NSCDA Washington Week Workshop Scholarship

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America is pleased to offer this

amazing opportunity to high school students!

∗2019 Essay Topic and Title∗

“What do you think the authors of the Bill of Rights intended the Second Amendment to mean? 

Do you think it is being interpreted correctly today?” 

Rules, Information and Judging Criteria for Essay Contest

Essay Poster

History of the Congressional Essay Contest

How to Apply

Review Essay Rules and Information to make sure your submission complies with all rules.

Download and complete the Application and email or mail by USPS with your essay to the local/state NSCDA Congressional Essay representative or Patriotic Service Chair as directed. Please download the Application Unsure about who this person is? Please email  Dames@nscda.org for the correct name and contact information. Please include your name, State and county/parish of your school and contact information.

Email Dames@nscda.org if you have any questions.

*Please Note: Grandchildren and children of Dames are not eligible for the contest but can still participate. Please contact Libby Siskron at lsiskron@mindspring.com for more information.

ESSAY RULES & INFORMATION

The essay topic for 2019 is:

“What do you think the authors of the Bill of Rights intended the Second Amendment to mean? 

Do you think it is being interpreted correctly today?"

• Deadline December 1, 2018, postmark or by time/dated email.
• We welcome essays from 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students
• If students are participating as part of a class or school project, please note that all students must submit an individual application form and essay.
• Students may enter online or send hard copies via USPS mail. Complete the online Application. Save (see below) or download/print the form. If completing form by hand, take care to make all information readable.
• Essays (750 words or less, excluding topic/title and sources) must be typed, double-spaced and
printed on one side of paper only. A cover page is strongly encouraged. The student’s name
and State should be on each page of the essay.
• The title of the essay must be the same as the essay topic. The topic must not be altered in any
way.
• SAVE all essays as .PDF or Word .DOC; NAME your files: State + student’s Last Name+
Essay or Application. As an example: if applying from Maryland the file would be: "MDSmithEssay.doc or MDSmithApp.pdf"
• Email or USPS mail essays with application to the local/State NSCDA Congressional Essay
Chair or Patriotic Service Chair as directed or send to: Dames@NSCDA.org.
• If you do not have a Colonial Dame contact in your State please contact Dames@NSCDA.org to obtain the address for submission. Reference Essay Contest as subject of the email and give your name, city and state.
• Students submitting by paper should send their application form plus 3 copies of their
essay.
• If more than five students are entering the contest online from one school, please also USPS mail a copy of each essay to your Colonial Dame contact.

Microsoft Domain Hosts YouthSpark Technology Events

Events for Students - sign up for free youth workshops, camps, events, and field trips 

involving the latest technology! Click HERE!

Vision & Voice Contest 2018-2019 Now Open

Welcome to a new year of Vision+Voice!

The 2018-19 competition is just starting, so get those creative juices flowing and make a poem!

You may have noticed that we’ve moved. Our new home is

http://k12.visionandvoice.org

Why did we move, you ask? Well, we’re growing, both in the number of schools that are included in the Vision+Voice family, but also in the types of projects we’re creating. We’ll let you know more about some of our new ideas as they develop.

Meanwhile, this is the home of our famous K through 12 poetry competition. Selected poems from each grade level will be paired with art by ACC art students to create posters and an anthology. And as in years past, KLRU will be videotaping our poets, and we’ll be celebrating our young authors at the spring reception. (Date is coming soon!)

So, sit back, relax, create, submit*, and read some poems! (Don’t forget to rate your favorites, too!)

Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2018; winners announced February 15, 2019

* Poems of all languages accepted

How Can a Study Group Benefit You?

STUDY GROUPS 

A study group can be helpful when you are trying to learn information and concepts and preparing for class discussions and tests. 

Benefits of a Study Group 

A study group can be beneficial in many ways. Here are the most important benefits:

1. A support group can "pick you up" when you find that your motivation to study is slipping. The other group members can be a source of encouragement.

2. You may be reluctant to ask a question in class. You will find it easier to do so in a small study group.

3. You may become more committed to study because the group members are depending on your presentation and participation. You will not want to let them down.

4. Group members will listen and discuss information and concepts during the study sessions. These activities add a strong auditory dimension to your learning experience.

5. One or more group members are likely to understand something you do not. They may bring up ideas you never considered.

6. You can learn valuable new study habits from the other group members.

7. You can compare your class notes with those of the other group members to clarify your notes and fill in any gaps.

8. Teaching/explaining information and concepts to the other group members will help you reinforce your mastery of the information and concepts.

9. Let's face it - studying can sometimes be boring. Interacting with the other group members can make studying enjoyable.

Getting a Study Group Started 

Study groups don't just happen. Here is what you should do to get a study group started:

1. Get to know your classmates by talking with them before class, during breaks, and after class. When selecting a classmate to join your study group, you should be able to answer YES for each of the following questions:

o Is this classmate motivated to do well?

o Does this classmate understand the subject matter?

o Is this classmate dependable?

o Would this classmate be tolerant of the ideas of others?

o Would you like to work with this classmate?

2. Invite enough of these classmates to work with you in a study group until you have formed a group of three to five. A larger group may allow some members to avoid responsibility, may lead to cliques, and may make group management more of an issue than learning.

3. Decide how often and for how long you will meet. Meeting two or three times a week is probably best. If you plan a long study session, make sure you include time for breaks. A study session of about 60 to 90 minutes is usually best.

4. Decide where you will meet. Select a meeting place that is available and is free from distractions. An empty classroom or a group study room in the library are possibilities. AP DIGEST An Advanced Placement Program Student Resource Advanced Academic Services Austin Independent School District

5. Decide on the goals of the study group. Goals can include comparing and updating notes, discussing readings, and preparing for exams.

6. Decide who the leader will be for the first study session. Also decide whether it will be the same person each session or whether there will be a rotating leader. The leader of a study session should be responsible for meeting the goals of that study session.

7. Clearly decide the agenda for the first study session and the responsibilities of each group member for that session.

8. Develop a list of all group members that includes their names, telephone numbers, and email addresses. Make sure each group member has this list and update the list as needed.

Characteristics of a Successful Study Group 

Once started, a study group should possess the following characteristics to be successful:

1. Each group member contributes to discussions.

2. Group members actively listen to each other without interrupting. Only one group member speaks at a time.

3. The other group members work collaboratively to resolve any concern raised by a group member.

4. Group members are prompt and come prepared to work.

5. The group stays on task with respect to its agenda.

6. Group members show respect for each other.

7. Group members feel free to criticize each other but keep their criticisms constructive. This can encourage group members to reveal their weaknesses so that they can strengthen them.

8. Group members feel free to ask questions of each other.

9. At the end of each study session, an agenda including specific group member responsibilities is prepared for the next session.

10. Above all, the positive attitude that "we can do this together" is maintained.

Possible Pitfalls of a Study Group 

A study group can be a very positive learning experience. However, there are pitfalls to be avoided. Here are some cautions:

1. Do not let the study group get distracted from its agenda and goals.

2. Do not let the study group become a social group. You can always socialize at other times.

3. Do not allow group members to attend unprepared. To stay in the group, members should be required to do their fair share.

4. Do not let the session become a negative forum for complaining about teachers and courses.

5. Do not allow one or two group members to dominate the group. It is important that all members have an equal opportunity to participate. The information you just read will help you decide when a study group is appropriate for you and will help ensure its success.

How-to-Study.com (2009). Study groups. Mangrum-Strichart Learning Resources. Retrieved online 6/12/2009 from http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills/en/studying/38/study-groups/ For educational purposes only. Not for commercial distribution.

Brain Health Series: Your Brain on Food

Are you eating the right foods to feed your brain? Brain health is very dependent on a healthy diet. This is true for growing kids and aging adults as well. The brain represents about 2% of an adult’s weight, but it uses 20% of the energy produced by the body. If the energy supply is not adequate to fuel this energy, people may experience a variety of symptoms, including memory or concentration loss, and fatigue.

An appropriate diet is especially important for the brain health of adolescents. During teenage years, the body and the brain undergo many physical changes. What kind of food a teen eats, how much they eat, and when they eat can affect a teen’ attention span, the ability to focus, and memory capabilities. This translates into how well a student learns and performs in school.

Doctors are finding that what's good for the heart may also be good for the brain. Protecting the blood vessels by following a heart-healthy diet also protects the brain. Many of the same cardiovascular risk factors have been shown to be risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Eating a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fat not only reduces the risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, but also can also protect your brain cells and prevent memory loss. Eating high-quality foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress.

What types of foods feed our brain the best? Below is a suggested list of brain healthy foods:

• Extra virgin olive oil: This is a healthy source of fat in the diet and can help reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Some studies have linked olive oil with a lower risk of ischemic stroke, cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Oily fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel: This is an excellent source of omega-3, which your brain needs to stay healthy.

• Berries and other deep-colored fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, spinach, beetroot, and beans: These foods are high in antioxidants, which help guard against disease by protecting cells in the body and brain from damage.

• Foods containing ‘good fats’: Foods containing polyunsaturated fatty acids like nuts, seeds, fish, leafy green vegetables, and monounsaturated fatty acids found in avocados and nuts may reduce your risk of both depression and dementia.

• Dark chocolate: It contains high levels of antioxidants, although it is also high in sugar and fat. One small piece of dark chocolate per day is enough to get the antioxidant benefit. Green tea is another source of antioxidants.

By the same token, there are foods we should avoid for good brain health. Salty foods, sugary foods and drinks, processed foods, and foods containing trans fats are all bad for our body and our brain health. Let’s all eat a more healthy diet, it’s more than food for thought!

Sources:

www.brainandspine.org.uk/brain-food-nutrition-tips-healthy-brain

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

https://healthybrains.org/pillar-nutrition/

Register and Get Ready to Vote

You must be registered to vote 30 days prior to election day in order to participate.

Specific information available at https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/voters/about-us 

Look up your registration, print a sample ballot, find a polling place, and view wait times at www.VoteTravis.com!

Eligibility

You are eligible to register to vote if:

• You are a United States citizen;
• You are a resident of Travis County;
• You are at least 17 years and 10 months old;
• You are not a convicted felon, or, if convicted you have been pardoned or fully discharged your sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, or probation; and
• You have not been declared by a court to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

How to Register to Vote

Find a Postcard Application

• View an interactive map or download a list of Voter Registration Partners.
• Visit any Travis County Tax Office.
• Request an application from the Texas Secretary of State.
• Visit any Austin Public Library, U.S. Post Office, Department of Public Safety, Department of Human Services or Department of Health located in Travis County.

When does my voter registration become effective?

It becomes effective in the precinct of your address 30 days after receipt of your application. A voter registration certificate will be mailed within 30 days.