/PRNewswire/ - Ford Motor Company Fund is seeking students who are making a positive community impact in its "Heart Behind the Oval" scholarship contest. The contest is now open and accepting essays until April 9, 2010.

Modeled after Ford's own standard of giving back to the communities in which it works, the two-part scholarship contest is open to high school seniors and current college students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university by September 30, 2010. The first place prizewinner will receive a $3,000 scholarship, second place a $2,000 scholarship and third place a $1,000 scholarship.

"The Heart Behind the Oval scholarship contest salutes students who share the same value of giving back to the community that Ford has demonstrated for more than a century," said Mike Schmidt, Director, Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. "More important, the program allows us to invest in these students' futures."

Students are required to submit a 1,000 "“ 2,000 character written essay demonstrating what their heart is behind, explaining how they are making a difference in their community. From contributing to local non-profit organizations to mentoring or volunteer work, each eligible submission will be judged based on originality, content, clarity, grammar and community impact. To register or view the Official Rules visit: www.fordscholars.org.

Ten semi-finalists will win an ULTRA HD FLIP Cam for their outstanding efforts. The semi-finalists will then use the Cam to produce a 3-minute video illustrating their essay. The videos will be posted to www.fordscholars.org for public voting May 10 "“ 14, 2010. The public votes combined with the judging panel will determine the scholarship winners. The winners will be announced on May 17, 2010.

The "Heart Behind The Oval" scholarship contest is operated in conjunction with the Ford Blue Oval Scholar's program. The program's website, www.fordscholars.org, is a national web-based initiative open to the public as a resource for available scholarships supported by Ford Motor Company Fund. It also provides past Ford Motor Company Fund scholarship winners a place to network, coordinate community service activities and learn about internships and careers.

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 159,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

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