lead them toward a happy, healthy, creative and productive life.”

LEONARD PERLMUTTER

National Conscience Month Founder