Announcements for the Week of March 19, 2012

March 20, 2012

GENERAL INFORMATION

Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Offers Grants: School clubs, sports teams and other youth groups can earn money while helping to clean up their neighborhoods and other littered areas around Bernalillo County. Nonprofit youth groups are encouraged to apply for $200 grants as part of Bernalillo County’s participation in the New Mexico Clean and Beautiful program. Supplies such as trash bags and T-shirts will be provided by the county. The deadline to apply is March 30. Visit www.bernco.gov/fun or click here to access the application. Applicants can also contact the county’s Parks and Recreation Department at 505-314-0416 or parks@bernco.gov for more information.

TEACHER TRAINING

Social Context in Autism Conf set for March 28-30: The Autism Programs at the Center for Development and Disability, UNM, HSC presents Imagine… a learning journey through autism spectrum disorders daily from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., March 28, 29, and 30 at the center.  The keynote speaker is Carol Gray.  Cost is: $75 for NMAS Members; $140 for New Mexico residents and includes one meal each day.  Register at http://cdd.unm.edu/autism/education.asp.  For information, call Kathy Turner 272-4715 or e-mail turnerk@salud.unm.edu or Rita Crozier at rcrozier@salud.unm.edu.  Visit http://www.nmautismsociety.org/membership.php for membership information.

Museum Teaching Fellowship for ES Teachers, June-July: The Science Education Institute of the Southwest and Sandia National Laboratories are co-sponsoring a Museum Teaching Fellowship Program in June – July at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science and the Albuquerque BioPark.  Six elementary school teachers will be chosen to participate in the 80-hour program that offers valuable learning and resource opportunities, as well as a $1,000 stipend.   Teachers who choose the NMMNHS session will meet from June 18-21.  Teachers choosing the Albuquerque BioPark session will meet from June 25-28.  A 48-hour, self-directed study is required, followed by a final presentation on July 25.  The application (available at www.seisinstitute.org) is due April 13.  For more information, please call Selena Connealy at 217-5605 or e-mail selena.connealy@comcast.net.

Earn a Master’s Degree in Literacy/Language Arts &/or a Reading Endorsement from UNM:  The master’s degree will include 24 hours toward a reading endorsement which is applicable K-12 and would be added to the teaching license. In addition, completing a dossier is part of the program so that teachers may move up to Tier 2 or Tier 3 in the licensure system.  Most importantly, hands-on learning will help teachers develop a deep understanding about reading, writing, and language processes to support good instructional decisions and help children be successful. Interested? Contact Dr. Rick Meyer (rmeyer@unm.edu) as soon as possible.

STUDENT PROGRAMS/SCHOLARSHIPS

Prehistoric Preschool Session Begins End of March: The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science’s upcoming Family Program, Prehistoric Preschool, and its new session Family Nature Mapping begins March 29.  Learn where wild animals live through their tracks and sign.  Opportunities to use Nature Mapping skills in the wild will be offered at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center over the summer.  Cost is $90 for the first child, $81 for the second child in the same family (10 percent discount for museum members).  Scholarships available.  Preregister at:  http://www.brownpapertickets.com or http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/preschool.html.  For more information, e-mail August Wainwright at programs.nmmnhs@state.nm.us or call 841-2861.

Poetry Contest for Students in Grades 1-12: In honor of National Poetry Month in April, Alamosa Books is hosting a poetry contest for students. Poem submissions (maximum of 50 lines) will be accepted through April 10.  E-mail poems to info@alamosabooks.com with the subject line “Poetry Contest,” or drop a paper copy of the poem off at the Alamosa Books store on the corner of Paseo del Norte and Ventura before 8 p.m. on April 10.  Students should include name, grade, phone number, and name of teacher or librarian (and school) encouraging entry.  Entrants will be invited to read their poems at the Poet's Corner on April 14th.  Prizes will be awarded and the schools with the most students to enter win a free, 50-minute visit from authors Carolee Dean (middle and high school) or Caroline Starr Rose (elementary school).  For more information, visit www.alamosabooks.com.

Summer Math Camps for Middle- and High-School Students: AfterMath June camps will be held June 4-7 (for middle school students) and June 11-14 (for high school students) at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber; the July camps will be held July 16-19 (for middle school students) and July 23-26 (for high school students) at the SW Carpenters Training Center.  Scholarships are available.  For more information, visit www.aftermathcamp.com or call Hilary Noskin at 449-7984.

ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships Offer $5,000 Awards:  Applications are being accepted until April 2 from high school seniors graduating in 2012 from districts represented by the Council of the Great City Schools, including Albuquerque. Four scholarships for $5,000 each will be awarded in June to two African American and two Hispanic students by ExxonMobil in honor of Dr. Bernard Harris, former NASA astronaut who was the first African American to walk in space. For more information and to download the application, visit www.cgcs.org or contact Henry Duvall at 202-393-2427.