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Compelling stories earn scholarships for writers ages 13-18 in Family Travel Forum's 2007 Teen Travel Writing contest.

(New York) - Family Travel Forum, the award-winning publisher of family vacation information on the web, announces the extraordinarily successful results of its first Teen Travel Essay Scholarship competition. More than 5,000 essays were received from students ages 13 to 18 attending public and private schools, U.S. Department of Defense schools, International-American programs, and homeschools around the world.

Contrary to the common stereotype of America's illiterate teens, more than 95% of the essays deserved an A, and the outpouring of personal expression was remarkable in its diversity.

"Topics ranged from daycations at the beach with best friends to dragging an enormous pink suitcase throughout Europe; from close encounters with a beloved grandparent to mishaps with foreign toilets," notes judge Laura Sutherland."We read stories of kids' homesickness and the misunderstandings that arose when visiting a parent's native culture; of physical and mental abuse, pesky little siblings, favorite pets, and church-sponsored mission trips. In the end, the judges were most impressed by the personal revelations made away from home, because that's the essence of travel."

Congratulations to recipients of Family Travel Forum's 2007 Teen Travel Writing Scholarships.

2007 Scholarship Winners

1st Place ($500):
“The Experiment in International Living: Turkey, 2007” by Amanda Labora, Miami, Florida

2nd Place ($250):
“The Halfburger Trip” by Nate Fisher, Lewisville, Texas

3rd Place ($100):

“Relating to the Other” by Rachelle Grossman, Spokane, Washington