Today celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our post from last year describes the legacy of diversity and inclusion that has been a cornerstone of our organization. To learn more about it, and how to honor this legacy with your girls, check out the post Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

For the peacemakers out there everywhere, it’s time for the launch of the third annual Peace First Prize, and once again GSUSA has partnered with Peace First to spread the word to councils across the country. The Peace First Prize recognizes young people between the ages of 8–22 for meaningful peacemaking work that creates lasting positive impact in their community, neighborhood, or school. Peace First annually awards five young leaders who have demonstrated compassion, courage, and the power to create collaborative change. Winners will each receive a $25,000 Peace First Fellowship over two years to further their peacemaking work.

Applications and nominations for the Peace First Prize are open from January 5^th through March 30^th, 2015. Winners will be announced in the fall. Additionally, this year Peace First is aiming to increase the number of nominations and applications in the first month. As an incentive, if you nominate a Girl Scout or a Girl Scout applies by February 6^th, you both will be entered into a raffle for a chance to donate $100 to the peacemaking organization of your choice.

Click Here to nominate a Girl Scout candidate for the Peace First Prize today! Whether you are an educator, family member, or friend, you can play a critical role in sharing their story. Keep in mind, when you nominate someone for the Peace First Prize, they must still fill out the Application in order to be considered. Once you submit your nomination, we will send your nominee a message letting them know, along with a link to the application.

For more information about the Prize and what they’re looking for, we encourage you to review the selection criteria or visit our FAQs.

Check out Avalon Theisen of Tampa, FL’s video to see a Girl Scout who previously made it as a finalist for the award:

Beyond the awards, we can all find ways to be advocates for peace. It starts with a small pledge: let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!