Guidance Gazette
2019-2020, Issue 4
December 2019
North Carolina School of Science and Math
The NCSSM Application for the Class of 2022 is now open!
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics offers a world-class education, both residential and online, to juniors and seniors from across the state who excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. NCSSM also embraces the humanities, including interdisciplinary studies, cultural studies, world languages, the fine arts, entrepreneurship, economics, and social sciences.
Eligible applicants may apply to all three programs — Residential, Online and Summer Ventures — using one application on CFNC.org. Note: NCSSM Application opens on October 15 and close
Students who plan to apply must take the SAT by December 7, 2019, or ACT by February 8, 2020.
2019-2020 High School Open Houses:
These half-day events are designed to give middle and high school students and families a comprehensive overview of life at NCSSM. Visitors will enjoy a tour of the campus, as well as engaging information sessions about our innovative residential and online programs.
Saturday, November 9, 2019 - Registration is Now Full
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Middle School Open House:
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Registration will open one month before the event date.
2019-20 Webinars
Webinars are intended for 9th and 10th graders who are interested in applying to any NCSSM program. The webinars are designed to give you an opportunity to learn more about NCSSM, the various programs we offer, and the application process, without having to travel to our campus. All webinars take place on Thursdays at 7 pm. The dates and topics are as follows:
August 15: Meet your Admissions Representative (Recording)
August 29: Standardized Testing Needed for the Admissions Process (Recording)
September 12: Why Summer Ventures?* (Recording)
October 10: Applying to NCSSM: Which Program is Best for Me? (Recording)
October 17: A Day in the Life of a Summer Ventures Student* (Recording)
October 24: Essays That Make an Impact (Recording)
November 7: Research Opportunities at Summer Ventures*
December 5: A Day in the Life of a Summer Ventures Student*
January 9: One Last Question: Finalizing Your Application
January 23: My Application Is Submitted; What’s Next?
*Webinars in italics are specifically about Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics and are intended for current 10th and 11th graders. Other webinars are more focused on the Residential and Online programs.
To participate in a webinar, you must register for it. Registration is available up to one month before each webinar. Once you have registered for the webinar, the webinar link will be displayed on your confirmation page. Space is limited, so we recommend registering early! Video recordings for each webinar will also be made available on this page the following week.
If you have any questions, please contact us at admissions@ncssm.edu.
Researchers reveal five key tasks for parents of teens
Now that your teen is in high school, do you think that most of the big parenting jobs are over? Hardly. According to studies, parents still have five key tasks:
- Love and connect. Spend time together as a family and spend one-on-one time with your teen. Do familiar things like cooking a meal or watching sports, and add new things like volunteering as a family.
- Guide and limit. Figure out what’s nonnegotiable, such as issues related to school responsibilities, health and safety. Let your teen know you won’t give in on those things. But talk about how you and your teen can compromise on issues like clothes, hair and schedules.
- Monitor and observe. Be aware of where your teen is going and who she’s with. Keep in contact with the school about your teen’s academic performance and attendance. Consult with teachers, coaches and other adults in her life.
- Model and advise. Be a good role model. Take care of your health and put your values into practice. Your example is more powerful than any words you speak.
- Provide and advocate. If your community doesn’t offer what you think teens need, get active. Network within the community to provide the support they need.
Reprinted with permission from the December 2019 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2019 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: A.R. Simpson, Ph.D., Raising Teens: A Synthesis of Research and a Foundation for Action, Center for Health Communication, Harvard School of Public Health.
Transcript Request
For North Carolina Colleges/Universities
Submit your transcript from the CFNC Transcript Manager
Go to CFNC.org.
Sign in with your CFNC account.
Choose Apply.
Choose To College.
Choose Transcript Manager.
Enter all necessary information in Your Profile and qualify to submit transcripts electronically.
Select the Go to Transcript Manager button.
Select a college from the list and click Send My Transcript. Track the status of transcripts requests from this screen.
The college/university should receive a successfully requested transcript within 1-2 business days.
For Colleges/Universities Outside of North Carolina & Special Programs
To send an official high school transcript to out-of-state colleges/universities, special programs, current high school students and graduates must submit a Transcript Request Form.
Transcript Request Forms are located on the wall outside of Room 222, the front desk, and are linked on the Guidance page of the RCS school website.
Please be sure that all areas of the form are completed and that it contains the complete mailing address for the college/institution or special program to which the transcript should be mailed. Incomplete forms can not be processed. Requests should be submitted at least one week before the transcript is needed.
Featured Scholarships & Special Programs
The Lewis Eddie Winstead Scholarship
Desired applicants are student-athletes with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA interested in pursuing higher education in science, technology, engineering, and math. Applications are available in the scholarship, located inside Room 222. Deadline January 31, 2020.
The Ann Winstead Whitlow Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to one or more high school students from the Leasburg community for continuing education at any post-secondary level intuition. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic potential and financial need. Applications are available in the scholarship, located inside Room 222. Deadline April 10, 2020
The Sallie Southhall Cotten Scholarship
Applicants must be in the upper fourth of their class and have a GPA of not less than 3.0. This scholarship is awarded based on the candidate's character, scholastic records, evidence of intellectual promise, demonstration of ambition, leadership ability and need for financial assistance. Deadline January 6, 2020
Criminal Justice Fellows Program
The CJFP is a forgivable educational loan program for high school seniors and graduates in eligible counties that want to go into the criminal justice field in a certified position. This fellowship will fund an Associate Degree from any North Carolina community college. Students who receive the educational loan would have 5 years to repay, though it would be forgiven if they enter and remain in a criminal justice profession within NC for 4 years in an eligible county. For more information, visit NCDOJ’s Criminal Justice Fellows Program web site. Applications Open November 1, 2019, and Close May 31, 2020
TheDream.US
TheDream.US is the nation's largest college access and success program for immigrant youth with DACA or TPS status, or that meet TheDream.US immigration eligibility criteria. It opened its new round of scholarship applications for the 2020-21 academic year on November 1, 2019. TheDream.US has provided more than 6,000 scholarships to students who are attending one of its more than 75 partner colleges and universities in 15 states and Washington, D.C. The National Scholarship provides up-to-$33,000 scholarship for high school or first-time college students and community college graduates, closes February 27, 2020. The Opportunity Scholarship, an up-to-$80,000 scholarship for first-time college students, closes January 30, 2020. Learn more by visiting thedream.us/scholarships/.
The Jackie Robinson Foundation
No one succeeds in college alone. That's why The Jackie Robinson Foundation offers promising minority students not only a generous four-year grant to assist with the costs of attending college, but also a full support network of fellow scholars, alumni, and professional mentors to help them excel in school and beyond.
The deadline for applications is February 1, 2020, so encourage your eligible students to apply right away. Learn more by visiting jackierobinson.org/apply/.
North Carolina High School Athletic Association
NCHSAA Scholarship and Grant Applications are now open. The NC High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for senior student-athletes at NCHSAA member schools, who are selected as recipients by our scholarship committee. For information regarding eligibility and deadlines please visit the NCHSAA Scholarships page. https://www.nchsaa.org/students-parents/nchsaa-endowed-fund-scholarships
Career and College Promise (CCP)
Roxboro Community School 11th and 12th graders have access to take free classes at Piedmont Community College through the Career and College Promise Program.
For more information on eligibility, visit https://www.piedmontcc.edu/ccp.
Mrs. Rollins is the Career and College Promise Coordinator she available to RCS students every Tuesday. Have questions? Need an appointment? Please email her at rollinsl@roxborocommunityschool.org.
Katie's Krops
Katie's Krops Garden Grower Grant Children ages 9-16 are invited to apply for a grant of up to $500 to start a Katie's Krops vegetable garden in their community, where the whole harvest is donated to people in need. Apply by December 27, 2019.
Volunteering builds character and experience
Volunteering is a great way to help teens build character. Community service teaches lessons in responsibility, discipline and teamwork.
When teens participate in community service, they contribute to society—and to their own future. Volunteer work can help your teen:
- Explore and discover some of her interests.
- Gain work experience and build organizational, leadership and social skills.
- Boost her confidence. Experts agree that helping strangers increases teens’ feelings of self-worth.
- Widen her social circle. Your teen will get to know people from a variety of backgrounds and generations. She may even find a mentor.
- Enhance college applications. Many colleges view community service as a valuable learning experience.
The holiday season offers many opportunities for community service. Your teen can:
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
- Volunteer at an animal shelter.
- Work at a food pantry, sorting donated goods.
- Visit a nursing home.
- Help with a food or clothing drive.
- Collect items for a toy drive.
To find volunteer opportunities in your area, encourage your teen to contact her school counselor, local libraries, religious organizations and community service groups.
Reprinted with permission from the December 2019 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2019 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc..
Project Uplift and Uplift Plus
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE ON DECEMBER 15
Uplift PLUS is an intensive, 5-week summer academic enrichment and college readiness program for Project Uplift participants.This residential program, on Carolina’s historic campus, provides an immersive and engaging experience to prepare the next generation of scholar-leaders. By participating in Uplift PLUS, students will:
- Receive test-taking strategies and resources for the ACT & SAT
- Take the English 100 course and earn three college credits from UNC-Chapel Hill.
- Receive direct instruction from Carolina’s world-renowned faculty and one-on-one mentoring from current Carolina students.
- Participate in research and leadership development while gaining exposure to various schools and units at UNC-Chapel Hill.
- Engage one-on-one with representatives from UNC offices of Admissions and Scholarships & Student Aid.
- Participate in academic, social, cultural and experiential learning activities.
Triangle Youth Leadership Conference: Student Applications Open Now for 2020 Conference
The Triangle Youth Leadership Conference is organized by NCSU Student Organization Triangle Youth Leadership Services, and is now in its 11th year!
TYLC will immerse your students in hands-on workshops, empower them to develop action-focused service projects, and give them a chance to explore NC State's campus and interact with like-minded peers from across North Carolina.
Learn more about Triangle Youth Leadership Services and the conference here: triangleleadership.com
TYLC11 will be held January 24 and 25, 2020 on NC State's campus,
Summer Ventures
Mrs. DeVillier's Testing Corner
PSAT Results – Students who took the PSAT in October, should have online access to their scores beginning Monday, December 9. Look for an email from the College Board at the email address you provided when you took the test. Mrs. DeVillier will be meeting with students the week of December 9 to go over results and discuss how you can use those to prepare for future college entrance exams, plan for college and careers, and earn scholarships and awards. If you are having any trouble accessing your scores online, please contact Mrs. DeVillier at devillierjh@roxborocs.org or at 336.597.0020, ext 114.
Pre-ACT Results – Scores for the 10th graders who took the Pre-ACT in November should be back by mid-December. Because of RCS mid-terms exams, Mrs. DeVillier will be meeting with students shortly after we return to school in January to go over the results and learn how to interpret and use them.
ACT - All 11th graders will be taking the ACT on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. This is part of ACT’s State and District Testing Program, so eligible students are automatically registered and the exam is completely paid for by the State of NC (a cost savings of approximately $70.) Students who have previously taken the ACT or the SAT can opt-out of taking the ACT in February, though they will miss the free opportunity to improve their scores and have those scores sent to up to four colleges for free. Students must have achieved a minimum college readiness benchmark score on all subject areas of either test. The deadline to submit an “ACT Testing Exemption Request Form” and copies of your previous ACT or SAT scores is February 7, 2020. Please contact Mrs. DeVillier at devillierjh@roxborocs.org or at 336.597.0020, ext 114 for more information.
New Changes Coming to the ACT! – Beginning with the September 2020 national test date, the ACT will be offering several new features. First of all, the ACT will be offered online, and students who take the exam online will get their results back in two business days. Students will still have the option of choosing to take the ACT paper/pencil or online, but the quick turnaround on online results will be very beneficial for seniors with college application deadlines. Also, provided students have already taken a full ACT, if they are interested in retaking the ACT, they can choose to only re-take certain sections of the ACT rather than the entire test. This will allow students to focus their study efforts on only the subject areas they feel they need to improve. And lastly, the ACT will provide not only score results for the most recent date the student takes the ACT, but they will also begin providing “super score” results. They will take the student’s highest score on each subject area of the ACT, including previous times the student took the test, and create a new “super” composite score. College and universities often calculated these higher scores on their own, but now ACT will be providing these “super scores” to students as well as reporting them to colleges and universities if the student requests. More information is available at www.act.org/MoreChoices.
At this time, these new changes will only be offered on ACT national testing Dates. Stay tuned for more information on when they will be offered on school testing dates, such as when NC 11th graders take the ACT in the early Spring of their Junior year.