In a call to action, "Tu Voz, My Venture" awarded 50 winning teams with start-up grants of up to $1,000 to launch their ventures to help young Latinos stay in school and prepare for college and beyond. Five finalist teams were selected to receive a $5,000 scholarship. This initiative was launched in partnership with Youth Venture, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and MTV Tr3s Voces.

You have probably encountered many challenges in school, your neighborhood and in your community related to your education. Perhaps you've seen a video produced by a young person on MTV Tr3s that talks about the problems young people face when trying to graduate from high school or prepare for college or work. Check out the stories produced by your peers and get inspired to make a difference.

The five grand-prize "Tu Voz, My Venture" teams:

Bio Motors: Veggies give you GAS, Los Angeles, CA: The team's action plan assists Latino students with transportation to educational programs, while engaging them in a movement to expand awareness of the use of environmentally conscious fuel. The plan calls for converting an old school bus diesel engine to run on used vegetable oil collected from fast food restaurants.

College Bound Latinos, Arlington, VA: This team plans to host trips to colleges for young Latinos to expose them to college life and reinforce the importance of a college education The program informs students about scholarship opportunities and also plans on educating the parents by hosting "college night sessions" in English and Spanish.

SOUL, Gresham, OR: Concerned about high dropout and pregnancy rates among young Latinas, the ultimate goal of this venture is to get Latina students in Gresham High School focused on school and college through mentoring, homework tutoring, and the building of self-esteem and stronger social networks.

Latino Youth for Community Preparedness (LYCP) Oakland, CA: This team will provide Bi-lingual first aid and disaster preparedness presentations and trainings to raise awareness and educate the Hispanic community in ways that they can protect themselves and loved ones in the event of a natural disaster or in an emergency situation. This Venture wants to help people realize they can do something to protect themselves and save other people lives when it comes to natural disasters and medical emergencies and education.

Peques Chavos Fundacion de Futbol (FF) Southampton, NY: This Venture seeks to motivate Latino youth to stay in school and continue their studies through their desire to be part of a group that supports the playing of soccer. The goal is to create an opportunity to use a popular sport like soccer to inspire youth to strive for scholarships and further their higher education possibilities.

All 50 grant winning teams from across the United States. For a summary of all the winning team's venture ideas visit www.genv.net/tuvoz:

• A Taste of Reality, Austin, TX
• AITHABANI Clothing, Brooklyn, New York
• Arts in the Heights, Washington, DC
• *Bio Motors: Veggies Give You Gas, Los Angeles, CA
• Camino Latino, Corvallis, Oregon
• Changing Franklin Road - One Kid at a Time, Marietta, GA
• Charlottesville College Academy, Charlottesville, VA
• Cleopatra's Coffin of Knowledge, Allison Park, PA
• College Bound Latinos, Arlington, VA
• Dimwitnot.com, Antioch, CA
• Donna College Correspondence Club, Edinburg, TX
• El Camino Al Exito, South Gate, CA
• Emerging Leaders of Hayfield, Arlington, VA
• Empowering Latinos, Sullivan Park, TX
• From Cartridge to Cardstock, Midland, TX
• Futbol Recreativo Competitivo, Woodbridge, VA
• Future Hispanic Leaders of Tomorrow, Annandale, VA
• Generation Education, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
• *HERO, Sugar City, ID
• International School of Hip-Hop, Los Angeles, CA
• Jumper, Elkridge, MD
• Jungle Bush Productions, "The KC Brothers Show", Philadelphia, PA
• Laptops for College and Career Exploration, Cleveland, Ohio
• Latino Empowerment, Arlington, VA
• *Latino Youth for Emergency Preparedness, Oakland, CA
• L.E. E. P - Latinos Elderly and Environment Program, Washington, DC
• Learning is for Everyone, St. Croix, USVI
• Leading Latinos towards Accomplishment Via Example (L.L.A.V.E.), Milwaukee, WI
• LOL, Miami, Florida
• Mi Futuro - My Venture, South Gate, CA
• My College Buddy, South Gate, CA
• Necessary and Valuable Insight to Gain Access Toward Education, Minneapolis, MN
• Opportunities Outreach Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
• Paving the Way for Latino Success, Mission Valley, TX
• *Peques Chavos Fundacion de Futbol, Southampton, New York
• Raising the Bar, Bethany, OK
• Recycle or Bust, Midland, TX
• Soccer Mania, Riverdale, MD
• *SOUL, Gresham, OR
• South Side Teen Scene's Peace Project, Lansing, MI
• S.T.A.R.T.S., Phoenix, Arizona
• Tau Lambda, Washtenaw, MI
• Tech 9, Bronx, New York
• Technology for Hope, Silver Spring, MD
• The Good Citizens, Bronx, New York
• Tomorrow Teens, Yukon, OK
• Walls to Canvas, Sun Valley, CA
• Youth Action Network, Austin, Texas
• Youth Empowering Action, Miami, Fl
• Youth Leading Youth, Arlington, VA

Watch related videos:
Tu Voz My Venture
An Introduction to Youth Venture