Friday, August 31, 2018

2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States’ largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. 
Created in 1995 by Prudential and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the program honors middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state and national level.
Thus far, it has recognized more than 125,000 young people who’ve made a difference – and inspired countless others to consider how they might contribute to their communities.
The Spirit of Community Awards program also honors youth volunteers in countries outside the U.S. where Prudential has a significant presence: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India, China and Brazil.
Applications are now open! 

Japan Anyone?


The Toyama Committee of Sister Cities of Durham

Is pleased to announce

A high school student delegation trip to
Toyama, Japan

 Summer - 2019

Students will be serving as junior ambassadors

During part of the visit, students will be staying with host families associated with the
Toyama College of Foreign Languages

Two adult chaperones will accompany the student delegation

To receive further information and get an application contact:

Toyama Committee member - Yuki Temma


Thursday, August 30, 2018

AXA Scholarship Opportunity, Hurry Seniors!

AXA Achievementsm Scholarship

The AXA Achievementsm Scholarship provides over $1.4 million in scholarships to young people throughout the nation representing all 50 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico. Students have the opportunity to receive a $2,500, $10,000 or $25,000 scholarship. In addition, for every student who wins a scholarship, a grant in the amount of $1,000 will be made to the winner’s school.

How to apply

  • The 2019 program year is now open until December 14, 2018 or until 10,000 applications are received.
  • For more information and to apply, click here.

What does it take to become an AXA Achiever?

Our scholarship winners are known as AXA Achievers. They are ethnically and economically diverse, but they share these qualities: 
  • Ambition and drive
  • Determination to set and reach goals
  • Respect for self, family and community
  • Ability to succeed in college

Who is eligible?

Applicants to the AXA Achievementsm Scholarship must:
  • Be United States citizens or legal residents living or claiming residency in one of the 50 united states, Washington, D.C. or Puerto Rico
  • Demonstrate ambition and self-drive as evidenced by outstanding achievement in school, community or work-related activities
    • Because reducing risk is woven into the fabric of our company, special consideration is given to achievements that empower society to mitigate risk through education and/or action in areas such as financial, environmental, health, safety and/or emergency preparedness 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Wake Forest is Calling

Wake Forest Rangers are bringing the Forest to a forest near you, picking up the Quad and planting it in your local park!
Join us for fun, facts, and a few surprises – a factstravaganza – designed to help us get to know each other better.
Associate Dean of North Carolina Admissions Dawn Calhoun, Associate Dean of Merit-Based Scholarships Paul Gauthier, and Admissions Counselor Lando Pieroni hope to see you in the forest – and ultimately, the Forest – soon!
Park visits are from 5:30-6:30pm. All events are rain or shine. We’ll have you covered – literally – at every stop with a picnic shelter. Pick your local park, and register now.
September 10: Greensboro at County Park
September 11: Statesville at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
September 12: Asheville at French Broad River Park
September 17: Durham at Solite Park
September 18: Rocky Mount at Rocky Mount Mills
September 19: Fayetteville at Kiwanis Recreation Center and Honeycutt Park
September 20: Wilmington at Hugh MacRae Park

SAT Test Dates and Deadlines


2018-19 SAT TEST DATEREGISTRATION DATESCORES BACK DATE**
Saturday, June 2, 2018May 3, 2018July 11, 2018
Saturday, August 25, 2018July 27, 2018September 7, 2018
Saturday, October 6, 2018September 7, 2018October 19, 2018
Saturday, November 3, 2018October 5, 2018November 16, 2018
Saturday, December 1, 2018November 2, 2018December 14, 2018
Saturday, March 9, 2019February 8, 2019March 22, 2019
Saturday, May 4, 2019April 5, 2019May 17, 2019
Saturday, June 1, 2019May 3, 2019July 10, 2019

Learn more about how t register, practice tips and more:
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

John Hopkins Overnight Multicultural Experience

HOME: Hopkins Overnight Multicultural Experience

Thursday, September 27–Saturday, September 29, 2018
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is proud to present HOME—an on-campus, overnight program connecting high school seniors to the clubs, organizations, and resources that bring together our multicultural community.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY

ECU Fall Open House and Campus Tours

Fall Open House At East Carolina, we know that the best way to learn about our university is to visit, and there’s no better time than at our Fall Open House. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, September 22. Fall Open House is open to all prospective students and their families and friends. Attendees have the opportunity to take a walking tour of campus, visit residence halls, learn about student life, browse the Academic and Student Affairs Fair, and chat with East Carolina faculty members from most academic departments. Special sessions on important topics such as admissions requirements, financial aid, options for transfer students, and choosing a major will be offered. More information and registration is available at www.ecu.edu/admissions/openhouse.

Campus Tours are offered daily tours Monday-Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Visitors enjoy a thirty minute information session followed by an hour and a half walking tour of campus. Registration for campus tours can be found at www.ecu.edu/admissions/visit.

See the link below, the Senior Information Bulletin Board, or Ms. O'Kane for more information. 


http://www.ecu.edu/admissions/customcf/pdf/2018/CounselorConnectionFALL2018.pdf

Friday, August 24, 2018

Space program at Museum of Life and Science

Date: September 19 — December 5
Time: Wednesdays from 4 — 7pm
Location: The Museum of Life and Science

The Teen Cosmos Collective is a 10 week-long immersive afterschool program for high school students interested in building their science literacy and communication skills. This program has been generously funded by the Association of Science and Technology Centers and NASA’s Universe of Learning program. Each week participants will meet a STEM professional, hear their story, and engage in hands-on activities related to their career. 
Working closely with highly skilled professionals, this is a great chance for participants to become confident in communicating about science and educating their communities! You'll be able to use what you've learned from your STEM mentors to create exhibits, digital content, and outreach programs! This program is geared toward helping student's gain real-world experience in working in a team, networking and meeting potential colleagues, and how to communicate in a professional STEM environment. 

All Applications are due by August 31, 2018.

We encourage any high school student with a passion for astronomy to apply! This is an application-based, competitive program with limited seats available*. Admission decisions will be sent out by September 10, 2018
Priority in admission will be given to participants that are traditionally underserved in STEM fields — women, minorities, and people with disabilities — please indicate on your application if you self-identify as belonging to any of these communities. 


BAck To School Anxiety Resources

Back to School Anxiety
 
It's that time of year again: the new school year is right around the corner! The back to school season can leave a lot of children and parents feeling anxious. Here are some resources that may help ease the transition over the next few weeks:  

Thursday, August 23, 2018

NHS?NJHS College Planning Webinar Series

For student members and parents of the National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society
The 2018–19 NHS/NJHS college planning webinar series will provide valuable information and answers to your most pressing questions, whether you’re planning on attending college next fall or you’re getting a head start at higher education planning.
REGISTER NOW
 
APPLYING TO COLLEGE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 7:00–8:00 P.M. (ET) 

This webinar is a definitive guide to the entire college application process. Expert panelists will help you build a relationship with your colleges of interest and narrow down your list; understand application types and deadlines; and communicate your best self when applying to college.

HOW TO SHINE IN YOUR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS 
Wednesday, October 1, 2018 7:00–8:00 P.M. (ET) 

Hear tips and best practices for transforming service and leadership experiences into compelling stories. These strategies will be directly applicable to the NHS Scholarship and also transferable to other scholarship and college applications.

YOUR FIRST STEP IN FINANCIAL AID: THE FAFSA
Wednesday, October 10, 2018 7:00–8:00 P.M. (ET)

Expert presenters will provide plain-language instructions, as well as practical advice and resources to make Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as predictable and stress-free as possible.

FIRST STEPS IN WRITING YOUR COLLEGE ESSAY
Wednesday, October 16, 2018 7:00–8:00 P.M. (ET) 

This session features guided activities and explores writing strategies to help applicants shine in preparing a personal statement.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Youth Achievement Award

Dear Middle School and High School Student,
Are you someone who
– is a leader in your community and volunteers to help others, or
– is involved in research and innovation that can change the world, or
– excels in the classroom and contributes to your community through activities such as arts, music, dance & sports?
Then click at the links below to see how you can win one of four $500 awards for your outstanding achievements! (Pro tip for High Schoolers: Colleges will love to see this award in your application!)

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Extra Help: College Admissions


US News Education

CHECK IN

Compile a College List

It can be tricky to figure out which of the many colleges out there will be a good fit for your child. There are so many factors to consider, including cost, academics and campus culture, to name just a few examples.

In this newsletter, we’ve gathered advice for parents and teens on how to create a list of colleges to apply to. One way for high schoolers to get started is to take our in-depth college personality quiz, which will offer insights into what type of school might be right for them.

Happy Tuesday!

The U.S. News Education newsletter team: Briana (@B_Boyington).

P.S. If your teen still needs help researching schools, check out the 2019 Best Colleges rankings on Monday, Sept. 10. We're sending out our next newsletter on the 10th to give you insight into the rankings and tips for helping your teens manage application tasks this fall.

EXPLORE COLLEGE OPTIONS

Find the Best College for Your Major

Students can reach out to professionals in their desired field for insights on the types of resources and options to look for during their college search, such as research opportunities or study abroad trips within their major. Click here for more tips.

Apply to the Right Number of Colleges

There's no one right number to aim for, but there is a recommended range, experts say. Learn more here.

Also, discover tips on how to select safety schools and reach schools to add to a college list.

Monday, August 20, 2018

UNC Thomas Wolfe Scholarship

The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship is beginning its eighteenth year at Carolina.  Our scholarship for full undergraduate support for student writers will open its fifteenth submission period as follows: The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship will receive applications beginning September 1st, 2018.  Our Thomas Wolfe Scholarship application process involves two (2) steps

            Step 1)  an application to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by October 15th, 2018; and,
Step 2)  an application to the Thomas Wolfe Scholarship by November 15th, 2018.  Students must apply to both the University and the Scholarship to be considered.  Preliminary screening will be completed in January, 2019, with final screening concluding in early March, 2019.  Three outstanding candidates will be brought to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus for interviews, and a final decision will be made in early April, 2019.

            Novelist and short-story writer Thomas Wolfe of Asheville, North Carolina entered Carolina in the fall of 1916 and graduated in the spring of 1920.  Wolfe loved Chapel Hill, which he celebrated as Pulpit Hill in Look Homeward, Angel, the novel he published to international acclaim in 1929: “The university was a charming, an unforgettable place. . . . The central campus sloped back and up and over a broad area of rich turf, groved with magnificent ancient trees . . . . the wilderness crept up to it like a beast.”
            Wolfe had but one playwriting course to take.  Students in our Creative
Writing Program now choose courses in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, stylistics, and songwriting, and courses in playwriting and screenwriting are also offered by the Departments of Dramatic Art and Communications Studies.  With five semesters of credit, students can minor in Creative Writing, and we believe ours to be among the strongest undergraduate writing programs in the country.
            More complete information on The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship, including the application form, is available on the University's website at http://englishcomplit.unc.edu/creative/scholarship/tws outlining the features, procedures, documents, and specific requirements for application.  If you have any questions, please email TWS@unc.edu.  Thank you for passing along word of this unique scholarship to your best writers, our potential applicants.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Senior Transcript Review


  • During Advisory on Monday August 20, 2018 all seniors will receive copies of their  transcripts and a Graduation Credit Checklist form
  • Advisors will explain the transcript details with students.  
  • Students take home and review the transcripts and Graduation Credit Checklists with parents and obtain parent signatures 
  • Students return completed Graduation Credit Checklists to Advisors on Monday august 27, 2018 

Thursday, August 16, 2018

NC Independent Colleges and Universities

North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities consist of 36 independent/private colleges and universities. They provide small class sizes and  close-knit communities. Tuition is not necessarily an obstacle due to federal financial aid and  institutional aid from the universities themselves.

See the link below for a comprehensive look at the NC Independent Colleges and Universities. 

Information can also be found posted  on the information board across from Ms. O'Kane's office.

http://ncicu.org/

Free ACT Test Practice

ACT Academy: Because Practice Makes Possible

ACT Academy is Now Available

Free, personalized practice for the ACT test.
ACT Academy™ is a free online learning tool and test practice program designed to help you get the best score possible on the ACT test, and well on your way to college and career success.
Through video lessons, interactive practice questions, full-length practice tests, educational games, and other materials targeted to your academic needs, ACT Academy provides you with a personalized study plan based on your previous scores from The ACT® test, PreACT®, Official ACT practice tests, or in platform diagnostics.
ACT Academy features:
  • Personalized resources
  • Accessible anytime/anywhere there is an internet connection
  • Both a full length ACT test option as well as ACT test sections
  • Educational games to drive mastery of content

Learn more about ACT Academy.

Free SAT Practice


The Best Practice Is Now Free

Official SAT Practice focuses on exactly what you need to work on most.

Features

  • Interactive problems
  • Video lessons
  • Full-length practice tests
  • Personalized study plan
  • Instant SAT Essay feedback

The Results Are In: Official SAT Practice Pays Off

A study of 250,000 students from the class of 2017 showed that a little practice goes a long way—regardless of gender, race, income, or high school GPA. In fact, 20 hours on Khan Academy® was associated with an average 115-point increase from the PSAT/NMSQT to the SAT.

SAT Score Improvements and Official SAT Practice

This graphic shows the average number of points gained from PSAT/NMSQT to SAT associated with the hours spent practicing on Khan Academy.



Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Brockman Scholars Program


Brockman Scholars Program

The Brockman Scholarship is a merit-based full scholarship that covers five years of study on the College Station campus of Texas A&M University.

The scholarship supports four years of undergraduate studies in an approved program of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), as well as the one-year MS Business graduate degree program at Texas A&M’s Mays Business School.

Aside from academic merit, we are seeking to attract students who can demonstrate high levels of constructive community engagement, and who exhibit the qualities of a good citizen.

It is imperative that applicants understand that they are applying for a scholarship that provides for both an undergraduate and graduate degree. It is a condition of being awarded the scholarship that the recipient will enroll in, and successfully complete, both the four-year undergraduate STEM degree and the MS Business graduate degree program.

For more information about the Brockman Scholars Program, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.

Click here to access the application portal on this website, which is open now to accept applications for study beginning in the 2019-20 academic year.

The application deadline is at 5.00 p.m. U.S. Central Time on September 30, 2018.


The Gates Scholarship





Applications for the Gates Scholarship are open now! The deadline to apply is September 18th!


Click here to apply!


DESCRIPTION
The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective, full scholarship for exceptional, Pell-eligible, minority, high school seniors. Starting in 2018, the scholarship will be awarded to 300 top student leaders each year with the intent of promoting their academic excellence through college graduation, and providing them the opportunity to reach their full potential.

To learn more watch this video.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Learn how to pay for college with this free eBook–Financial Aid: Paying for College and University.




Featuring simple explanations, checklists, and a cost comparison worksheet, we’ll walk you through the process of finding financial aid, applying for assistance, and choosing the college that best fits your goals and your budget. The right tools and resources can make paying for college much simpler





http://pages.act.org/financial-aid-ebook.html#_ga=2.256899151.55781347.1534181930-1666782611.1523287222

Free Personalized ACT Practice Program


ACT Academy is a free personalized learning tool and test practice program. It provides learners with a personalized study plan based on previous test scores or platform diagnostics and features video lessons, interactive practice questions, full length practice tests, educational games, and other materials targeted to a students' academic needs. See the link below to create an account and start preparing now A juniors will take the ACT at VAHS on February 20, 2019. 




https://academy.act.org/

Friday, August 10, 2018

ADHD: A new Model That Debunks Persistent Myths

Our understanding of attention deficit has grown significantly over the last decade. Here, the director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders explains findings from ADHD research and how it impacts diagnostic criteria, treatment options, and future expectations for your family.

Findings from neuroscience, brain imaging, and clinical research have made the old understanding of ADHD (as essentially a behavior disorder) no longer tenable. Here are 16 prevailing myths about ADHD, along with the latest facts



Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Kick Off To College and Career Event

Triangle Kickoff to College & Career

Join us for the

premier education event in the Triangle!

2018 Kickoff to College & Career 

September 15, 2018.


We are excited to invite NC youth and their families to participate in the 2018  Kickoff to College & Career, the premier education event of the Triangle!!!!   On September 15, 2018 (10 am–1 pm), families can attend and  take crucial steps in helping students prepare for life after high school.  Highlights of Kickoff include . . .

  • Access to professionals for college, military, and career opportunities.
  • Breakout sessions  on topics such as SAT/ACT prep, financial aid, athletic/academic scholarships, STEM careers, etc.
  • College fair including over 100 invited institutions from all over the country.
  • Community engagement fair featuring organizations that help families access educational, economic, health,  &  other opportunities
  • Networking with others from around NC as they make plans for their future.
Don’t miss the opportunity to get ready for YOUR future! 

RESERVE YOUR SEATS NOW!


register here