Parents: Help Your Child on the Path to College .

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Congressional AP Challenge

On Monday July 8^th, the House of Representatives launched the 2019 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for its 5th consecutive year. As the CAC is district-specific, students compete against other students from their congressional district to be named their district’s Congressional App Challenge winner. After the Challenge’s completion, the winners from each district are welcomed to #HouseOfCode to meet their Congress Member and celebrate the future of American tech talent.

The Challenge is open to all middle and high school students residing or attending school in a district whose Member of Congress is hosting an App Challenge. In 2019, Over 275 Members of Congress are hosting App Challenges in their respective districts. Of the Freshman Congress Members, 75% are hosting a Challenge in their district. Students with or without coding experience are welcome! In fact, 44% of students who competed in the 2018 Challenge were beginners.

Interested in taking the Challenge? Remember, the application portal closes November 1^st!

Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Participation in the contest can be found using the information below. Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners will be recognized both in their district and at an annual recognition ceremony in Washington, DC. Winners will receive two (2) complimentary round-trip plane tickets to Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol. Painting media can include acrylic, oil, and water-color.

See thew link below for additional information 


https://butterfield.house.gov/services/art-competition

Registration for the September ACT ends this Friday, August 16!

Registration for the September ACT ends this Friday, August 16!

September is a great time to test because juniors can identify areas to improve and seniors can get scores back before college application deadlines.

REGISTER NOW!

Students know they can avoid late fees if they register

by Friday, August 16.

Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Wash U, and Emory Information Sessions

Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Wash U, and Emory U are hosting information sessions for students and parents in our area.   RSVPs are encouraged as they expect  reach capacity in some locations.  Durham, NC Durham Academy Upper School Sunday, August 25, 1:00 pm Raleigh, NC Ravenscroft School Sunday, August 25, 7:00 pm Charlotte, NC Charlotte Country Day Tuesday, August 27, 7:00 pm Asheville, NC Asheville School Wednesday, August 28, 7:00 pm Knoxville, TN Webb Schools of Knoxville Thursday, August 29, 7:00 pm Each admission officer will share about their institution for 10-15 minutes. There will be time to connect individually with the representatives following the presentations. While we are not hosting counselor events in your city this trip, you are welcome to attend the student sessions.

RSVP

Scholarship For Low Income Students

The National College Match

Are you a low-income high school senior who has excelled academically, but feels that the nation’s best colleges are financially out of reach? The QuestBridge National College Match can be your pathway to a top college. Through this college and scholarship application process, you can apply for free to the nation’s best colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship from the college. Watch our video to learn more:

Why apply through QuestBridge? The National College Match application gives you extra space to tell your unique story as a student who has excelled academically despite financial hardship. Our college partners are actively seeking students like you. If admitted to a college partner through the Match or QuestBridge Regular Decision, you will join a supportive community of thousands of other QuestBridge Scholars currently attending our college partners.

Attend a Top College for Free

The Match Scholarship

Match Scholarship Recipients are granted early admission to one of QuestBridge's 40 college partners with a full four-year scholarship, worth over $200,000. Our college partners use a combination of their own funds as well as state and federal aid to fund the scholarship. Please view each college partner's Financial Aid section for further details and see a glossary of financial aid terms.

The Match Scholarship is offered as part of a generous financial aid package provided by the college that covers the cost of attendance, including:

• Tuition and fees
• Room and board
• Books and supplies
• Travel expenses

All Match Scholarship packages:

• Have NO parental contribution
• Have NO student loans
• May contain a student contribution in the form of Federal work-study, summer work, or student savings

Admission through the National College Match

Last year, 1,044 Finalists were matched (admitted early with a Match Scholarship). Finalists who do not match can apply through QuestBridge Regular Decision to be considered for admission and generous financial aid. Approximately 2,500 Finalists were admitted through QuestBridge Regular Decision last year. To date, over 22,000 Finalists have been admitted to a college partner through QuestBridge.

Mini Camp College at Wake Forest University

 
Mini-Camp College offers high-school students structured sessions with college professionals who will demystify the complexities of college admissions and the process of financial aid. For more information or to have your students apply, please visit our Mini-Camp College page.
 
The program will formally begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, in the Porter Byrum Welcome Center/Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Wake Forest University. We encourage rising juniors and seniors to join us. The program will conclude at 3:00 p.m., with optional Wake Forest campus tours offered from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
 
Space is limited. Registration and parking are free.

We’ll consider only completed applications, the deadline for which is June 5. Students will then hear back from us on a rolling basis – and no later than June 7. Please note that participation in Mini-Camp College does not signify admission to Wake Forest University.

If students are not offered a spot, we, of course, still very much hope they’ll visit us for a campus tour and/or one-on-one interview.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Thomas Ray, Assistant Dean, at rayt@wfu.edu or (336) 758-5203 or me at vargask@wfu.edu or (336) 758-4356.

ACT Registration Deadline for June 8 ACT

Juniors who would like to retake the ACT in June will get scores back in time to meet eraly action fall  college application deadlines. Sophomores can use the June ACT to gain a better understanding of scholastic strengths and identify areas for improvement.

Monday, May 20 is the last day to register for the June ACT test! 

REGISTER NOW!

The test is on Saturday, June 8.

CollegeCovered: Paying for college Newsletter

May 1^st was National College Decision Day, which means your seniors have likely finalized their college choices and are now working with their families to determine how to fund their education. You may also be working with juniors as they gear up for the college planning process. Whether you’re talking to juniors or seniors, CollegeCovered.com has resources to help you and your college-bound students.

• Paying for College: There are many student loan options to help families cover college costs. Encourage students and parents to check out our guide on Evaluating Student Loans 101 to help them understand important features while weighing their options.
   
• 2019 Scholarship Award Sweepstakes: Students and parents have a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship from Discover Student Loans! The earlier they enter, the more chances they have to win. Families can visit Scholarship.CollegeCovered.com to enter today.
   
• College Orientation: With orientation starting as early as next month, your students will soon get their first taste of college life. Pass along our College Orientation 101 article to help students get the most out of orientation.
   

Please see CollegeCovered.com, a FREE resource on planning and paying for college. 

Duke Summer Opportunites

Good News! The deadline for Duke Summer Academy  and STEM Academy to April 29! 
 
Act now before the admissions deadline for the Summer College for High School Students program closes on April 15!
 
Apply now to enjoy a summer of a lifetime at Duke University!

US News: Helping Your Teen Decide on a College

CHECK IN

Choose a College

National Decision Day is almost here. High school seniors typically have until May 1 to submit a deposit to confirm their enrollment. If your teen is still undecided, follow these 10 steps to help them choose the right school. Good luck! The U.S. News Education newsletter team: Briana (@B_Boyington) and Melissa (@melissayshin).

American Public Works Association Schoarship

The American Public Works Association – North Carolina Chapter (APWA-NC) will be awarding $2,000 scholarship(s) to deserving student(s) in North Carolina. This program will assist students in attaining their career aspirations and building a foundation of future public works leaders. The submittal deadline for the internship is April 15th.

For more information, you can email Michael directly at Michael.irwin@durhamnc.gov.

          Or see the link below

  

        APWA-NC Scholarship

College Board Opportunity Scholarships

Last fall the College Board announced a  $25 million commitment to creating a clearer path to college for all students with the College Board Opportunity Scholarships. Starting with the class of 2020, 4,000 students over the next five years can earn scholarships ranging from $500–$40,000 through monthly drawings as they start their college journey.

This new scholarship program requires no application, essay, GPA, or test scores. Students earn their chance at scholarships by completing the essential steps all students take in applying to college. Since the launch of the program, nearly 200 students have been awarded a $500 Build Your College List Scholarship and 300 students have been awarded a $1,000 Practice for the SAT® Scholarship.

Students in the class of 2020 can opt in and get started now.

Action windows open: Build Your College List: $500 Practice for the SAT: $1,000 Improve Your Score: $2,000

'Safe' teen drinking?

Referred to by social scientists as “harm reduction,” this strategy is more than just ineffective, say experts. It’s actually helping to fuel an epidemic of teenage binge drinking. 



Read the Article Here

4 Mental Push-Ups to Boost Your Brain’s Performance

Unless we control thought, it will control us.
Dr. Ernest Holmes

 
Brain resilience is your brain’s ability to bounce back from a crisis, hardship, or just plain day-to-day stress.  Even what may seem like minor thoughts of social rejection and loneliness zoom along the same neural pathways as fear and break down our energy.

There are many ways to increase your bounce-back rate of return and keep your brain healthy and strong.  Just like a rubber band, our brain can stretch and fire in response to stress and then spring back to calmness with quick elasticity with a little mental workout.  When you learn how to keep your brain in check, well-being can be your constant companion, and you can begin to boost your brain’s performance.

In neuroscience language, we need a way to contact our prefrontal cortex, our thinking brain, and have it tell the emotional amygdala to quiet down.  No Worry! I will take care of this! Your thinking brain will be the master of your feeling brain—if we keep it in good shape and work it out regularly.

Here is a mental fitness workout critical to resilience so you can learn to exercise your brain and return it to its natural baseline of calmness and positivity.


Read more Here