Become a Water-Wise Gardener

Are you looking to improve your outdoor space, yet protect our earth’s most valuable resource? If so, then The Water Conservation Garden should be your next Saturday family trip.

The mission of The Water Conservation Garden is to inspire positive change in the living environment through the conservation of water and other natural resources. The Water Conservation Garden has nearly six acres of displays that showcase water conservation through a series of beautiful themed gardens, such as a native plant garden and a vegetable garden, as well as how-to displays such as mulch and irrigation exhibits. The Garden can be a learning laboratory for the dedicated gardener, a delightful place for an afternoon stroll, or a place to gather lots of information about water-wise, or California-Friendly® gardening. Admission is free, and the Garden can be viewed on a self-guided tour, with a group or through one of their FREE docent-led Garden tours the first Saturday of each month at 10:00am. Learn more by visiting: https://thegarden.org/.

Going for Gold(berg)!

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The Fleet Science Center, in partnership with the San Diego Engineering Council, will host San Diego’s first-ever Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on January 11, 2020.

The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is an event where high school students ages 14 to 18 showcase machines that they have imagined, designed and created to perform a simple task. This year’s task is to Turn off a light! During the competition, the public will be able to see the contraptions while at the Fleet. This exhibit will be included with general admission to the Fleet that day.

This fun competition will encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving, in a fresh learning environment and on a level playing field. All one needs is a good imagination and a pile of junk!

Space is limited, and the registration is $295* per team. The registration deadline is Friday, December 15, 2019.

First and second place winners at the Fleet will be eligible to participate in the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Finals, which will be held Saturday, April 4, at the Lawrenceburg Event Center, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

*A portion of the $395 team fee is underwritten thanks to the support of the San Diego County Engineering Council.

Grief Support Groups Available for SDUSD Students and Families

Children and teens who are struggling with feelings of grief and loss after the death of a significant person in their life are invited to join the Grief Support Groups at the Children's Bereavement Center in Mission Valley. There is no cost to participate.

Sessions are ninety minutes and are facilitated by trained childhood bereavement professionals from The Elizabeth Hospice. These are held bimonthly throughout the school year. Children learn about grief and loss, develop coping skills, share their grief story, and connect with others who are facing similar circumstances. 

Parents and guardians meet in a separate group that runs concurrent with the children's group. For more information or to apply, visit this website or contact The Elizabeth Hospice at grievingchildren@ehospice.org or 760.796.3705.

Free Event for the Whole Family!

It’s never too early to learn about career development! Barnes and Noble is hosting a free event on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at their Grossmont Center store. Students and their families will be able to learn more about the world of work by meeting professionals from the community and activities. Also, get a chance to win a raffle prize! Come by Grossmont Center’s Barnes and Noble (5500 Grossmont Center Drive, Suite 331) on Thursday, November 21 from 5:00-8:00 pm to participate in the fun learning event for all!

Take Outdoor Exploration to the Next Level

San Diego is a beautiful place to explore the outdoors. Observing nature with your child helps your child develop a relationship with their environment. An organization called iNaturalist is helping to improve that relationship by creating an app called Seek. Seek identifies the plants and animals around you and gives you information and fun facts about their species. You earn badges as you identify more species. It’s similar to Pokémon Go in that it gets you moving around outdoors, but it’s way better because it invites you to look up and observe the world around you. Learn more by visiting: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app.

Registration for the 2019-2020 Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge is now open!

The Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a free, hands-on, project-based learning experience that provides classroom and informal educators with a new framework to introduce biomimicry and an interdisciplinary approach to science and environmental literacy.

Working in teams with an adult coach, students explore the wonders of the natural world and apply what they learn to create innovations that support a healthier planet. 

Are you an educator looking to build creative and engaging learning experiences that strengthen critical thinking skills for your students? The Youth Design Challenge can help you give the next generation a unique opportunity to be inspired by nature.

Sign up now to gain exclusive access to a clear framework that meets science standards and enables students to solve real-world and local sustainability problems.

Winter Break Paid Externships with SDWFP

Looking to gain paid work experience over their winter school break this year? The San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) is currently recruiting for their School Break Externship Program. They still have 80 spots available for high school and college students to work with a San Diego County employer over their school breaks. Externs will be paid $12 per hour for 22 hours of work and 12 hours of training over the course of their winter and/or spring breaks. Participants will also receive transportation and clothing assistance.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible, participants must be age 16-24, low income (see income limits here), have a special housing situation, or be current or former foster youth.

 

Eligible youth can apply here. If you have any questions about the program or about eligibility, please contact Heather Bischoff at heatherbischoff@workforce.org.

Ocean Science Student Competition at USD

The University of San Diego's Environmental and Ocean Sciences Department invites high school students to compete in the 2020 San Diego Garibaldi Bowl. This event is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) academic competition and program that aims to engage students with ocean science, preparing them for ocean science-related careers, and helping them become environmental stewards. 

The February 29th event at USD includes optional events in the months before the event for competing students, as well as specialized preparation for first-time participants or for schools with a high proportion of low-income students. For more information visit the Garibaldi Bowl webpage http://home.sandiego.edu/~jcprairie/nosb.html or the NOSB website http://nosb.org/. Contact Dr. Jennifer Prairie, jcprairie@sandiego.edu, to schedule mentoring.

CC Bank's Young Scholars $2,000 Scholarship

Each year CC Bank’s Young Scholars Scholarship offers up to five $2,000 scholarships to students attending universities, colleges, and other academic institutions across the U.S. Visit: https://ccbank.us/scholarship/

The Road to College Starts Here 11/20/2019

The Road to College Starts Here is an exciting adventure, with many twists and turns. Attend this middle school parent-student workshop and we will help you build a map of requirements, resources, and guidelines. 

Where: De Portola Middle School- Weiner Hall. 

Date: Wednesday 11/20/2019 

Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m. 

Subjects to be discussed: The parent role - College preparatory courses - High school graduation requirements - College entrance preparation - California university requirements - Financial aid planning/opportunities. 

This event is Sponsored by Cal-SOAP. For more information please visit: http://www.calsoapsandiego.org/

$20,000 Scholarship

For the ninth consecutive year, the Foot Locker Foundation will be awarding 20 incoming college freshmen with $20,000 in scholarship funding through the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program. The funding is to pursue a 4-year college degree – not because they scored the most touchdowns or goals, but because sports have helped them grow into strong leaders at school and in their communities. 

They're searching for applicants who are strong on and off the field; students who have excellent records of community service, academics, and athletics. They're searching for leaders and inspiring individuals!

Scholarship Amount:
20 awards of $20,000 each. As a bonus, one of the 20 winners will be selected for the Ken C. Hicks scholarship for demonstrating superior educational achievement, outstanding leadership, and a true love of the game. This winner will receive an additional $5,000 award.

Eligibility:
In order to be eligible for the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes program, the applicant must:
- Be a current high school senior entering a four-year, accredited US college or university in the Fall of 2020
- Be currently a member (in good standing) of a high school sports team or be involved in after-school sports (e.g. intramurals, martial arts, etc.)
- Have maintained an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher from ninth grade to first semester of 12th grade
- Be a U.S. citizen or US Permanent Legal Resident
- Foot Locker employees and their immediate family members are ineligible

Deadline Information:
January 3rd, 2020 at 5pm EST

Website:

https://footlockerscholarathletes.com/

Parent Information Night: December 5, 2019

Please join us on December 5, 2019 from 6:00pm- 7:30pm at Miramar College to learn about the benefits of participating in the 2020 National Career Education Signing Day. Families will learn how students can attend Miramar College for free, what the San Diego Promise Program is about, and be given the opportunity to speak with students & faculty about the current programs and opportunities available at Miramar College. For more information please contact, Miramar College Outreach at MiraOutreach@sdccd.edu

2020 Profile in Courage Essay Contest

The Essay Contest encourages students to submit an original essay on a leader who demonstrated political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in his book, Profiles in Courage. Winners will have the chance to win 15 different scholarship prizes for college, including a $10,000 first-place prize. For more information, please visit: https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/profile-in-courage-essay-contest/contest-topic-and-information

SuperMoney Financial Literacy Scholarship

SuperMoney's mission is to help everyone reach their financial goals. Founded in 2019, SuperMoney's Financial Literacy Scholarship seeks to celebrate students who share the same mission. The scholarship program awards $2,500 a year to a student who wants to help Americans improve their financial wellness through continued education. For more information visit, https://www.supermoney.com/scholarship

2020 National Space Club and Foundation Keynote Scholar Application

Since 2013, The National Space Club and Foundation has offered the opportunity for a student to give the keynote address at the National Space Club and Foundation's annual Goddard Memorial Dinner, one of the space industry's most prestigious gatherings. The student must intend to pursue a career in the Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) fields, be academically strong and excel in public speaking.

In addition to speaking at the Goddard Memorial Dinner, the individual selected will also receive a scholarship, in the amount of $10,000. This scholarship is awarded to a U.S. citizen, and is open to seniors in High School through graduate students studying at an accredited educational institution in the United States, who has definite plans to pursue a career in the STEM fields. Visit: https://www.spaceclub.org/scholarship for more information.

Scholarship for Future Physics Teachers

The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Executive Board offers scholarships for future high school physics teachers. These scholarships, supported by an endowment funded by Barbara Lotze, are available to U.S. citizens attending U.S. schools.

Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for the Barbara Lotze Scholarship for Future Teachers. Applicants must declare their intent to prepare for, and engage in, a career in physics teaching at the high school level and must, at the time the scholarship funds are received by the student, be:

• an undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited two-year college, four-year college or a university; or a high school senior accepted for such enrollment.
• pursuing, or planning to pursue, a course of study leading toward a career in physics teaching in the high schools.
• showing promise of success in their studies, and
• a citizen of the United States of America.

Applications can be submitted online, accepted at any time, and will be considered for recommendation to the Board of Directors at each AAPT Winter Meeting.

All applications in which all materials, including letters of recommendation, are received by December 1 will be considered for recommendation at the winter meeting of the AAPT Board of Directors. Visit: https://www.aapt.org/programs/grants/lotze.cfm for more information.