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Student Programs & Opportunities

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Last updated: August 25, 2008

Hawai'i Ocean Guardian Kid's Club and Contest. Students across the country can show off their knowledge about marine conservation and win one of several cool prizes, including accommodations for two nights in Hawai`i and Swatch watches, in an ocean reef-themed contest presented by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts in collaboration with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The Hawai`i Ocean Guardians Kid’s Club and Contest is part of the 2008 International Year of the Reef. The contest is open to all students in grades K - 8 in the United States, and encourages youngsters to express their insights and observations about the ocean and sensitive coral reef ecosystems through the creation of original stories, poetry or works of art. Visit http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/ for more information.
Deadline for entries: August 29, 2008

Wanted: Citizen Scientists. Youth ages 13-26 are invited to submit original scientific research or position papers to the Citizen Science Technical Board for the 2008 Citizen Science paper competition! Winners will, in addition to publication, have the chance to present their work at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in NYC. For more information, visit www.sustainus.org/citizenscience.

Lifeschool, Bodega Bay-based non-profit organization leads outdoor-based class trips and summer adventures in Alaska, California, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. Activities include backpacking, eco tours, fishing, sea kayaking, surfing and white water rafting. Lifeschool focuses on fun, teamwork, self-esteem, and back country skills. Five percent discount offered if you sign up with a friend. Call (707) 876-3071 or enroll at http://www.lifeschooladventures.org.

UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
The Research Mentorship program is designed for highly motivated and serious high school
students interested in participating in academic research. After learning about twenty potential projects, you will indicate which six projects you prefer. One of the researchers you nominated will be your research mentor as you participate in their research project for the rest of the program. Students will work in the lab, library and/or in the field, and learn research techniques, how to collect and an analyze data, how to write a research paper, and how to present your findings in a research symposium. Topics currently under consideration include: Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Communication, Computer Science, Engineering, English, Geography, Geology, History, Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Math, Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology, and Sociology. www.summer.ucsb.edu

InventNow.org encourages students to to explore and discover their own innate inventiveness and interests in space, sports, design, and entertainment. The site features ordinary children creating inventions to solve everyday problems. Check out http://www.inventnow.org/.

The Coleopterists Societyis an international orgnization of professionals and hobbyists interested in the tudy of beetles. The Society has established a program to recognize young people studying beetles. The Society has pledged up to $300 each year for the Youth Incentive Award program.

In addition to monetary grants of up to $150, award recipients will receive up to $200 (Junior Award) and $400 (Senior Award) of equipment credit from the BioQuip Products, Inc. catalog, and a one year subscription to the Society journal, The Coleopterists Bulletin.

This program is for young Coleopterists in grades 7-12.

The objectives of the Youth Incentive Award are to:

  • provide encouragement and assistance to young beetle enthusiasts (grades 7-12).
  • promote the study of beetles, the most diverse group of insects, as a rewarding lifelong avocation or career.
  • provide opportunities for young people to develop important life skills such as leadership, cooperation, communication, planning and conducting a scientific study, grant writing and managing funds.
  • provide some financial support to enrich activities or projects.

Application Deadline: November 15, 2008

For more information, visit their website.

Forecast Earth Summit, sponsored by the Weather Channel, will bring environmental experts and students together to share ideas and thoughts on major environmental issues. Through an essay contest, 20 outstanding students who are passionate about their environment and are taking action to make a difference will be selected to become Eco-Ambassadors and win a trip to Washington, D.C., December 5-7, 2008. Visit https://www.forecastearthsummit.org/index.php to learn more and to submit an application.

Sally Ride Science Camps. Innovative hands-on science camps for girls entering 6th - 9th grades. These unique camps provide girls an opportunity to explore science, technology, and engineering while having fun on a college campus. http://www.sallyridecamps.com

Academic Summer Camps and Summer Programs for Kids and Teens! Education Unlimited®, established in 1993, provides a variety of summer camps, summer programs and summer study, both residential and commuter, for students in grades 4 through 12. http://www.educationunlimited.com

The USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) is the premier competition in biology in the United States. The objectives of the USABO are to stimulate young scholars' intellectual curiosity and develop their critical thinking skills in biological reasoning. http://www.cee.org./usabo/index.shtml

InvenTeams is the Lemelson-MIT Program's national initiative to foster inventiveness among high school students. InvenTeams asks teams of high school students, their teacher(s) and mentors to identify a problem to address with an invention, then funds them up to $10,000 per team to develop a prototype. Popular themes of projects include assistive devices, consumer products, environment, transportation, and health and safety. InvenTeams is open to high school science, mathematics and technology teachers at public, private and vocational schools and their students.
Visit http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/index.html

Earth Explore provides transforming student travel experiences that showcase the earth, science, and culture, in a way that is always challenging, safe, and educational. Visit the Earth Explore web site at http://www.earthexplore.com/.

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