Virginia Arts Festival Model NATO Challenge

The Model NATO Challenge is a scholarship competition in which the top applicants along with alternates are chosen to participate in a mock global crisis simulation, confronting issues facing today’s NATO Alliance. Student Diplomats are chosen to represent each of the NATO Member Nations. Student Diplomats must work together to address a crisis scenario such as piracy, immigration, or another issue that faces the NATO Alliance today. Student Diplomats are assigned mentors, military officers from each of the member countries, who assist in preparing the students for the challenge while teaching them about their culture, national military resources and political backgrounds. Scholarship Details • Three scholarships: $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000, awarded to outstanding participants. • Scholarships paid directly to the chosen college or university. Eligibility Criteria • Open to Coastal Area of Southeastern Virginia high school students in good standing. • Not available to previous Model NATO Challenge Scholarship winners. Application Process 1. Submit applications including essays by January 13th. 2. Participate in the Challenge event at Virginia Wesleyan University on March 28th. Norfolk NATO Festival is a non-profit organization founded in 1953, just one year after the establishment of NATO's Allied Command Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. In that year, the citizens of Norfolk organized a salute to these allied forces in order to create new friendships, provide a basis for cultural exchange, pursue new lines of trade between Norfolk and the world, and to recognize NATO’s role in maintaining peace and stability in the world. This scholarship recognizes excellence in students participating in the Model NATO Challenge, enhancing their academic and diplomatic skills.