From the Museum of Science and Industry web site . . .

Teen Advisory Committee

Teens are invited to share their ideas on how MSI can better engage youth audiences in this new initiative.

Applications are now open for the 2020 Teen Advisory Committee! Submit your application by the March 6, 2020 deadline.

Join us this summer as we explore behind-the-scenes of the Museum’s exhibits, social media, special events, and more!

Our Teen Advisory Committee (TAC) is seeking high school students who love science, to share their ideas on how MSI can better engage youth audiences. Members of TAC will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with senior Museum staff as they give feedback on a wide range of Museum content and discuss the museum’s future.

MSI provides engaging and interactive experiences for youth, and people of all ages, in science and science-related disciplines. TAC is your opportunity to help make our vision to inspire and motivate visitors in the fields of science, technology, engineering and medicine come true.

Eligibility

• Youth ages 14–17 by July 9, 2020
• Have access to the internet for online assignments
• Be able to attend ALL meetings at MSI as scheduled

Responsibilities

Teen Advisory Committee members are required to attend four meetings, complete short online tasks before each meeting, and provide feedback on a variety of content topics. Members should be comfortable speaking in front of a group of their peers and senior Museum management.

MANDATORY meetings (from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.):

• Thursday, July 9
• Thursday, July 16
• Thursday, July 23
• Thursday, July 30

Benefits

All TAC members will receive:

• 20 service learning hours
• $50 Amazon or Target gift card
• A voucher to visit MSI separately with friends and family (five people maximum)

Also, participating in TAC will look great on resumes and college applications!

Timeline

• Applications open from January 13 – March 6, 2020 
• Applications/essays reviewed from March 9 – March 27, 2020 
• New committee members notified via email by Friday, April 3, 2020

Click here for complete details.

Institute for Education Advancement's (IEA) Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship offers one of the only merit-based, need-blind high school scholarships to highly gifted students across the United States.

See the IEA web site for complete details. The following is a small portion of the complete information taken from the web site.

Scholars receive a four-year high school scholarship to an optimally matched high school program intended to meet their unique intellectual and personal needs, as well as receiving individualized support, educational advocacy, and a network of like-minded peers.

The Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship is a full four-year, merit-based high school scholarship. The Scholarship can be used nationally toward any high school or approved alternative educational program that best fits the Scholar’s individual intellectual, academic, and personal needs and goals. The Scholarship enables highly able middle school students to explore and access unlimited high school and early college opportunities that provide these young adults with the optimal educational match for their high school career.

Criteria

A Caroline D. Bradley Scholar is a young student who excels academically, displays a genuine quest for knowledge, thrives in the discovery process, is a leader among peers, and embraces the ideals of integrity, service, and honesty. CDB targets exceptionally gifted young people who seek a rigorous, diversified high school program but need assistance finding or attending the appropriate learning environment that will help them work towards and achieve their full potential. Through a highly selective, in-depth portfolio application and interview process, CDB annually identifies exceptional middle school students from across the country who best meet the following criteria:

• Currently in 7th grade
• Demonstrates exceptional academic ability and achievement
• Has scored in the 97th percentile or above – or scored as “Advanced” – in one or more of the major academic areas of school-administered, nationally-normed standardized test for the past two years
• Scores 20 or higher in either the Math or Reading component of the ACT or scores 500 or higher in either the Critical Reading or Math component of SAT Reasoning Test
• Strives for excellence and continually seeks more rigorous academic challenges
• Demonstrates leadership abilities
• Exhibits creative thinking
• Is extremely curious and has a thirst for knowledge
• Exhibits a passion for learning
• Is highly motivated
• Embraces the merits of integrity and honesty
• Demonstrates a high level of maturity and a strong sense of self
• Seeks an accelerated, diversified high school program
• Is a U.S. citizen who is going to attend a high school program based in the U.S.

From the Northern Illinois University 'NIU STEAM' email today . . .

We’re looking for teen leaders (Grade 7-10) who love science, technology, engineering or math; are interested in meeting others; and want to contribute ideas for and help manage our events. You’ll learn, eat and have fun with engaging activities. Contact jdymond@niu.edu for more information.

From the Pritzker Military Museum and Library web site. Watch for participation from other organizations, too.

#ColorOurCollections 2020

Starting Monday, February 3rd and continuing through Sunday, February 9th we'll be participating in #ColorOurCollections week!

Launched by The New York Academy of Medicine Library in 2016, #ColorOurCollections is a week-long coloring fest on social media, generally occurring on the first full week of February, organized by libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions around the world. Using materials from their collections, these institutions are sharing free coloring content with the hashtag #ColorOurCollections and inviting their followers to color and get creative with their collections.

Stop by the Pritzker Military Museum & Library next week to take part in our week-long coloring competition! Kids 14-years-old and younger can submit their work to be included in a prize pool where the child with the best submission will be awarded a PMML gift basket at the end of the week!

If you aren't able to make it to the Museum & Library next week, be sure to visit our website where you'll be able to download our #ColorOurCollections coloring book to work on from the comfort of your own home!

As part of #ColorOurCollections week, we'll be offering 25% OFF membership to anyone whos walks in looking to become a member for the first time!

Email received on 01/27/2020 from Northwestern Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration & Research in Astrophysics . . .

CIERA Astronomer Evenings

LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH DURING 2020

Each Month is Different
~~~
No Reservation Needed

Beginning January 31, CIERA Astronomer Evenings kick off for 2020! CIERA Astronomer Evenings are special programs that take place on the last Friday of the month at Northwestern’s Dearborn Observatory (part of the weekly Dearborn Observatory public viewing sessions).

Meet Northwestern astronomers and get to know their areas of research. Different experts host each time and are available to answer your astronomy questions. The evenings include a 10-minute introduction to a topic, followed by an open Q&A session and interactive demonstrations. Stop by any time during the two-hour window. Children are welcome.

The talks are FREE and open to all!

Our FACEBOOK EVENTS LISTING will be updated with each month's hosts and topic.

A friend sent me a random link to an article in Readers Digest about one teacher's anti-bullying efforts.  It seems so simple and yet could be so effective...  And thus I share here:  

https://www.rd.com/advice/parenting/stop-bullying-strategy/

Area museums offer free days to Illinois residents throughout the year. On these days, museums often are not as crowded as one might think. Here is a comprehensive list from Carole Kuhrt Brewer of Show Me Chicago: 

http://www.chicagonow.com/show-me-chicago/2020/01/chicago-museum-free-days-2020/

The National Association for Gifted Children publishes the Journal Parenting for High Potential.  The December issue is excellent - it is totally focused on raising 2E children. Here is the online link (which will only give you access to one of the articles if you are not a member. Membership is $59 annually.)   https://www.nagc.org/parenting-high-potential-1  

From IMSA Center for Teaching and Learning email . . .

IMSA STEM League is a three-month, online mini-course designed around a hot topic in STEM, which will include a book read, documentaries/TED Talks, and other source material. This is open to ALL motivated and independent learners in grades 8-11 who have an interest in STEM and the course topic. The weekly time commitment is 1-3 hours. This course (with a different topic each year) will run annually from mid January-mid April. $60 participation fee.

In this course students will explore the recent developments in the field of genetics, with an emphasis on gene therapy and gene editing. The ethical considerations of these powerful tools will also be considered. A variety of media sources such as readings, videos, and online tools will be explored, evaluated and discussed. Over the course of this program we will read The Forever Fix: Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It, a narrative nonfiction book by Dr. Ricki Lewis, a geneticist, science writer, and educator. The course will culminate in a live, online, interactive session with Dr. Lewis. This course will be led by an IMSA Center for Teaching and Learning curriculum specialist in collaboration with IMSA Science faculty with facilitation assistance from IMSA students.

This mostly asynchronous, online program will give students the opportunity to

Learn genetics content that has relevant societal implications and

Participate in an online community of scientific thinking and discussion.

Register here.

2020 Davidson Fellows $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 Scholarships

The Davidson Institute offers high-achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named a 2020 Davidson Fellow, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box.  Applicants must submit an original piece of work that is recognized as significant by experts in the field and that has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university. The 2020 application opens November 20 and the deadline to apply is February 12, 2020.

www.davidsongifted.org/fellows-scholarship