Northrop Grumman E - Week

One of San Diego Unified School District's valued partners, Northrop Grumman hosted a series of events during National Engineering Week for our middle school students in February! E-Week promotes the importance of career and technical education as well as encouraging students to pursue higher levels of math and science.

Sixty female students from Marston Middle School and Wilson Middle School participated in a virtual field trip with Northrop Grumman. The girls were introduced to the world of Engineering through first-hand accounts of educational backgrounds & interests/hobbies from many female Northrop Grumman Engineers. The attendees participated in breakout rooms where they were introduced to an important STEM female that had made a historical impact on the world of Engineering. The field trip ended with each group doing a hands-on Engineering project such as coding with cups and hoop gliders. The girls attending the field trip enjoyed the personal connection that each of the Northrop Grumman mentors made with them. Our students are grateful for the time these women spent with our girls encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM! Mann Middle School was invited to participate in a virtual field trip highlighting STEM and Black History Month with Northrop Grumman’s African American Task Group. 35 students were introduced to STEM while celebrating the achievements and impacts of black engineers and scientists. The students enjoyed the breakout sessions with the professionals from Northrop Grumman and even the teachers in attendance learned from the experience! Experiences like E - Week allow our students to interact directly with professionals and inspire our students to pursue their passions! We are very thankful for our partners at Northrop Grumman for providing engaging experiences for our middle school students.

Clairemont's Academy of Business Students earn 1st and 2nd Place at Junior Achievement's Stock Market Challenge

Junior Achievement held their Stock Market Challenge on Tuesday, March 9th. This year over 150 student teams from all over the County participated in this simulated game. Students had to make trade decisions every 45 seconds for one hour based on current market values. These are the same true skills that stock brokers have to use every day in their professions. Clairemont’s Academy of Business students who are in the Business and Financial Markets class attended the challenge and had great success. The Academy teams finished first, second and fourth respectively. Clairemont’s business educator, Paul Barwill was extremely proud of his students and what they have accomplished despite the challenges that COVID and online learning has presented this year. Congratulations to the Academy of Business!

The Disability Advocate Scholarship

As an accomplished clinical psychologist and attorney at law, Dr. Bill LaTour has benefited from many years of education. He believes an education paves the way for a brighter future, and that no one should be excluded from this opportunity. It is this belief, along with his compassion for his Californian community, that The Law Offices of Dr. Bill LaTour is launching the Disability Advocate Scholarship. This scholarship will grant one student a $1,000 scholarship to be used on tuition or other education-related expenses. Apply: https://www.drbilllatouratty.com/the-disability-advocate-scholarship/. Application due by: April 30, 2021.

Introduction to Research Science and Communication Virtual Program

This free program will use Salk Education Outreach's expertise in science communication to equip students with skills that will help them succeed in future careers in science, including scientific readings, data analysis, science presentation delivery, and virtual lab simulations. The program requires 5-10 hours of commitment per week (mostly asynchronous) and is self-paced with weekly assignments and Zoom meetings (schedule TBD). Students who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion. https://www.salk.edu/about/education-outreach/programs/salk-introduction-to-research-science-and-communication-virtual-program/. Deadline is March 31, 2021

Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholars-

Offered as part of a partnership with the Biocom Institute Life Science Young Leaders High School Internship program, this 8-week internship provides students real-life experience performing scientific research while developing skill sets needed for STEM careers. Students will be mentored by Salk scientists and have the opportunity to work in-person in a Salk lab with their mentor (5 – 10 hours per week), while also participating virtually in seminars, workshops, data analysis projects and other enrichment activities (15 – 25 hours per week). At the end of the program, students will present their research projects to a virtual audience of their mentors, lab members and families. To apply for the program please visit the Biocom Institute website at the following link: https://biocom-institute.smapply.io/prog/life_science_young_leaders_high_school_internship_program/ The deadline to apply to the program is April 7th.

Cal Soap Workshop for the Class of 2021- March 24, 2021

 So You’ve Been Accepted to College… Now What?

Join Cal SOAP for an informative webinar about what happens once you have been accepted to college. Topics discussed will included: Things to Consider in Selecting Your Final College Financial Aid-How to Read and Compare Your Financial Aid Award Letters College Student/Parent Panel-How Did You Select Your Final College 10 Crucial Reminders About the College Process How to update your Webgrants portal March 24, 2021 @ 6:00pm Register Here: https://www.calsoapsandiego.org/workshops

CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarship

The CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarship Program was established to encourage minority students to pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The scholarship was created by former NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard Harris, the first African-American to walk in space.

Visit: https://www.cgcs.org/Scholarships

SDCCD Mesa College Presents: Jumpstart Your Success 2021

Mesa College is thrilled to present Jumpstart Your Success 2021. This is a virtual event for prospective students, their families and friends on Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 9:00am-12:00pm. Join fellow future Olympians for an introduction to college life! Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about Mesa College and the San Diego Promise FREE Tuition Program. There will be virtual tours and presentations to showcase the diversity and depth of programs and services that Mesa College has to offer. We will host interactive workshops, demonstrations, and so much more! In addition, students who will be attending Mesa in the Fall will have an opportunity to enter our opportunity drawing for a chance to win one of four $250 scholarships.

Register: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wTjEGTYtRL2-3sB8RXThzQ

HCCSC/AMN Healthcare Student Scholarship

 In conjunction with AMN Healthcare, the title sponsor of the annual Finest Awards, high school seniors and college students currently enrolled in a San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles school district who plan to enter the field of health care upon graduation are invited to submit an application for the opportunity to win a minimum of $2,000 scholarship, courtesy of AMN Healthcare. The winner(s) are also recognized at the annual Finest Awards event, alongside the health care industry's leading communications professionals.

Visit: https://hccsc.org/AMN/HCC-Scholarship/ for more information.

First Grader Wins Video Contest

 Abby Miranda, a first grader at Curie Elementary, won the #CSforSD video contest in the K-6 category. Students submitted short videos to share a computer science project, what CS means to them, or how it can spark a change in K-12, community college and university levels.During the pandemic, Abby raised butterflies. In the video, she showcases and discusses her “Butterfly Lifecycle” computer program written in Scratch. Images of eggs, hatching caterpillars, its growth and metamorphosis, changing of the chrysalis through the butterfly’s release are shown. Abby also shared what computer science means to her. She states, “Coding is important because coding is everywhere. Everything around us is mostly coding. Everyone should learn how to code.” When asked if her code worked the first time, she wrote her program, she responded that not everything did. Abby added, “It’s okay to make mistakes because we learn from them.”

The #CSforSD video contest was hosted by the Computer Science Teachers Association (San Diego Chapter) and UC San Diego CREATE (Center for Research on Education Equity, Assessment & Teaching Excellence).

The Henkel Diversity Scholarship

The Henkel Diversity Scholarship was established to foster a diverse workforce and provide access to quality education and job opportunities for students from under-represented populations across North America. Deadline is March 18, 2021

Apply at: https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/henkeldiversity/

March STEM Workshops (Grades 6-8)

 The Morse E2E (Education to Employment) Lab will be offering two different FREE workshops in March for students. It is open to all 6th-8h grade students in the Morse cluster. Students will experience computer science and engineering activities and learn how it connects with the world around us.

Tech Changemakers Workshop (free 4-day workshop) Students will learn to code by designing, creating, and engineering their own device which can change the world. In this hands-on workshop, students will use servos, LEDs and more to invent and bring their creative ideas to life! • March 16, 18, 23 and 25, 2021 • Times: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm. Register by 3:00pm on March 9, 2021 at http://bit.ly/TechChangemakersMarch2021. Mobile App Changemakers Workshop (free 2-day workshop) Students will learn to code by designing, creating, and engineering their own mobile apps which can change the world. In this hands-on workshop, students will design and create Android mobile apps! • March 17 and 24, 2021 • Times: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm. Register by 3:00pm on March 9, 2021 at http://bit.ly/AppChangemakersMarch2021 More details can be found at http://bit.ly/e2eMorse.

SDSU Fowler Scholars Application- DUE: March 26, 2021

 High school students (Class of 2021) that have been admitted to the Fowler College of Business at SDSU for the Fall of 2021, and exhibit leadership qualities, are encouraged to apply to the Fowler Scholars program. Fowler Scholars Program carries with it a $28,000 (over four years) financial award, plus a paid international experience. Students apply by filling out a Fowler Scholars Application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAWWQfwlUIhznMpzv9d7ogEkteahzHtGv8WMq9QAvHd9tlKQ/viewform

SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS (SDABJ) SCHOLARSHIP

SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS (SDABJ Scholarship) Deadline : March 31, 2021 https://sdabj.org/archives/3753 In the 21 years since SDABJ was formed we have disbursed over $60,000 in scholarships to deserving students with ties to the San Diego community. Students with qualifying transcripts and a body of work that indicates a high level of interest in journalism will be considered for scholarships ranging from $300 to $1500. The application deadline is Wednesday March 31, 2021.

VAPA Honor Theater Project Returns!

 

SDUSD VAPA Honor Theatre Project is making a comeback after a multi-year hiatus. This project brings together high school theatre students from across the district to create a unique piece of theatre. In an example of the partnership between VAPA and CCTE, 30+ theatre and technical theatre students from Hoover, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, Morse, Patrick Henry, Point Loma, SDSCPA, Scripps Ranch, and University City are working on creating a devised piece of theatre.

Devised theatre is created entirely by the students. The writing and technical elements are all student driven and will be completed entirely on Zoom. This "Zoom Theatre" format is new in this Covid-19 era and these students are on the cutting edge of exploring all theatre can be in this environment. This project is also providing an opportunity for students to connect with their craft, meet new people, and build community in our virtual world.

This work is being led by teaching artist Joshua Streeter, professor at James Madison University, who specializes in educational and devised theatre. Much of the work is explored through a social justice lens, allowing students to understand and express what is important to them in these difficult times. Partnerships with La Jolla Playhouse and San Diego State University make this student opportunity even more valuable. La Jolla Playhouse is providing panel discussions with expert technical theatre professionals. SDSU is matching technical theatre students with SDSU mentors to help guide their creative process. Additional support is being provided by Stephanie Steiner (CTE Technical Theatre Teacher, SDSCPA), Patrick Garcia (Theatre Teacher, SRHS), Ethan Morgan (VAPA Facilities Manager) and Marjorie Treger (Theatre Resource Teacher). This project is partially funded by the VAPA Foundation.

Work on the project continues through mid-March, at which time it is hoped to have a virtual "drive-in movie" premier. The final piece will be edited together and available on a streaming platform. Stay tuned for more details. Questions? Contact Marjorie Treger at mtreger1@sandi.net. #theartsaretheanswer #transforminglives

The VAPA Foundation Announces 2020 VAPA Enhancement Program Recipients

Nineteen San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) teachers will receive awards to underwrite Visual And Performing Arts (VAPA)-related activities and purchases funded by the VAPA Foundation’s 2020-2021 VAPA Enhancement Program. The VAPA Enhancement Program, or VEP, enables any San Diego Unified teacher to apply for funds to enhance the quality of and access to arts education in the classroom or school. The VAPA Foundation funds arts enhancements not covered by a school’s budget. This year, the VAPA Enhancement Program will fund artist residencies in dance, theatre, and music. Funding for arts equipment includes MIDI keyboards, ukuleles, and clarinets. Each successful applicant linked the request to ongoing curriculum goals. Requests for funding ranged from $400 to $2,500. For example, Mission Bay High School teacher Jean-Paul Balmat received a $2,500 award to purchase USB microphones that will allow students to produce quality solo recordings and “virtual ensemble” performances. His students will learn fundamental skills including microphone placement, audio input setup, acoustic problems, and utilize sound engineering apps like GarageBand or Audacity. Workshops over Zoom will connect these students into the professional world of audio engineering with a focus on current music industry needs, while giving these students the opportunity to create original music they can share with their community. Michael Camacho, Executive Director of the VAPA Foundation, is “excited to see applications with greater emphasis in meeting California Arts Standards for students and the unique partnerships with local arts and culture organizations including Guitars in the Classroom, Arts for Learning, The Rosin Box Project, Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan, San Diego Creative Arts Project, and Transcendance.” “Students spanning elementary, middle and high school throughout the district will directly benefit from VEP projects with additional impact expected to school communities through culminating student performances, art exhibitions and participation in state and national festivals. Plus, there is reach that extends to future years with the purchase of new equipment," added Camacho. This year, the VAPA Foundation has awarded a total of more than $26,000 and nearly $100,000 in VEP awards since its inception in 2017. This funding was made possible in part by a sponsorship from UC San Diego. In addition, donors from the community have recognized the link in-depth arts learning has on gains in school attendance, graduation rates, college readiness, civic pride and cultural awareness.  

To view the list of awardees, please visit https://sites.google.com/sandi.net/vapanews/12121 

WACAC’s Annual College Fairs - Starting March 3, 2021

WACAC’s Annual College Fairs provides students with the opportunity to meet representatives from colleges and universities from all over the country and beyond. We are excited to announce that Western Association for College Admission Counseling will be partnering with StriveScan to host multiple virtual fairs in place of our in-person events this fall. This virtual format exposes students to a wide range of colleges, while still being time- and cost-efficient for our Member Colleges and Universities!

FRESHMAN FAIRS: Wednesday, March 3, 2021 5:00 – 7:45pm Pacific Time Pre-Sessions begin at 4:00pm Sunday, March 14, 2021 1:00 – 3:45pm Pacific Time Pre-Sessions begin at 12 noon Monday, April 19, 2021 5:00 – 7:45pm Pacific Time Pre-Sessions begin at 4:00pm You will be assigned one 45-minute time slot at each fair STUDENTS Students can register for a session in each 45-minute time-block. To do so, click the Student Registration link for each session of interest. If students are interested in attending sessions that are running concurrently, please continue to register for both sessions so colleges are receiving your information. Once registered, students will receive a confirmation email with a unique link to join the Zoom webinar. Students also receive a barcode in the confirmation email; however, please note the barcode is not necessary for this virtual event. When students register, they are sharing their registration information only with colleges presenting on that particular session. StriveScan does not sell or share personally identifiable student information with any other third parties. Students are encouraged to attend these sessions live. Sessions will be recorded and accessible at a later date. PARENTS Register now! Sessions vary from Navigating the UC & Cal State Applications, How to Approach your Personal Statement (Essay), FAFSA, CSS & Financial Aid & More! Sign up today! https://strivescan.com/wacac