Last week, Bing,the newish Microsoft search engine launched a contest called Our School Needs, in which they’re inviting students to submit entries explaining what their school needs – from arts programs and books for the library, to healthy lunch programs and school supplies.

Students can work in groups, classes, or school-wide to complete their submission, which must finish the sentence, “Our School Needs: _________.” Entries should include a 500-800 word essay, 3-5 photos, and if you’re up to the task, a video (no more than 3 minutes long).

Bing users will vote on the top finalists in the elementary, middle school, and high school categories, and one winner for each level will be chosen to win $50,000 for their school. One grand-prize winning school will win $100,000. Lastly, up to $900,000 in additional funding will be donated to various schools through DonorsChoose.org.

To enter the contest, visit Bing’s Our School Needs contest page. To find out more about how it works, watch this video. Good luck!

The Girl Effect – an online movement devoted to empowering 600 million adolescent girls in the developing world to be agents of change and make the world a better place – has a powerful new video out called The Clock is Ticking.

This video explores how girls in many impoverished countries are considered women by the time they hit 12 years old. By the time they’re 14, many are married. By 15, pregnant or with a child. But as The Clock is Ticking shows, this cycle can be stopped when girls are given a chance – when they have the ability to stay in school, have regular medical check-ups, and stay safe.

What I love about this video, besides the gorgeous animation, cool design, and moving music, is that it so simply lays out the case for not only what’s wrong with the picture for girls living in poverty around the world, but how changing the life of one girl can make a difference to many.

Check it out for yourself:

To get involved with The Girl Effect, visit their website here and get mobilized. Like them on , host a Girl Effect fundraiser party, and join in the conversation!

If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, please check out my friend and fellow member of the Confidence Community (TM) Johanna Kandel’s new book, which just came out today.

Johanna struggled with her eating disorder for ten years before finally getting help. She founded the Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness in 2000 to do community outreach, education, awareness, and prevention of various eating disorders, to share the message that recovery from these disorders is possible, and make sure that those suffering from eating disorders don’t have to recover alone.

In her powerful new book, Johanna offers tools and insight for those with eating disorders so they can:

• Stop self-sabotage and sidestep triggers
• Quiet the eating-disordered voice
• Strengthen the healthy, positive voice
• Let go of all-or-nothing thinking
• Overcome fear and embrace change
• Stay motivated and keep moving forward

Complete with inspiring true stories from others who have won their personal battles with eating disorders, this book provides the help you need to break free from your eating disorder and discover how wonderful life really can be.

Congratulations to Johanna on bringing this very important book into the world!