National

Put down the school books and start a business: money for student entrepreneurs.

Students can benefit from two programs designed to help young entrepreneurs.

The second annual Cindy Rowe Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards is open to high school seniors who are operating their own businesses or who have developed and sold a company within the past three years.

Eligible applicants must live in the 13-county central Pennsylvania region, and March 31, 2000, is the deadline to enter. Up to 20 semifinalists will receive $250 each, and three finalists will be awarded $500, $1,000 and $2,500 prizes. For details, visit the Web site of sponsor Cindy Rowe Auto Glass at http://www.cindyrowe.com.

Graduates from 21 technical colleges in California, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Texas and Wisconsin can apply for Tools for Success scholarships.

Sponsored by Miller Brewing Co., the program helps students who have skills in such areas as automotive technology and computer-aided drafting purchase the equipment needed to get started in jobs or their own businesses.

Interested students can apply through their schools. The average scholarship is $2,000, which, due to volume discounts, typically buys equipment and supplies valued at more than $10,000.

The deadline to apply varies; for more information, call (800) 809-7299.

This article was originally published in the November 1999 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: National.