FEMA Seeking Student Applicants for National Youth Preparedness Council

Do you know a teen who has a passion for preparedness? The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting applications for its 2021 Youth Preparedness Council (YPC). Since 2012, FEMA has brought youth from across the Nation together to serve on the YPC. Each year, teens apply to the YPC for an opportunity to join FEMA in encouraging emergency preparedness. YPC members are selected for two-year terms. Applicants should be between 8th grade and 11th grade.

As part of the YPC, members can build leadership skills and represent their schools and communities. They also share their perspectives, feedback, and opinions with FEMA. The YPC gives youth the chance to meet peers from across the country and work on projects with the fellow members, such as preparedness fairs for their communities, building emergency preparedness newsletters, and training programs for school aged kids. A virtual summit in July gives members a chance to meet each other and hear from FEMA experts.

This opportunity is open to youth in grades 8-11. The application period is open to teens in grades 8-11 until March 7, 2021. Learn more on Ready Kids and apply here!

If applicants are unsuccessful in their bid for National YPC this year, they can join the Region 1 New England YPC. In Region 1. the program also has a robust YPC program with members representing communities across New England. They have members working on building emergency response data applications, facilitating disaster recovery scenarios, instructing school aged kids on preparedness and readiness, and creating readiness and recovery graphic novels for school aged kids. This year we are very excited about a new YPC Leadership Program that we are offering to our members. The Leadership Program will consist of a series of trainings and workshops that highlight professional development skills and relevant emergency preparedness and disaster recovery issues.

For further information reach out to Jed Fiato (jedidiah.fiato@associates.fema.dhs.gov ) or Arlene Magoon (Arlene.Magoon@fema.dhs.gov ).

Mitchell Scholarship Application Open Until April 1

Mitchell Scholarships are awarded to students planning to attend two- or four-year degree programs at colleges either in- or out-of-state. The strongest applicants demonstrate financial need, academic promise, and community impact. Please encourage any graduating college-bound students from Maine’s public high schools to apply before the April 1 deadline.

Find the application link, requirements, and a few additional college and scholarship resources on the Mitchell Institute web site: http://mitchellinstitute.org/scholarship/

In addition to the $10,000 scholarship awarded to a graduating senior from every public high school in the state, Mitchell Institute also provides numerous resources and programs for Mitchell Scholars:

Leadership and career development events
Access to a wide array of professional networks
Customized career advising and personal support through individual meetings with Mitchell Institute staff and community members
Fellowship Awards of up to $1,500 to support internships and personal/professional growth opportunities
Emergency financial assistance for unexpected financial challenges

Please forward this information to students, colleagues, and friends in your networks! For more information, reach out to http://mitchellinstitute.org/

Join the Maine Audubon Junior Duck Stamp Challenge: A Scientific and Artistic Opportunity for K-12 Students

Maine Audubon is collaborating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the 27th annual Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program, and they are looking for Maine students to submit creative, innovative, beautiful waterfowl art!

Educators can download a free dynamic, multidisciplinary curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. The program encourages students to explore their natural world, invites them to investigate biology and wildlife management principles and challenges them to express and share what they have learned with others. This program and curriculum lend themselves to learning in a variety of forms, remote, hybrid teaching and in-classroom instruction.

Click here to see the winners of the 2019-2020 Maine Junior Duck Stamp Challenge!

Join Maine Audubon on Zoom on Jan 14 for information on the curriculum and background information on waterfowl and Jan 28 on drawing tips and techniques. Click here for For more information, to register for the free training and to download the curriculum.

For more information, contact Linda Woodard at lwoodard@maineaudubon.org.

Student Learning Opportunity: Thomas Cup Competition for High School Students

This free online learning opportunity is being hosted by Thomas College for high school students statewide.

It has been a tough year for many students and Thomas College (and partnering sponsors) want to help by providing a fun and engaging opportunity for students that can be done from the safety of their own homes. The 6th Annual Thomas Cup will include several chances to participate from December 7th, 2020 through January 30th, 2021. It will feature five (5) FREE virtual competitions where students will engage in coding, innovation, esports, robotics, crime scene investigation, and cyber defense. Additionally, each member of the winning team from the Thomas Cup in a Box event can take home up to $10,000 in scholarships to Thomas College.

We hope that you will help us get the word out to students!

Poster with information about each event

Website (includes registration links)

One important note: We recognize the extraordinary load educators have this year, and will do everything we can to reduce the ask of educators in order for students to participate. At minimum, we do require that students have some connection to a school/chaperone — this is for safety purposes. We want to be sure all the students who are involved are truly high school students and that we have a trusted-adult we can reach out to in case something comes up beyond our reach.

Technology Requirements: Students will need access to a laptop/tablet with internet access, a Gmail account that can access our Google Classroom, and the Chrome browser. For some of the challenges, Thomas College also will provide access to Hopin, Minecraft Education Edition, and CoderZ Robotics. Students should review the device requirements for these on the registration page.

For answers to questions or more information, please reach out to Jim Delorie (James.Delorie@thomas.edu) or Amanda Nguyen (Amanda.Nguyen@thomas.edu).

Sponsors: Central Maine Power, Educate Maine, UNUM, Project Login, At&T, Thomas College Sports, Microsoft, WEX, Thomas College. These organizations have made it possible for your students to participate in this year’s Thomas Cup at no cost and have shared their time and talent to help make the competitions a success.

iCivics STUDENT Webinar to Discuss the 2020 Election (For Students/Classrooms Grades 3-12)

On Friday, October 2 at 10am join Joe Schmidt (Social Studies Specialist MDOE) as he hosts an iCivics panel to discuss Getting from “Can’t Vote. Don’t Care” to “Count Me In”: Youth Engagement in a Presidential Election.

This 30-minute session is intended for your students to watch on YouTube live and submit questions as iCivics will talk about the importance of voting (even for students who are not old enough to vote) and how students can be involved. The iCivics panel will then answer questions submitted by your students. You and your students can join in and watch here – https://youtu.be/Kx-85ZlJqPg. The comments section will be turned off so questions will be collected ahead of the webinar.

This form can be shared with your students or collect your student questions and submit on their behalf. This session will be recorded and available for asynchronous viewing at a later time.

Contact Joe Schmidt (joe.schmidt@maine.gov) with any of your questions.

Applications Open for United State Senate Youth Program

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is pleased to announce that the state departments of education nationwide have begun their annual selection processes. Two Maine students will be selected to attend the online Washington Week program March 14-18, 2021 and each will receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship. This year the application process will be completely online with each high school principal able to nominate one student from their high school to be considered.

Students must submit their application and signed nomination via email no later than 11:59pm on December 4, 2020. All form, requirements, and additional information can be found at on the Maine Social Studies DOE Website. More about the program can be found on the National USSYP website.

The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 as stated in supporting Senate testimony from that year, “to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationship of the three branches of government, the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world.”

Each year, this extremely competitive merit-based program brings 104 of America’s brightest high school juniors and seniors from every state, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity, to Washington, D.C. for an intensive week-long study of the federal government and its leaders. The state departments of education throughout the country select the students through a rigorous nomination and selection process. Each of the 104 student delegates will also receive a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship, with encouragement to continue coursework in history, government and public affairs. The Hearst Foundations have fully funded and administered the program since inception; as stipulated in S. Res. 324, no government funds are utilized.

6th Annual Count ME In Multimedia Contest Promoting School Attendance, Learning and Community

Count ME In is broadening its annual contest to include multimedia submissions that promote learning and being part of a school community. Students age 6 through high school are invited to create a poster, sculpture, song, poem, story or video for the 2020 celebration in September and October 2020. This is an opportunity for students to share their view on why school learning and being part of a school community is important. Students can participate from home, school, or summer program.

The winning submissions will be reproduced, including the artist’s name and distributed throughout Maine. In addition, the winning artists will receive money gift cards. View the contest guidelines.

Please share with student you think might be interested in submitting artwork. The deadline is Friday, July 17, 2020

For more information check out the Count ME In website.

Calling all High School Senior STEM Students! Exciting FREE Opportunity!

Each year two seniors are selected from each state to attend the National Youth Science Camp (NYSC). NYSC is a residential STEM program, designed to honor and challenge some of the nation’s rising STEM leaders. At the NYSCamp, STEM professionals present lectures and lead small-group directed studies on a broad array of STEM topics; some delegates are able to conduct research at the nearby Green Bank Observatory. The NYSCamp experience also features excursions into the Monongahela National Forest including backpacking, rock-climbing, caving, mountain biking, and kayaking.

Delegates are required to participate in the NYSCamp program for its entirety; the fast-paced activities and remote location simply make travel to and from the NYSCamp very difficult. The NYSCamp is offered to selected participants at NO COST, so that talented students may attend regardless of their financial ability – transportation included. This all-expense paid experience is open to students graduating between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020. Additionally, students must:

have documented superior academic proficiency, including recognition in mathematics or the sciences.
have documented leadership abilities and social maturity through involvement in school or community activities.
have documented skills and achievements outside the realm of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and outside the realm of academia.
demonstrate a curiosity and an eagerness to explore many and varied topics.
intend to pursue higher education and a career in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics-related field.
be willing and able to participate in the entire NYSCamp program. The 2020 NYSCamp dates are June 22 – July 15, 2020.

Students will apply online by completing the application found at http://apply.nyscamp.org. The deadline to submit applications is 6:00 PM EST on February 28, 2020.

For more information visit http://www.nyscamp.org/ or contact Shari Templeton, Maine DOE Science and Technology Specialist, at shari.templeton@maine.gov

Registration Open for the 16th Annual MLTI Student Conference

Registration for the 2019 MLTI Student Conference, taking place on Thursday, May 23rd at the University of Maine campus in Orono, will be open from Monday, April 1^st until Tuesday, April 23^rd.

We’re expecting 1000 students and their adult chaperones to fill the concert hall at the Collins Center for the Arts for the opening student keynote and, at the end of the day, for the so-called “Über Session.” Between the opening and closing at the Collins Center, students will spill out over the campus for a “college way” lunch, and for sessions where they will learn and create in a variety of ways – through coding, audio, video, images, text, and more. As always, this will be a time for celebration and fun challenges. Described by past participants as, “Our favorite day of the year,” we are dedicated to keeping it that way!

The registration cost for each participant (student or adult) is once again $15. This fee includes all event activities, lunch for each registrant, and a 2019 MLTI Student Conference T-Shirt for each student. Schools will be invoiced for registration costs after the conference.

New this year:

Each student will complete their own registration form and will be expected to register for specific sessions ahead of time. Please plan for this as part of the registration process this year!
Even students from non-MLTI grades can attend the conference. We encourage chaperones to work with students during the registration process to make sure they have a device that will allow them to participate fully.

For more information, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/conference

To register, go to: https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/ltt/conference/register

Please be sure to register by Tuesday, April 23^rd!

Questions? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the planning team at mlti.project@maine.gov, and we look forward to seeing you and a team of students from your school in Orono on May 23^rd!

Cybersecurity opportunity for young women in high school

There is still time to encourage young women in high school to participate in GirlsGoCyberStart’, national program created by CyberStart that uses online games of discovery to introduce high school students to the field of cybersecurity.

In a collaboration between the Maine DOE, the Maine Office of Information Technology and the Governor, the State of Maine helping promote this program in order to provide Maine students with an opportunity to learn more about the field of cybersecurity and to discover their ability for a careers in cybersecurity.

Participating students do not need prior cybersecurity knowledge or programming experience. All that is required is a computer and an internet connection. Young women in high school who excel in the GirlsGoCyberStart game will have the opportunity to win computers and other prizes as well as a trip, with a parent, to the 2018 Women in CyberSecurity Conference.

The website explaining the program is available at GirlsGoCyberStart.com. Registration will begin on January 29 and end on February 16, 2018. The first 10,000 young women in high school who have registered by then, can play the game online from February 20 through February 25.

For more information about eligibility visit GirlsGoCyberStart.com and for more information about Maine’s participation in the program contact Dr. Kelly Rickert, Director of Workforce Development for the Maine Office of Information Services.