The Virginia Festival of the Book’s annual schedule of kid-friendly programs, collectively known as StoryFest, will take place March 16-20. Kids will have the chance to meet favorite authors, learn how to make mini-comics, read and share new picture books and comics, and get writing advice from experienced authors with bestselling young adult books. This year’s StoryFest schedule will present more than 60 programs for children and teens, many of which are free and open to the public. 2016 StoryFest highlights »
Category Archives: Student Opportunity
I’m Determined Youth Summit – Apply by March 15
The Virginia Department of Education’s I’m Determined project, in conjunction with the Partnership for People with Disabilities, invites applications for the 10th annual I’m Determined Youth Summit at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, June 15-17, 2016.
Youth with disabilities from across the Commonwealth will meet to identify ways to become better advocates and lead more self-determined lives. Only 120 applicants will be accepted. Applications (including an essay and a reference) must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 15, 2016.
March 1 is “My Choice ACPS” Day for Students
Dear Colleagues:
What do Post-It Notes and Gmail have in common? Both products were invented during a time that 3M and Google set aside for employees to follow their passions during the workday. On their ‘time off,’ employees of 3M developed many of their 22,000 patents, and Googlers came up with other lucrative products such as AdSense and Hangouts.
On March 1, the day when schools will be closed for the presidential primaries, we’ve declared a My Choice ACPS day for all students. We’re encouraging students, while they are at home, to choose a challenge or problem to solve, an idea to explore, or a dream to turn into reality as part of an independent learning experience for that day.
Poetry & Prose Contests for Middle and High School Students
The Virginia Festival of the Book has announced their annual Poetry & Prose Contests for middle and high school students! Selected students will be invited to read aloud their winning entries at the Poetry & Prose Celebration on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Charlottesville Omni Hotel. Selected submissions will be printed in the Festival’s annual anthology for middle school writers or Crossroads, the annual teen anthology for Central Virginia, coordinated by the Tupelo Press Teen Writing Center.
All submissions must be received by Monday, February 15, 2016, at 5 p.m. Contest details »
Startup Weekend EDU: Unique & FREE PD Opportunity – November 13-14
Do you or your students have innovative education ideas, or would you want to team up with others who do? Join us November 13-14 for two days of creative problem solving at Western Albemarle High School for Startup Weekend Education (SWEDU). Pursue innovative education ideas together with students, pre-K to college educators, designers, computer programmers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.
UPDATE: Based on feedback from previous and potential participants, we’ve made some adjustments to the schedule, branding and planning for the event: Continue reading
Virginia State Bar 2016 High School Essay Contest – Deadline: February 12, 2016
The Law in Society Essay Competition is sponsored by the Virginia State Bar, in cooperation with the Virginia State Department of Education, to increase awareness and appreciation of our legal system among high school students. The criterion for the competition is an essay in response to a hypothetical topic. This year’s contest explores a school’s right to access students’ secrets. Continue reading
Local Student Art Contest: Imagine a Day Without Water – Enter by Nov. 9
Albemarle County Service Authority, in partnership with the City of Charlottesville and Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority, is sponsoring an art contest open to Albemarle County and Charlottesville City students in grades 1-8. Artists are challenged to create an 11×17 (landscape) poster that illustrates the theme, “Imagine a Day Without Water.” Entries must be submitted by November 9. Get the details »
Local Bird Conservation Poster Contest – Deadline: Nov. 21
The Blue Ridge Young Birders Club, in partnership with the Monticello Bird Club of Charlottesville, is sponsoring the first annual Bird Conservation Poster Contest. Based on the theme, Understanding the Threats: Finding the Solutions, the contest challenges K-8 students in Albemarle, Charlottesville and Nelson to create a poster that illustrates a key conservation threat to birds and suggests a solution to the issue. Continue reading
Think It Up: Where Student-Powered, Teacher-Led Projects Get Funded
Think It Up invites public school students in grades 7-12 to work with their teachers to develop projects that draw on their passions and connect to the futures they want to pursue. Posted on thinkitup.org, in collaboration with DonorsChoose.org, the student-powered, teacher-led projects will be crowdfunded by citizen donors. The projects will encourage rigorous skill development that prepares American youth for post-high school life, helping pave the way for college and/or career success. Find out how it works »
2015-16 “Recycling Is Bigger Than the Bin” Video & Poster Contest – Entries Due December 18
Calling all artists, filmmakers, and recyclers! Students in grades K–12 are invited to participate in a national recycling awareness contest sponsored by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and JASON Learning. The theme of this year’s contest is Recycling Is Bigger Than the Bin.
Your challenge is to choose an item that is “bigger than the bin” and find a way to recycle it! Continue reading