Only a few hours left to do all the things you didn't do in 2005. While, I'm sure, some items on your list can't be completed in a few hours, you can always put those things on a list for 2006 -- at least that's what I do. So whatever your resolutions| -- making an A in English class, volunteering more at school or livening up a classroom lesson -- there's no time like the New Year to make it happen.

Congratulations and good luck to Donna Cash, a seventh-grade science teacher at Heritage Middle School, who has been named a finalist for the 2005 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

The Presidential Awards were established in 1983 by Congress to award outstanding kindergarten-through-12th grade teachers in science and math.

"They are highly qualified in their fields, deeply knowledgeable about their subjects, and equipped with the methods and strategies that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics," said Celeste Pea, program director of elementary, secondary and informal education programs at the National Science Foundation, according to a press release from the foundation.

From the finalists, up to 108 Presidential Awardees are selected representing 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions. Each award recipient receives $10,000 and will take place in a week-long series of networking and professional development activities.

Winners will be announced in March at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.paemst.org.

The Mockingbird Foundation is offering grants for any in-school music project that promotes creative expression through music. The foundation is looking for applicants who use music to promote diversity with unique musical styles, genres and forms.

Maximum award is $5,000. Deadline is Feb. 1. For details, see www.mockingbirdfoundation.org.

The North Carolina PTA is offering scholarships for teachers and students.

Teachers must be in good standing with the PTA, have a minimum of three years of teaching experience and be working towards a master's degree in a subject or grade level. The scholarship is limited to only instructional classroom teachers.

Students have to be members of their school's PTA or PTSA or join by Jan. 1. Students will be required to submit necessary documents, like their high school transcript, and answer five questions.

Scholarships are $1,000. Deadline is March 1.

For more information contact the State PTA Office at www.ncpta.org.