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The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Coca-Cola, and the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) will award new laptops to 40 San Diego County high school students through their annual laptop scholarship contest. 

Students in grades 9 to 12 can submit an essay on this year's theme: developing a shared vision for transit in San Diego. Essays must be a minimum of 750 words and will be judged on four criteria. 

Submissions are due April 10. Visit the contest webpage for details. View the contest flyer.

SDCOE's Innovation division is hosting the following eSports events this spring. Spaces are filling up fast, so don't delay signing up! Registration is free.

Contact Alicia Gallegos Butters at [email protected] with any questions.

Census 2020 is coming in April and is important to all of us. We encourage you to share Census 101, a one-page, double-sided document that you can print and have in your front office, post on campus, share in emails to parents, or link to on your social media.

Census 101 is available in Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

The Public Defender Office of San Diego County is again seeking nominations for its Remarkable Teen Awards. The program honors 25 teenagers for accomplishments and contributions in 25 nontraditional categories such as activism, courage, determination, discipline, kindness, community connections, and more. Categories beyond those listed on the nomination form will be considered, as long as they are not related to academics and traditional sports.

Please consider nominating a young person between 13 and 19 years old that lives in San Diego County who is motivated, committed to their community, inspiring in their talents/skills, or who has shown the courage to confront and overcome adversity. All nominees will receive a certificate of recognition. The 25 who are selected as the county’s Most Remarkable Teens will be honored May 8 at a ceremony at the San Diego Central Library.

View the nomination form and list of categories. The deadline to submit is April 1.

Canyon Crest Academy's (CCA) 9th Annual Writers' Conference is open to all high school students in San Diego County. The March 28 event at the CCA campus will feature bestselling young adult author Gretchen McNeil as the keynote speaker. Workshops will be offered on a variety of topics.

Admission is free, but registration is required by March 27. Visit the conference webpage for details and to register.

The San Diego Division of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) presents the third annual Walk Against Hate. School groups and individuals can register now for the April 26 event at Liberty Station. Before the walk begins, several schools will be recognized for their work on obtaining a "No Place for Hate" designation by partnering with ADL to embed challenging bias/bullying and promoting respect/inclusion into their school all year round.

Advance registration fees are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. All funds raised through this event will help provide anti-bias and anti-bullying education and resources to San Diego County schools. Visit the Walk Against Hate event page to register and for more information. View the event flyer.

The Butterfly Project is a call to action through the arts, using lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hatred and bigotry. Student participants paint ceramic butterflies that are permanently displayed as symbols of resilience and hope to memorialize each of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust.

Retired educators who are children of Holocaust survivors present age-appropriate lessons about the history of the Holocaust and will also share their parents’ stories of survival, photos, and personal artifacts.

Visit the program website to learn more. To bring The Butterfly Project to your school, contact [email protected].

Field Trip Days

Bring your students to see the San Diego Padres during STEAM Field Trip Days at Petco Park on April 16 and May 13.

In April, the League of Extraordinary Scientists and Engineers will present about science exploration, and in May they will be joined by a NEWS 8 meteorologist who will conduct experiments and teach about weather patterns across San Diego. Both dates include tickets to a Padres game. View the event flyer. To inquire about taking students, contact Tara Black at [email protected] or 619-795-5132.

Educator Appreciation Night

The Padres are offering special discounts and ticket packages to all San Diego County teachers and school employees in honor of Educator Appreciation Night on May 15. 

See the Padres play against the Chicago Cubs at 7:10 p.m. View the event flyer for more details, including information about group pricing.

The Experiment Digital is a free, virtual exchange program from the U.S. Department of State that allows students from the United States to connect with peers from Algeria, Iraq, and Yemen. Students learn about civic engagement and peacebuilding; design youth-led projects to create positive social change; and develop cross-cultural communication skills.

The program runs for eight weeks, June 22 to Aug.16. The exchanges take place online, so students can participate from anywhere.

By participating in The Experiment Digital, students receive a certificate of completion in leadership and global issues analysis, access to the Department of State’s International Exchange Alumni network, unique project funding opportunities from the Department of State, and a $400 scholarship toward participation in one of The Experiment’s programs around the world. 

Visit the program webpage for complete information. Download a flyer and an FAQ page. Applications are due March 23. 

Reel Voices is an eight-week summer internship program with the Pacific Arts Movement that is open to San Diego County high school students who are interested in filmmaking. No experience is necessary and all equipment is provided.

 

Students are chosen to participate through a competitive application process. The program is free and also offers students a $500 scholarship upon completion. Additionally, students have access to experienced filmmakers during the program, and their final films are sent to film festivals around the world. 

The application deadline is April 5. View the program flyer for more information. 

The 12th Annual Festival of Science & Engineering 

The Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering is a multi-day educational experience that is free and open to the public. The festival's largest event, EXPO Day at PETCO Park, will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 7 with hundreds of hands-on activities for kids and families provided by local businesses, schools, libraries, and museums. 

From March 7 to 15, the festival will continue with interactive demonstrations, activities, and dynamic speakers to engage kids and families in all that encompasses STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).  

  

Visit the festival's website at lovestemsd.org to learn more about the dozens of programs and events available and how to get involved. 

Women in STEM Days

Middle and high school students are invited during San Diego STEM Week to celebrate Women

in STEM! Two separate events will provide a space for young women to celebrate and exhibit their own achievements and learnings in STEM. Attendees are encouraged to engage in this interactive exhibition and be motivated by a host of women who have moved the needle in STEM. View the event flyer. Click below to learn more about and register for each free event.

Engineering Day at the Mall

Engineering Day at the Chula Vista Mall is for everyone! Students and families with children of all ages are invited to explore fun engineering activities during this event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 14. Activities will take place in front of the Macy's store. Visit the event website for more information and to download flyers in English and Spanish.

Transportation YOU Summit

Transportation YOU is a joint initiative of WTS International, an organization that advocates for women in transportation fields, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. This hands-on mentoring program offered at no cost to participants aims to involve more girls and young women in STEM studies and future careers in the transportation industry.

High school juniors and seniors who are interested in this field can apply to attend the Transportation YOU summit in Washington, D.C. in June. View a flyer with details about this year's summit. View the application form. Applications are due March 15.

Don't miss the chance to participate in a field trip program and/or enter your classroom projects at the San Diego County Fair. Visit the fair's education page to learn more about the programs listed below.

Field Trip Programs 

Sign up for a fair field trip experience with these educational programs: 

Showcase your Students at the Fair

Teachers, enter your students' work and/or classroom projects to be awarded and displayed at the fair.

For grades PreK-6: Best of PreK-6th Grade showcases thousands of youth and classroom projects including art, science, writing, and more. The entry deadline is May 15.

 

For grades 7-12: The Student Showcase features entries including art, photography, drafting, fashion design, graphic design, videography, and more. The entry deadline is May 15.

Volunteer at the Fair

The fair is looking for high school students for exhibit set up, entry delivery, and judging. Each volunteer will receive two tickets to the fair and accredited volunteer hours. Email [email protected] for more information.

Grad Night at the Fair 

New this year, the fair is offering a grad night experience on June 11. If interested for this year and/or future years, email [email protected].

North Island Credit Union Scholarship 

The North Island Credit Union scholarship awards $1,000 to college-bound high school seniors based on academic performance and school or community involvement. Learn more and access the application at the North Island Credit Union website. Application deadline is March 16.

Don Diego Scholarship Foundation

The Don Diego Scholarship Foundation offers a total of $69,000 in scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 for students residing in the San Diego area who have participated in the San Diego County Fair and/or other activities associated with the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Recipients are honored at a gala during the San Diego County Fair. Application deadline is March 23. Visit the Don Diego Scholarship Foundation website for complete information.

Ninth Circuit Civics Contest

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit civics contest for high school students has a theme that focuses on the 15th and 19th amendments with a prompt centered around barriers to voting. The Southern District Court of California will announce the local winners who will then go on to compete at the circuit level. Contest winners could receive up to $2,000. 

Entries can be in written or video form and are due March 25. Visit the contest page for more details. Download an informational flyer.

ACSA Region 18 and SDCSBA Scholarships 

Region 18 of the Association of California School Administrators and the San Diego County School Boards Association award ten $1,000 scholarships to eligible high school seniors who are intending to pursue a career in education. View the scholarship application for more details. The application deadline is March 31.

Wheelhouse Credit Union Sustainability Scholarship

Wheelhouse Credit Union invites high school seniors who are passionate about environmental practices to apply for its Sustainability College Scholarship Program. A total of five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to eligible seniors who plan to attend an accredited college. To learn more visit the Wheelhouse website. The application deadline is March 31.

Marines in Flight Art Contest

The Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation holds an annual student art contest for students in grades 6-12. Students can express their creative skills while learning about U.S. and aviation history. Cash awards of $100 to $300 are given in two grade-level categories. All winning artwork will be displayed at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. Visit the contest webpage to learn more. The deadline to submit is April 6, or after the first 300 submissions. 

Essay and Visual Arts Scholarships to Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus invites high school students to participate in two scholarship contests for the 2020 commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The essay and the visual arts contests each have scholarship awards ranging from $500 to $1,000. Submissions are accepted in multiple formats and are due April 6. Visit the scholarship contest webpage for complete details.

Women in Transportation Scholarship

The Women in Transportation (WTS) San Diego chapter encourages young women to undertake careers in transportation buy awarding scholarships to high school students pursuing studies in transportation-related fields. Visit the WTS San Diego website for more details and to access the application, which includes a list of eligible fields/programs of study. Applications are due May 31.

HCC/AMN Healthcare Scholarship

Through Health Care Communicators (HCC) of San Diego, high school seniors in San Diego County who plan to enter the health care field after college can apply to win a $2,000 scholarship courtesy of AMN Healthcare. The application deadline is June 30. Visit the HCC website for more information.

Teacher and Student Recognition and Incentive Programs

The programs below accept nominations throughout the school year. Check out the details on SDCOE's Celebrate School Stars webpage, and nominate a school star or two!

Innovate 8

Do you have a great, visual STEM/STEAM program at your school? Nominate it to be featured on Innovate 8, a partnership between SDCOE, NEWS 8, and UC San Diego. NEWS 8 will visit school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs to film segments that inspire and engage San Diego County K-12 students to become innovators. The segments will air on the local news and be posted on the program website.

NBC San Diego Inspirational Student and Teacher of the Month 

SDCOE and NBC 7 San Diego are looking for inspirational students and teachers who are outstanding individuals on campus and within their community. Surprise a stellar junior or senior high school student or a dedicated K-12 educator with a visit from NBC 7 for a segment on a weekday newscast recognizing what makes them special.

USD Torero Achievement Club 

Teachers of grades 3 through 8 can take their class or some star students on a campus tour of the University of San Diego followed by a Torero home game, including a voucher for concessions.

Teachers are Heroes 

Nominate a K-5 teacher who goes above and beyond for their students with a surprise recognition and award for the teacher and fun prizes for their whole class. Radio stations KSON, Sunny 98.1, and Alt 949, and Azusa Pacific University honor 12 teacher heroes during the school year.

What's Happening is a monthly publication from the San Diego County Office of Education that highlights free and low-cost enrichment opportunities for San Diego County students, teachers, and schools.

If you know someone who would like to receive What's Happening in their inbox each month, share this link with them. They can also email [email protected] and ask to be added to the mailing list. 

Have feedback on What's Happening? Email the San Diego County Office of Education Communications department: [email protected] 

858-292-3500 | www.sdcoe.net

Our Mission

The mission of the San Diego County Office of Education is inspiring and leading innovation in education.