Normally the Neighbourhood Heroes we write about are average, everyday individuals, role models who put positive ideas into action.

For the first time ever, today's column will feature a not so average, everyday company, a corporate role model that has put an extraordinary idea into action.

How would you like your son or daughter to win a $5,000 scholarship, help raise even more money for other student scholarships and, at the same time, launch a brand new community improvement project?

Sounds like one of those "Too good to be true" pitches doesn't it?

But, thanks to SuperPages, an exceptionally creative corporate citizen, it's not.

The idea is brilliant. They call it the "Make It Real Essay Contest" and it's being initiated this year from March 1 to April 30 in three British Columbia school districts including School District # 68 in central Vancouver Island.

This is an essay contest designed to give Grade 12 graduating students an opportunity to develop a community improvement project from the ground up and possibly win a $5,000 post-secondary scholarship in the process.

The challenged is to write a one thousand-word essay starting with the words, "If I had $3,500 to improve my community, I would ...".

And this won't be just some fantasy concocted in a student's mind soon to be forgotten.

The winning idea will be carried to fruition in the community supported by a grant of up to $3,500 from SuperPages.

From constructing a new playground, to purchasing new equipment for a youth center, to a project that might support senior citizens, the potential value of this program for the community is limited only by the ideas competing students will be able to generate.

If you are, or know, a Grade 12 student, this is definitely an opportunity worthy of serious consideration. Information is available at all local high schools.

"Essays will be judged for their logic, ability to stay on budget, and for the benefits the community project described will have," says the promotional literature. "Creativity is strongly encouraged, although the project proposed must be realistic from a feasibility point of view. Each essay must contain a full explanation of how the community will benefit from the project."

This SuperPages win/win idea will see seven different winners: one Grade 12 student will receive a $5,000 post-secondary scholarship, another will get $1,000 and two others $500; a lucky community organization will get up to $3,500 funding for the special project described in the winning essay; the Nanaimo Schools Financial Assistance Society will receive funding for future scholarships; and, we hope, SuperPages themselves will also benefit. This is a great idea and this company deserves to be recognized for it.

"SuperPages is proud to be able to support BC students and BC communities," said Paul Wood, VP Marketing. "The 'Make it Real Scholarship' program will encourage young people to learn more about community service organizations in their communities and how they can have a positive impact themselves."

Right on Paul.

Surely we all hope that a high percentage of our graduating students will have, as one of their major goals, a commitment to helping build stronger, better communities for all of us.

Projects like this will help make that hope becomes reality.

When the contest is over, I will feature the winning idea in this column as well as some of the others.

Congratulations once again to SuperPages. I'll think of you and this essay contest every time I turn to one of your Telus or SuperPages directories.