Wednesday, March 23, 2011

What can students do to make a difference?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/03/11-steps-for-starving-students-that-will-make-a-difference.php?campaign=daily_nl

The above link explains the following suggestions. There are great images, charts and graphs along with the explanations.

1. Live in walkable, transit oriented neighborhoods, whether in large cities or small towns.

2. Get a Bike. 

3. Do the free, cheap and easy stuff first.

4. Live within the Comfort Kidney.

5. Put on a sweater (or a Hawaiian shirt) 

6. Cut back on Red meat. 

7. Eat local and seasonal food. 

8. Can all you can. 

9. Go minimalist. 

10. Live in less space. 

11. Relax.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Coverage of the disaster in Japan



Common Dreams is a national nonprofit, progressive, nonpartisan citizens' organization. They put together information about environmental, social justice and peace issues.

You can follow their coverage of the disaster in Japan at a special page they set up. There is a live Twitter feed about the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear emergency as well as many articles about these issues.


The New York Times has a very informative multimedia slideshow about how a reactor shuts down and how a meltdown could occur. The video clip we watched showing how the Japanese reactors work is here.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Radiation from Japanese Nuclear Plants Heading Our Way

 There is no reason to panic at this point, but we do need to pay attention to what is going on in Japan. Radioactive fallout may make its way to the US and if it starts to contaminate agricultural land on the west coast we may need to monitor our food supply to make sure the toxic radiation isn't magnified as it moves up the food chain to us.



The flow of wind around the globe will spread the radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster around the globe. This interactive feature of the New York Times predicts the dispersal of the radiation.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/16/science/plume-graphic.html?ref=science

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

GREAT summer opportunities of all sorts... including medicine and disease investigation


The following summer opportunities are in a wide range of fields including psychology, law, theater, digital video production, 3D modeling, creative writing, medicine, science and more. Please read through them and see what interests you. Some of them even pay you to have a great learning experience over the summer.

Psychology Summer Program

This summer, IIT Institute of Psychology is offering "Psychology in Everyday Life" to introduce high school students to the profession of psychology. The one week workshop will be a rich learning experience designed to help students make the connection between psychological principles and human behavior in everyday life. Students will acquire a broad array of facts about the developing child, the aging adult and everything else that occurs across the lifespan.

Cost $485 (some scholarships available)

When: June

Applications are due: May


Contact: Kristin Moriarty 312.567.3502 kmoriar2@iit.edu



Pritzker School of Medicine (YSTP)

The Pritzker School of Medicine Office of Multicultural Affairs is now accepting applications for their summer Young Scientists Training Program (YSTP). This is a 10-week summer program for up to ten outstanding minority high school students to gain experience in research, medicine, and the biological sciences. Students work in the laboratories of University of Chicago faculty where they learn basic or clinical research in the areas of diabetes, endocrinology, nutrition, obesity, digestive, liver, urologic, kidney, or blood disorders.

When June – August

Deadline March 20




Goodman Theater General Theater Studies

A FREE six-week theater intensive for students 14 to 19-year-old in the Chicago metropolitan area, General Theater Studies gives students the opportunity to learn skills from local theater professionals that are instantly applicable not only to the world of theater, but also their world at large. This summer program is designed to validate the voices of its participants, get them to examine their own potential for creativity and introduce them to all elements of the creation of theater, both on stage and behind the scenes. GTS will culminate in public presentations of an original performance created by the participants!

Cost: Free

When June – July


Contact 312.443.5581 or email education@goodmantheatre.org


The Chicago Summer Business Institute (CSBI)

CSBI provides a six-week paid internship program for high school sophomores and juniors each summer.  These internships take place at various banks, accounting, engineering, and law firms throughout the Loop and business districts.  In conjunction with a 28-hour workweek, students attend half-day classroom seminars and workshops every week where they learn about the financial markets, attend seminars given by successful business executives, and participate in team building programs.

Eligibility Requirements:

Student must currently be a Sophomore or Junior;  
Student must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher;  
Student must attend either a public, parochial or private high school;  
Student must be a resident of the City of Chicago;  

When June - August

Deadline: March (must attend readiness workshop on April 2)

For information or to apply: www.cityofchicago.org/CSBI

Contact Debra Carson, Program Director at 312-545-7855 csbi1999@comcast.net


Project Exploration’s Discover Your Summer Guide
Discover Your Summer is a guide to summer science opportunities. It is filled with information on more than 175 programs in Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond.
All of our youth programs are free, eliminating the cost barrier that prevents low-income students from accessing dynamic out-of-school time science programs.
For information or to apply: http://www.projectexploration.org/dys/
Contact 773.834.7614 or email dys@projectexploration.org

National Bar Association  Crump Law Camp

The National Bar Association Crump Law Camp was established to provide students entering the ninth through eleventh grades (between the ages of 14 and 17) with an introduction to the American judicial system. Campers will be housed on the campus of Howard University and live in a protected campus environment. The inaugural two-week camp was held at Howard University School of Law. The camp provides students with an exciting academic and social agenda, which includes field trips in the Washington, DC area. The competitive highlight of the camp is the Evett L. Simmons Mock Trial Competition. The four winners of this competition are invited to the NBA's Annual Convention. Washington, DC.

Cost: varies Free-$1400 (sliding scale)

When: July

Deadline: April

Information or apply: http://www.nationalbar.org/lawcamp/index.shtml  301-249-8355


CDC Disease Detective Camp

The CDC Disease Detective Camp (DDC) is a 5 day academic day camp for high school juniors and seniors during the upcoming school year. Campers will take on the roles of disease detectives and learn how CDC safeguards the nation's health.

When: June session and July session

Deadline: April

For more info and to apply to go http://www.cdc.gov/museum/camp/index.htm



Expressing yourself through writing: (For African Americans only)

African American Adolescent Male Summer Literacy Institute (AAAMSLI)

The African American Adolescent Male Summer Literacy Institute helps connect young black males to literacy as a possible way out of violence and poverty. Students read and write about their plight and issues affecting their generation, while learning valuable life skills. "The institute focuses on using a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts as tools to support African-American adolescent males to write about the multiple contexts that shape their lives". The institute features reading, writing, spoken word and mentoring to help nurture the next generation of socially conscious readers and writers. Five young males will be selected for a two-day trip to Harlem in August, and have their writings critiqued by Walter Dean Myers.

Cost: Free (students paid a $150 stipend)

When: July, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

Where: UIC Reading Clinic, 1040 W. Harrison St. (L268 - level)

For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu


Contact: Alfred W. Tatum, Ph.D. Director of the UIC Reading Clinic/Associate Professor (312) 413-3883 atatum1@uic.edu



African American Adolescent Female Summer Literacy Institute (AAAFSLI)

See above, but for females 11-17 yo

Contact: Lynette Danley ldanley@uic.edu at 312-996-4508 (office)


The summer academy at DePaul – Media, digital video, 3D digital animation

This is a week long program held at DePaul University's Loop campus for High school students. They will receive hands-on instruction using the latest equipment and technology and will be taught by faculty from DePaul's School of Cinema and Interactive Media with real world experience.  Areas of focus will include digital cinema production, 3D computer modeling and animation for games and cinema and computer game development. This intensive week-long session will provide motivated students with a valuable educational experience as well as an advantage in today's competitive world of college admission.

Cost $750

Deadline: June 1st

When: July


Information contact: gocdm@cdm.depaul.edu


The High School Summer Institute at Columbia College

This is an intensive non-residential 5-week program for creative high school students that have completed their sophomore, junior, or senior year of study who want to immerse themselves in the visual, media, and communication arts.


Students spend the summer exploring their ideas, developing the technical skills that bring their ideas to life, and earning college credit while they’re at it. High School Summer Institute students study with the same working professionals and scholars who teach Columbia’s undergraduates. Students also hone their craft in Columbia’s state-of-the-art facilities—film and video production and post-production studios, photography labs, animation labs, graphic design labs, dance studios, concert halls, theater stages, radio station, recording facilities, art studios, performance spaces, television studios, and more.

When: July – August

Application Deadline: June