Stop the Hate Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Maltz Museum
Stop the Hate Program — Overview
The Stop the Hate program invites Northeast Ohio students in grades 6–12 to engage in creative competitions that address bullying, mistreatment, and hate. It offers structured workshops and curated prompts to support skill development in essay, poetry, and songwriting. Workshops and competitions are provided at no cost and are designed for classroom, school, or homeschool groups. The program focuses on empowering youth to tell their stories, build empathy, and take positive action within their communities.
Description: A regional youth program featuring two creative competitions (writing and songwriting) plus free instructional workshops and resources.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12 in the following counties: Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne. Workshops are available for middle school, high school, or homeschool groups of 15 or more.
- Open to 6th–12th grade students across specified Northeast Ohio counties.
- Workshops and competitions are provided free of charge.
- Workshops require group participation (minimum 15 students) for onsite sessions.
Youth Speak Out: Essay & Poetry Writing Competition
Youth Speak Out is a writing competition that accepts essays and poems from eligible 6th–12th graders across the designated counties. The program pairs the competition with free workshops that offer writing prompts, guidance, and classroom support. Participation in the workshops is optional for this competition; students may enter independently. Judging, recognition, and awards are part of the program to highlight student work and public storytelling.
Description: An essay and poetry competition open to all eligible students seeking to explore themes related to respect, inclusion, and community through written work.
Eligibility: All students in grades 6–12 within the listed Northeast Ohio counties may submit entries; teachers can request free workshops for groups of 15 or more.
- Accepts both essay and poetry submissions.
- Free preparatory workshops and writing prompts available but not required to enter.
- Designed to develop literacy, reflection, and public recognition of student voices.
Youth Sing Out: Songwriting Competition
Youth Sing Out is a songwriting competition that requires classroom participation in the program’s free songwriting workshops. The competition is structured to support music education and creative collaboration within enrolled classrooms. In addition to awards, the initiative may offer educational grants and performance opportunities tied to the songwriting curriculum. The workshops and competition materials are tailored for middle and high school or homeschool classroom groups of 15 or more.
Description: A songwriting competition available only to classrooms that complete the program’s songwriting workshops, focused on collaborative music creation and performance.
Eligibility: Classrooms (middle school, high school, or homeschool) located in the specified counties that participate in the free songwriting workshops; workshops require a minimum group size of 15 students.
- Exclusive to classrooms that take part in the songwriting workshops.
- Includes curricular support, performance opportunities, and potential educational grants.
- Emphasizes collaboration, music literacy, and public presentation of student work.
Why Participate
Participation in Stop the Hate combines creative education with social-emotional learning and civic engagement. The program equips students with tools to recognize and respond to harassment and prejudice through narrative and artistic expression. It fosters empathy, communication skills, and leadership while giving students avenues for recognition and real-world impact. Overall, the initiative supports student growth academically, personally, and socially.
Benefits: The program builds empathy, strengthens communication and creative skills, encourages civic engagement, and provides public recognition and performance opportunities for student work.
- Promotes awareness and constructive responses to hate, bullying, and mistreatment.
- Encourages empathy and perspective-taking through storytelling and music.
- Develops creative, literacy, and presentation skills useful in school and beyond.
- Provides platforms for student voices, including recognition, performances, and awards.
- Supports leadership and civic responsibility by motivating positive community action.