Science Fair Pay Day?

This week The girl competed in the Regional Science Fair.  It is the same project, just moving through the judging levels.  I haven't ever gone to one of these before, but headed down to see the projects and then back with The Girl for the awards ceremony.

The secondary group is divided between Junior division (middle schoolers) and Senior division (high school kids).  The overall quality of work was impressive.  And most of the middle schoolers were from charter schools.  And many senior division kids too, for that matter.  But luckily the regular public high schools held their own against the charters.

The Girl ended up placed 2nd in the microbiology category and won a trophy and $75!  Then the scholarships were given and lo and behold, she won a $1000/year for four years--but from Westminster College, a smaller, private, pricey college in SLC.  But it was a nice gesture.

Another pair of boys from her Biotech class did a fantastic project--that I still can't understand--and won several BIG prizes.  1st place in the engineering category and then Westminster offered them  each an $80K scholarship--$20K a year for 4 years.  Crazy! 

The really crazy thing, I checked the tuition at Westminster...and it is $16K a semester...so their big $80K scholarship still won;t pay for all the tuition there.  The Girl is still better off at USU with her scholarships as they are now.

This same pair of boys also won a full tuition for one year scholarship from BYU. They seemed more excited about that one.

We always knew science brainiacs would be worth the big bucks...but I didn't imagine thta started so soon.

Those Poor Elders....

I was talking with a friend this week about these excited, enthusiastic, young missionaries going out into the world.  We particularly got talking about the sisters that are choosing to serve now.

One of her good friends' parents are serving as a mission president right now.  She told me her friend relayed the story from her dad about going to the airport to pick up 20 new sisters to serve in their mission.  He got to the airport a little late and began looking for these new sisters.  At one of the first gates he saw a group of completely gorgeous young women but figured it was a dance team or something.  In fact, he called them "super models".  He kept looking. Then he continued searching all the gates and soon was getting panicky.  After not finding them, he eventually went back to the first gate and when he was looking around, one of the "super models" came over and addressed him as "President S_?"  The super models were his new sister missionaries.  Not only are they gorgeous to look at, they were so confident and self assured.  They dressed well and in an attractive--but modest--way and their smiles, hair and makeup were all cover girl ready!

Then I just ran across this article:  Sister Missionaries and it made me hope the young MEN serving can keep their minds on their service and the Gospel they are teaching!  I wish them luck!

Never Gonna Change Some People's Minds

Last night I was part of a forum held my our local school district.  They had invited about 100 people from all over the district to consider the areas of focus that drive the district's educational efforts and apply two questions in their regards:  What evidences have I seen of these areas of focus?  And, What evidences would I like to see?

Basically, they were asking what we had each observed in our local schools and throughout the district in terms of teacher quality, comprehensive curriculum, leadership, school and district culture, community relations, resources, and student achievement.  And then, what we'd LIKE to see in each of these areas.

If I had carried a weapon, I might have gone postal before the evening was over.  I'm not sure whop got tagged to come voice their opinions, but aside form the 8 or so PTA colleagues I saw and a few I know sit on the school- or district community councils, the majority seemed to be the pot-stirrers in the county that want to cause trouble with the district at every turn.  Their responses were narrow and politically led with their ultra conservative views.

What I mean is these are the kind of folks that don't want the schools to include sex-ed, drug education, or even mental health information in a health class or biology class.  They won't join PTA because they (wrongly) believe the national component of the organization lobbies the Feds for GLTB rights. They don't want any Common Core or to take any money from the Federal government because everything is a conspiracy to have President Obama run our local schools into the ground.  And, apparently, after listening to three of these types at my table last night, the only kids that matter are the high achieving, Gifted & Talented, highly motivated kids.

Well, I hope they NEVER get any child who doesn't fit that profile.  If they do, that child may well enough end up another uni-bomber or postal clerk that lets loose.

I came home grateful to represent a little more of the mainstream (and wider minded) folks in the area.  I am grateful to know the organization wherein I serve speaks for ALL children, and not just the specially anointed ones.  I am grateful for a school district who, at least on the surface, seek out the views of their patrons--no matter who crazy they are. and I am grateful that I have seen our educational system from both the inside and the outside and can speak realistically to what is actually happening there.

And although we are the lowest per pupil spending district in the lowest per pupil spending state, our kids do amazingly well.  I know that can't last, but my kids are getting a really great education--and taking advantage of that.  And if mine are, then others might be too.

Say, What?!

This is The Girl's science fair project board.  The title says "Increasing Medicago sativa (Alflafa) Production by Attempting to Induce a Novel Symbiotic Relationship Using Unknown Bateria extracted from Root Nodules of Lotus corniculatus (Birdsfoot Trefoil)". 

I know.  My typing it out doesn't make it any clearer, does it?

She was one of the district level winners so this week she will take her unusually titled project to the BIG DANCE.  Well, it is a regional science far being held at BYU this week.  If she does well there she could earn herself a few more scholarship dollars.  I believe she has her entire collegiate career paid for (from the scholarships she has earned) already, but any extra won't be turned down!

I can't really even tell you what this project is about.  I know she has a clear understanding of it--as she has to defend her hypothesis, data and conclusions to the judges at the fair.  I can't even pronounce the title.

Boy, it is a good thing she is a compliant child.  If she wasn't she could probably build weapons of mass destruction and blow up the universe without me knowing she was up to anything.

Win Some, Lose Some

I got an email that the position I interviewed for has been filled.  I didn't get a phone call to tell me I got the job, so I'm guessing it is not me.

That is OK.  I had a feeling, based on the questions that were asked in the interview, they already had a candidate in mind.  today at school, I learned that was indeed the case.

I just applied to the secretary spot--the secretary got the advocate's job--that just opened.  I figure something will come up that will at least get my foot in the door. 

I also just opened my application for teaching positions.  Man, there is a LOT of information they want that--for me--makes me want to find a time machine so I can recall what I did 20+ years ago.  I'm note sure I would ever really WANT to go back to teaching, but I would really like a job with benefits and still get to work with kids.  I know in a couple of years the assistant media center director will be retiring from our high school, and her job is a salaried position with benefits.  I'd love that one.  There was another junior high job--in another town--but I missed the window to apply for that one because I didn't have this "certified"; application finished yet.

So, my job hunt continues.  I have felt more settled that the right thing will come along.  I hope that means the right thing for Genius Golfer will come also.  He applied again to the university nearby.  We understand that it takes 5-6 applications before they really consider you for hiring.

Always a Process

I think I showed your the photo of Genius Golfer and his brother, Mike, whom we got to visit within California last month.  Well, here is a short series showing you Genius Golfer, slightly after the winter camp-out with The Boy and the scouts.

In the first shot, he looks more like the Uni-Bomber than I'd like to acknowledge, but truth hurts.  Especially with his orange polo shirt on here...could be....prison uniform.

 Now he just looks like a bad Starsky and Hutch extra....*shiver*....ewwww....

And finally, the fresh faced guy I'm really married to appears!  I am not sure it is fair that he can loose 10-15 years of aging by just shaving his face!  But I'll take what I can get.

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