SCPS K-12 Gifted Brochure

January Newsletter

December Gifted Newsletter

Wolverine Weekly for Gifted Students

Office Hours

Life might seem like it is out of control right now. This is the time to concentrate on things you can control. Catch up on much needed rest, spend quality time with your family, and of course spend time catching up on school work. This is also a great time to focus on college applications. You may also want to spend some time creating ideas that you can write about. Spend time reading books not assigned in school; create art projects; write an article for a newspaper or magazine; journal; make face masks for local hospitals, local first responders, or neighbors,…the list is endless. Make this quarantined time productive! If you would like me to review potential topics or essays, please contact me. My office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 am-9:30 am and 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm.

CGS Virtual Information Night

Commonwealth Governor's School (CGS)

Career & College Pathways

The annual Career & College Pathways Event, an opportunity to learn about our division's specialty programs that support high school, college, and career goals, will be offered in a virtual format this year so that students and their families can learn about our specialty programs safely from home. 

This page will be updated regularly to showcase program highlight videos, featured podcasts to answer frequently asked questions (FAQs), and information about specialty program Family Information Nights to explore a specific program in more detail.  

To understand the pathway from course electives to career, SCPS Career Clusters help students investigate and design their courses of study to advance their career goals. Learn more about Career Clusters and what SCPS electives connect to career pathways by visiting the Career and College Pathways page. 

For more information on SCPS Specialty Programs, review the Program Videos and Information below!

2021 United States Senate Youth Program

2021 United States Senate Youth Program Scholarship Opportunities for High School Juniors and Seniors-Due December 11

USSYP

2021 Virginia Junior Academy of Science Competition

VJAS is a competition for students in grades 7-12 that builds on the skills of young research scientists. The competition has four tiers and is open statewide for members now.

Visit VJAS for more information and deadlines.

BRAIN Initiative Challenge Campaign

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke is offering a competition for high school students curious about science, the brain, and the ethical implications of novel technologies being developed to understand the brain.

BRAIN

Virginia Space Coast Scholars

The Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) is a program for High School Sophomores focusing on the science, engineering, and technology integral to current missions at NASA Goddard's Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The program is FREE and designed by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Students from across the Commonwealth of Virginia are selected to participate through a competitive application process.

Click VSCS for more information.

PSAT Information

NAGC Tip Sheet

Parents—For many of us, it's been a hectic balance between working from home while students go on video conference classes -- full time work and full time running a home can be stressful. And, for those parents who are in essential roles and cannot work from home, this balance is even more complex (If this is your situation, I want to thank you for your work). As we try to bring some sense of normalcy to our homes, I have attached a “Tip Sheet” from the NAGC in hopes of helping your gifted children during COVID 19.

NAGC Tip Sheet

High School Diplomats

Sophomores and Juniors:  Consider applying to High School Diplomats. High School Diplomats (HSD) is a scholarship program that brings together high school students from the United States and Japan each summer through two parallel experiences. With HSD U.S. American students travel to Princeton University where they participate in ten days of cultural exchange alongside a Japanese roommate. With HSD Japan American students who complete the Princeton program travel to Japan for a month the following summer. Each participant in the program is given a generous scholarship that pays for room, board, activity and most program transportation costs. See the link below for more information.

HS Diplomats

Disney Dreamers

Let Your Dream Change Your Life

Each spring, 100 exceptional young people arrive at the Disney Dreamers Academy with ambition, excitement and hopes for the future. Four days later, they return home with the motivation, guidance and skills to help make those dreams come true. You have until October 31 to apply!

Disney Dreamers

Massive Open Online Courses

A website to explore if you are looking for additional learning opportunities. MOOC.org is an extension of edX, a leader in online learning and education. Whether you're interested in learning for yourself, leveraging online courses to educate your workforce or creating a creating a MOOC, edX can help. Explore online courses and programs in key fields like computer science, data science, business and management, and more.

MOOC

PSAT October 16

Students in grades 9-11 will be taking the PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 16. It is critical students do their best on these tests. For juniors, this year the PSAT/NMSQT is the official route of entry to the National Merit Scholarship Program. If students have not already done so, please link their Khan Academy accounts to their College Board accounts. This process will allow them to receive personalized practice recommendations based on their results from the new SAT®, PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9. Students should spend 15-20 minutes each night on these recommendations in order to improve their PSAT scores. I have attached a PowerPoint to help link accounts if not already done so.

How to Link Your Account

Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars Program

Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars ProgramSTS) program is an interactive on-line science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experience highlighted by a seven-day residential summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton, Va. Students selected to participate in the program are immersed in NASA-related research through interaction with scientists, engineers and technologists. 

Flyer

VSGC

SENIORS: Regeneron Science Talent Search

It’s back to school season! With the start of the new school year, we wanted to let you know that the Regeneron Science Talent Search is now accepting applications. The Regeneron Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious research competition for high school seniors—students could win up to $250,000!

High school seniors with individual, original research projects are invited to apply online to the Regeneron STS. There are no limits to the number of students who can enter from any school, region or state, and students may submit research from any year of high school. The program is completely free.

The top 300 scholars receive $2,000 each, and their schools also receive $2,000—that’s funding for STEM education in your community. Forty finalists will be invited to compete in the finals week competition in Washington, DC, all expenses paid. Every finalist receives at least $25,000 and if named in the top 10, could win between $40,000 and $250,000. Check out last year’s highlights video, learn more about the top 40 finalists’ research projects in this video from the Public Exhibition of Projects, watch the winner’s results and remarks from Malcolm Gladwell in this video from our awards gala to learn more.

The application will close on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 8pm ET, but we encourage interested students to open applications soon in order to receive tips and reminders.

We hope to see eligible students from your school apply to the 78th Regeneron Science Talent Search. Please email sts@societyforscience.org with any questions you may have about the application process.

Click Here for more information.

Samsung - Solve for Tomorrow Contest

Designed to boost interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math, this nationwide contest challenges teachers and students to show how STEAM can be applied to help improve their local community.  Contest applicants will have a chance to win a share of $2 million in Samsung technology* for their school. Apply by October 30!

Emperor Science Award

The 2018 Emperor Science Award program is committed to helping all students that have a passion for science join the next generation of cancer researchers. Through this award program, 100 winning students from across the country will be paired with a university-level mentoring scientist to collaborate on a cancer research project. Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Center for Legal and Court Technology at William & Mary

The Center for Legal and Court Technology (CLCT), at the College of William & Mary Law School, in conjunction with the Center for Gifted Education at the William & Mary School of Education, provides interactive and thought-provoking classes for high school students.  Fred Lederer, Chancellor Professor of Law and Director, CLCT, exposes high school students to basic topics in law such as what is the law, how it is made, how judges can change the law, and how to resolve disputes. Click on one of the flyers below for more information.

Law

Search and Seizure

Torts

Evidence

College Decision Day! Contest

For the third year, the College Board is celebrating College Decision Day with #Collegiance, a social media campaign and contest for high school students making their college decision. 

The College Board is asking students to pledge their #Collegiance by May 15 with an original and creative Instagram video, Boomerang, or photo for a chance to win a $5,000 grand prize or one of nine other cash prizes. Submissions will be judged on creativity, enthusiasm, and overall quality by film and media professors from College Board member institutions.

Taking the pledge is a great way to celebrate academic achievement at North Stafford High School. Seniors, take the pledge and represent North Stafford High School in this year’s contest!

Visit collegiance.org to learn more about the campaign and follow #Collegiance to join the conversation.  

Camp Rainbow

Camp Rainbow is a weekend day camp for children ages 6-14 who have lost a loved one.  The goals of Camp Rainbow are to help children understand death and dying, learn to express grief in a healthy way and learn to cope with loss.  Art, music and dance therapy are used to promote these goals along with traditional camp activities.   They are in need of volunteers to be Big Buddies. 

Big Buddy Application

UVA Saturday Enrichment Program

Apply to the Saturday Enrichment Program at the University of Virginia.  This program engages high-ability students in high quality learning experiences designed to expose them to topics and ideas that are beyond those they might get in their typical classroom environment.  Applications are due by December 1, 2016.

Download the flyer for more information.