9th and 10th Grade Newsletter

This is the thought that 9th and 10th grade students need to understand - your academics, your activities, your leadership, and your community service - these are all essential ingredients of successful applications to colleges and scholarships and you have already begun establishing them. You will not complete these applications until 12th grade, but you have begun accumulating a GPA, an activity sheet (resume), leadership, and community service. This newsletter is designed to get you started thinking about the elements of applications that will help you to get accepted to your desired college and to be competitive for scholarships. As always, see you counselor with questions.

Colleges Statistics for Stanton graduates have remained constant throughout the years. 99% of your class will go to college. 90% to a 4 year college and 10% will attend a 2-year college. 75% of your class will apply to colleges throughout the United States. 75% will attend a college in Florida , 25% will attend out of state. 80% of those going in Florida will attend a state university. Basically this means that many of you will attend a college in Florida. What are the requirements for the State Universities of Florida (SUS)? Click here to find the statistics from 2000.

CHANGES IN STATE UNIVERSITIES ADMISSIONS

Not only did Florida State and the University of Florida require 2 essays and a list of extracurricular activities as a part of their application, they read and scored them making a difference on who was admitted or denied.

FSU used a (+ and -) weighting to a student’s application in addition to a GPA recalculation; giving pluses for taking the third year of a foreign language, taking calculus, toughness of senior schedule, etc. and minuses for a downward grade trend, D’s and F’s on the transcript, dropping an academic subject after submitting the application for admission.

FSU wanted a 3.5 recalculated GPA for admission to the Fall term. The GPA’s and test scores for Florida’s 2002 summer term are as high as last year’s fall term.

Bright Futures Scholarship Program For 2002 Graduates

Requirements	*I. Florida Academic Scholars Award*	*II. Florida Merit Scholars Award*
Award Level	Public Institution - 100% of tuition and fees (lab fees not included), and $600 cost of education allowance prorated by term and hours Private Institution - 100% of the average tuition and fees at a comparable Florida public institution and $600 cost of education allowance prorated by term and hours	Public Institution - 75% of tuition and fees (lab fees not included) Private Institution – 75% of the average tuition and fees at a comparable Florida public institution prorated by term and hours
Grade Point Average (GPA): Click here for a sheet to calculate your Bright Future GPA	3.5 weighted GPA (based on the Statewide Scholarship Weighting System: .5 weight for honors, pre-IB and AP) using the 15 credits listed below	3.0 weighted GPA (based on the Statewide Scholarship Weighting System: .5 weight for honors, pre-IB and AP) using the 15 credits listed below
Required Credits	4 English (3 with substantial writing) 3 Mathematics (Algebra 1 and above) 3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab) 3 Social Science 2 Foreign Language (in the same language) _________ 15 credits	Same required credits as Florida Academic Scholars Award
Community Service	75 hours	No requirements
Test Scores	1270 SAT or 28 ACT Test scores through June of 2001 may be used.	970 SAT or 20 ACT Test scores through June of 2001 may be used.
Other Ways to Qualify (for the 100% award amount, all methods require 75 hours of community service)	¨ National Merit or Achievement Scholars and Finalists ¨ IB Diploma Recipient ¨ Students who have completed the IB Curriculum with a 1270 SAT or 28 ACT	¨ Students who have completed the IB Curriculum with a 970 SAT or 20 ACT

GPA FORMULA FOR WEIGHTED GPA: 0.5 additional weight given core academic courses designated as honors, pre-IB, IB/AP

“A” in semester course eligible for additional weight: (4 + 0.5 weight) x 0.5 credit value = 2.25 quality points

“A” in year course eligible for additional weight: (4 + 0.5 weight) x 1.0 credit value = 4.50 quality points

The Florida Financial Aid Application

1. Students must apply for a Bright Futures Scholarship by submitting a completed FLORIDA FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION during their last year of high school (available on line at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org The FLORIDA FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION applies only to scholarships, grants and loans administered by OFSA (Office of Student Financial Assistance). Students must still complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to be considered for Federal scholarship, grant (Pell and others), or loan programs.
2. Bright Futures Testing Program requirements for graduates who are eligible for a Florida Academic Scholars or Merit Scholar award and attend a public state university or community college in Florida. This new law requires eligible students to make five attempts to earn college credit through the use of acceleration options (Advanced Placement or IB test scores, dual enrollment course credit or CLEP examinations. This does not affect initial eligibility SAT/ACT test score requirements but must be completed by the time the students register for their second term in college. The latest information on the Bright Futures Testing Requirement is available on the Bright Futures website: http://www.firn.edu/doe/brfuture under the Bright Futures Scholarship Testing Program link.

Community Service: Get The Facts

Why Perform Community Service?

…It’s the right thing to do…to make a difference in your community…to learn new skills and meet new people…to learn the importance and value of helping others…to satisfy the eligibility requirement for the 100% award level of the Bright Futures Scholarship…to enhance your resume for college applications and scholarships.

NOTE: see page 19 for a more detailed look at how a scholarship sponsor will ask about community service.

“Our nation became great not because of what the government did, but because of what its people did.” George Romney

“Service is the rent each of us pays for living—the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.” Marian Wright Edelman

Is There A Community Service Requirement For Graduation? NO

What Is The Community Service Requirement For The Bright Futures Scholarship?

A. None for the 75% tuition and fees award level (academic requirements 3.0 *weighted GPA and 970 SAT/20 ACT)

B. 75 hours for the 100% tuition and fees award level (academic requirements 3.5 *weighted GPA and 1270 SAT/28 ACT)

*the weighted GPA is calculated using 15 core academic credits with a .5 weight given for honors, pre-IB, AP and IB courses

What Are The Procedures For Completing And Documenting The 75 Hours Of Service For Bright Futures?

District guidelines for community service require the student to identify a social problem, develop a plan for personal involvement in addressing the problem, submit an evaluation of the experience, and verify the completion of service hours.

There are two forms available in the guidance office, which provide directions and the structure necessary to completing a program of community service:

I. IDENTIFY A SOCIAL PROBLEM - You may choose to personally address one of the following seven social problems:

1. The preservation of the environment and/or the protection of historical sites

5. The improvement and enrichment of the lives of the mentally and/or physically disabled of our community

7. The provision of leadership, guidance, and activities for the youth of our community

II. DEVELOP A PLAN - You will need to develop a plan for personal involvement in addressing one of the above social problems. Describe your plan in 50 words or less. Click here for examples of plans.

III. EVALUATE THE EXPERIENCE – When you have completed the service hours reflect on your experience in 100 words or less.

IV. SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE – Use the Verification of Community Service Form to give pertinent information about your community service, i.e., date, number of hours, type of work, site, and a verifying signature.

When Should The Appropriate Forms Be Submitted To The School Guidance Office?

Upon completion of the 75 hours of community service, students may submit the required forms: 75-Hour Community Service Plan and Verification of Community Service. Beginning this year, students who meet the eligibility requirements for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program at the end of the first semester of their senior year, will receive an award letter. Current seniors who want to be considered for the 100% award level at the seventh semester eligibility review should submit these forms no later than January 15. Seniors who complete their community service hours during the eighth semester and submit the forms prior to graduation will be considered for the 100% award level in the reevaluation conducted following graduation.

For Bright Futures--What Counts, What Doesn’t

2. Students must perform volunteer services on their own time, which can include the participant's lunch break. Study hall time may be included for peer counseling activities or service to the school, e.g., office aide. Participation in performances, festivals, or competitions during the school day may count if this meets the criteria under #4 and participating students are given permission by the principal to be absent from class.

3. Participation in performances, festivals or competitions counts if the following apply:

e. Neither the student organization nor the sponsoring organization receives payment for the performance.

If participation meets the above criteria, then partial rehearsal time may be counted. Performing hours may be matched with the same number of rehearsal hours. For example, a chorus member performs 1 hour at a nursing home and is given 2 hours of credit (1 hour for the performance and 1 hour for rehearsal).

7. Attendance at self-improvement workshops or conferences will not count as service.

9. Service may not be performed for a student's family or for a profit-making organization, except for institutions like hospitals or the humane society.

10. Service performed as a result of disciplinary action taken by the school or courts cannot count.

11. Volunteer work for the purpose of promoting a particular religious or political point of view or person cannot count as volunteer hours in this program. For example, if your church youth group helps with the Special Olympics, those hours would count, but not time spent distributing flyers advertising a church revival.

12. Participation in Varsity or Junior Varsity Athletics and regularly scheduled band and chorus performances does not constitute volunteer service under this program.

13. The above criteria will not cover all circumstances. If a question exists regarding the acceptance of an activity for volunteer service, the student's counselor should approve the service prior to the student’s participation. A good guideline would be to ask how the activity addresses the social problem that the student has identified to work on as a part of his/her community service plan.

14. Some common activities, which do not count, include: acolyte, altar server, vacation Bible School, babysitting, working in church nursery, church choir and clerical work in profit making organizations.

What Resources Are Available To Help Students Design And Implement Their Community Service Plans?

· Volunteer Jacksonville, Inc (398-7777) has a booklet about volunteer opportunities in the community and a newsletter for Jacksonville’s Youth Volunteers.

· LET’S VOLUNTEER – a booklet of approximately 50 volunteer opportunities that meet the guidelines for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship requirement. Gives contact person and phone number, description of work, training required, age requirement and time needed. May be checked out from the guidance office. Created by ‘97 graduates Patricia Ross and Annette Hartley for their Girl Scout Gold Award Project.

The following students have earned scholarships for their community service efforts.

Sunjay founded a program called Ayudame, in which high school students teach immigrants in their community to speak English. Under his leadership, the program grew from a small program involving four tutors and students to over forty students and tutors. This program has brought two disparate groups together, and has led to the creation of a site in the community for cross-cultural communication and understanding.

Josh created a recycling center at his high school. The center raises money that will be used to provide a scholarship for a graduating senior, and it improves the environment for all Marfa residents. The school's National Honor Society will continue to run the center as a permanent project.

Mary created a seminar program, called A.R.T.S., which brought together volunteer artists and underprivileged elementary children. The eight week seminars were designed to help the students discover their own artistic passions and to learn to use them as healthy, constructive emotional outlets. Mary followed up her seminars with a fund raising benefit that raised $3000 for an arts scholarship fund so that these students can take lessons in their preferred arts.

Can founded an inter school organization of Vietnamese American Youth. The organization enrolls 90 students from San Jose and provides disadvantaged and newly immigrated Vietnamese students with support, guidance and school tutoring. In addition, this organization raises money to sponsor needy children for corrective surgery, to construct a new elementary school in Hue, Vietnam and to provide emergency disaster relief.

Katherine organized a project that provides emotional support to children who are living, with their mothers, in a local shelter for victims of domestic violence. She contacted local businesses which donated materials and services to create tote bags for each child who comes into the shelter. Other merchants donated books and toys to put in the bags. She brought together many businesses in the community, an existing women's shelter and the student government and students of her high school. This year, Katherine's project provided totes for approximately 200 children. Plans are in place so that the project will continue next year while Katherine is in college.

Kristin created classroom lending libraries for an entire elementary school in her community. She publicized the book collection drive, set up collection boxes throughout the community, contacted publishers and suppliers for donations and sorted the books into appropriate categories. Ultimately, she presented the school with over 3,000 books for its classrooms and library.

Armen initiated a fund raising project that involved his school's 200 member Key Club in raising money for cerebral palsy rehabilitation for two local families and for the Untied

Cerebral Palsy Foundation. The project took six months to complete and raised over $12,000 for beneficiaries

Carrie created a gardening project for children in her community which brings together nearly 100 volunteers, elementary school children, local food banks, and a local domestic violence shelter. Her project, which is in its second year, involves children in every aspect of growing food, which they chose to donate to the hungry, and in growing decorative crops, such as gourds and pumpkins which will decorate the school as well as the domestic violence shelter.

Pam has been involved in several different projects that have increased awareness of the importance of conservation in her community, improved water quality in local streams and wells, and provided flood protection to the residents of Peck, Idaho. For two years, she has coordinated the annual Environmental Awareness Days event in Lewiston. She recruited and trained over 40 group leaders and assistants and developed and published resource materials for over 550 participants. In addition, she recruited, supervised and trained a group of youth to prepare educational materials on pesticides and fertilizers and publishes a newletter for approximately 200 local residents that increases awareness of four projects to improve water quality.

Suellen established a high school program that works in conjunction with Big Brother Big Sisters of Sarasota County. Working with existing caseworkers, Suellen has created a mentorship program that matches high school students with local children. She has monitored the program, arranged for training workshops and developed guidelines that have been adopted by Big Brothers Big Sisters so that her program will continue once she leaves for college.

John helped to start the 48 member Youth Action Council which encourages community and youth development through community service such as neighborhood cleanups. He has brought together school children from elementary school to high school, community citizen groups, business affiliates and the local government. His efforts have focused on issues from litter removal to increasing awareness about lead pollution at abandoned city dumps. The mayor appointed him to the City of Jacksonville's Citizen's Planning Advisory Council.

Annie utilized her role as president of Oakland, California's Asian Youth Services Committee to create bridges between the Asian community, the Oakland Police, the City of Oakland and the Oakland Unified School District. Under her leadership, Asian Youth Services Committee provided the Bay Area with ongoing social events that brought 800 to 1000 at-risk youth to safe and fun activities in the heart of Oakland. On weekends, Annie volunteered at the Chinese Resource Center of the Oakland Police Department, where she served as a translator for non-English speaking Chinese crime victims and as a trouble-shooter for the police. With the help of the Oakland Public Schools, she created a peer mentorship program in which high school students spent four class periods a week in local elementary schools tutoring children who needed extra help and attention. Both the Governor of California and the Mayor of Oakland have honored Annie as an extraordinary citizen.

For the last two years, Tiffany has been waging a personal battle against illiteracy. Her attack has been on two fronts: tutoring in reading skills and linking reading with social pleasure via a girls' book club. She began tutoring in 1998 at a local elementary school. Realizing that the students at this school came from homes where reading was not a family activity, Tiffany created Reading Partners/Tutors and recruited 20 fellow high school students to volunteer to read to the younger children on Saturday mornings. In addition, she organized a book drive and convinced local businesses, churches and community service groups to donate over 400 books to the young readers. To help make reading even more appealing, Tiffany also developed a book club for fifth-grade girls which she called Sister to Sister Book Club. She provided drinks and snacks for the girls and facilitated informal discussions of the chosen books. Tiffany's peers from the Alabama School of Fine Arts are going to continue the Reading Partners/Tutors program now that she has graduated from high school.

Emily created a community service club, called RACS (Random Acts of Community Service Club) at her high school. This club has become a vehicle for over 50 high school students to find opportunities to connect to the world outside of school. RACS volunteers tutored children weekly at a local elementary school, volunteered weekly at the Senior Center, helped weekly at the Nevada AIDS Foundation, helped monthly at the Nevada VistaCare Hospice, and provided workers for several one-time jobs such as painting lines in the Senior Center parking lot. Although Emily has graduated, RACS will continue to exist at Fernley High School, continuing to help the community for years to come.

T. Joseph designed and initiated an art therapy program for the elderly. His program, Art to Heart, provided the opportunity for nursing home residents to express their creativity through different mediums. T. Joseph made weekly visits to three nursing homes, reaching approximately thirty residents. His focus was on the process, not the product, and even legally blind residents participated in expressing themselves through the visual arts. At the end of the year, he planned and presented an art show at each facility with matted and framed artwork, award certificates, refreshments and press coverage.

Tracey took a class project in chemistry and over the course of three years turned it into an environmental action organization dedicated to ending pollution of and acid mine drainage into the Susquehanna River watershed. After co-founding a high school River Club to study the problem of river pollution, Tracey brought together resources from throughout the community- town officials, a university professor working with the U.S. Geological Survey, a local archeological firm, and local environmentalists to speak to the club and help it find ways to protect and clean Susquehanna River. She took the initiative to recruit younger students to the project and trained them to continue the work she began. The Club published a pamphlet of data and information it has collected and is hoping to use this information to increase public awareness of watershed pollution and acid mine drainage.

Brynn founded a non-profit organization, Paint-Up Montana, that paints the homes of low-income families at no cost to the home owners. The work is done by volunteers, usually high school students. In order to paint the first 25 houses in western Montana, Brynn wrote a grant proposal and secured money from the Washington Foundation. In the two years that Paint Up Montana has been in existence, volunteers have painted 52 houses in six Montana cities. Brynn continues to serve on the board of directors of Paint Up Montana, and hopes her project will soon be national

Devon established a Gay/Straight Alliance in his high school that provides a support network for a high school community that had been under attack and without an organization to speak for its safety and fairness needs. He researched and conducted weekly group discussions and lessons that empowered and built a community of students who had previously felt isolated and vulnerable. Before GSA existed, gay and lesbian students had dropped out of school rather than continue to face intolerance and harassment. His courageous efforts drew members from high school students throughout the county.

Jameka created a recreational cheerleading squad, the Maxton Eagles, for girls in her city of Maxton, North Carolina. The girls ranged in age from 7 to 13. For the last two years, Jameka coached the team in a local park three times a week, created fundraisers to pay for uniforms and activities, and found opportunities for the team to compete and perform. The mayor of Maxton credits Jameka with creating a program for youth in the community that builds self-esteem and having helped the girls on the cheerleading squad to "achieve higher grades, positive attitudes and remain in school every day."

Leigh used her artistic talents to create a coloring book for young children. The book has original pictures, activities and word puzzles. She secured funding for the printing of the book and found local merchants who donated crayons and supplies. With the help of school clubs, Leigh bound and distributed the book to a local home for battered and abused mothers and children. This project, the Penelope House Project, has grown over four years to reach nine different community organizations and benefit 500 children. Now that she has graduated from high school, Leigh plans to continue her involvement by supervising the project, which will be implemented through Fairhope High School committees.

Joshua designed a program to benefit "at risk" children in his small rural community which has been experiencing a dramatic increase in illegal drugs, gangs, graffiti and juvenile crime. The program creates mentoring partnerships between elementary school classes and National Honor Society members at Perkins-Tryon High School. Once a week, the high school students spent their lunch hour tutoring and playing with more than two hundred younger students. Joshua worked closely with school officials to plan the program and implemented a training program for the volunteer mentors. The program will continue as a National Honor Society activity now that Joshua has graduated.

Nisha created R.E.A.D, Reading for Entertainment and Development, at the end of her freshman year of high school. R.E.A.D, which Nisha organized as a new school club, matched high school volunteers with elementary school children for weekly reading sessions. The program has grown to three sites reaching about one hundred children.

Brandi decided to do something about the fact that her community, Arthur, Nebraska, has been without a grocery store for the last three years. The closest grocery store was over 50 miles away. With the help of her high school Business teacher and 25 high school members of her SIA (Students in Action) group, Brandi wrote a business plan, held community meetings, developed a board of directors, secured the support of local businesses, and eventually brought an student-run grocery store to Arthur. The store will operate as a high school class and will make grocery shopping easier for the entire community.

Joannie has been raising guide dog puppies for the blind for nine years. She takes an eight week old puppy and trains it until it is about a year old, at which time she returns the puppy to be trained as a guide dog at the Guide Dog for the Blind School in San Rafael. Joannie has taken her commitment to the guide dog program public, giving presentations to the community in nursing homes, school classes and 4-H clubs. These presentations have brought others into the puppy raisers group.

As a high school sophomore, Amanda led a campaign to prevent another tragic train accident like the one that killed two of her friends that summer. She organized a petition drive to have warning lights and bars installed at the intersection of the train tracks and the highway, and made sure that everyone realized that the only existing warning sign, a stop sign, was covered by bushes and was impossible to see. Amanda arranged for media coverage of her campaign, insuring that the public continued to focus its concern on the issue of safer train crossings. Her persistence resulted in a safer crossing that will benefit the entire community for years to come.

There are many opportunities available in Jacksonville. Since these opportunities change constantly, you can find out about new and ongoing opportunities at a these websites:

GET INVOLVED! MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE WORLD, AND TO YOURSELF.

Keep track of your volunteer hours on the form on the last page of this newsletter- "Verification of Community Service" for the Bright Futures.

SAMPLES OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE PAST AND PRESENT

LET'S VOLUNTEER - a booklet of approximately 50 volunteer opportunities, which meet the guidelines for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship requirement. Gives contact person and phone number, description of work, training required, age requirement and time needed. May be checked out from the guidance office. CREATED BY ’97 GRADS PATRICIA ROSS AND ANNETTE HARTLEY as a Girl Scout Gold Award Project.

Kaleidoscope Kids (a non-profit childcare center) – Saturday, April 28 from 9:00 am - ?? Bring cleaning supplies. Call Peg Marshall – 607-2539.

Salvation Army and Simon Youth Foundation spring fundraiser for children—The More You Give, The More Kids Grow. Ring the bell at the watering can donation centers at the Avenues Mall. Dates: May 2-16 excluding Sundays. Hours: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm. For more info, call 366-9213.

SHANDS JACKSONVILLE volunteer program – call Department of Volunteer Services 549-4271 or 798-8915.

St. Vincent’s Teenage Volunteer Program – an eight-week program beginning in June. Applicant must be interested in health care career, have good grades, be willing to work year-round, be at least 14 by June 1 and submit a recommendation. Application in guidance. Deadline March 31.

MOSH (Museum of Science and History) a teen intern program to gain skills, experience, references and volunteer hours. Minimum commitment is 100 hours (70 during summer, 30 during school year) Application deadline March 17. Call 396-MOSH, ext. 225 to request application.

The Spirit of Community
How is community/volunteer service measured? The following are questions that are asked on a prominent scholarship for community service.

What was you volunteer community service activity? How did you become involved in the activity? What role did you play in the activity? How much time did you spend on the activity? When did the activity start and how long did it last? How did your activity impact others?