Friday, September 28, 2012

Teen Health Connection opens scholarship application

Looking for college scholarship opportunities?

Teen Health Connection is now accepting applications for The Johnston Ziegler Youth Leadership Award.

The award is a merit-based scholarship that recognizes a local teen who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, advocacy, or service to adolescents.

The award honors Teen Health Connection’s founding Medical Director and founding Executive Director, Dr. John G. Johnston and Barbara Ziegler.

Award recipients receive a $1,000 scholarship toward the college or university of their choice.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 1, 2012. The application can be found online at www.teenhealthconnection.org.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

NC Symphony hosting auditions for Youth Sinfonietta

The North Carolina Symphony announced that auditions are now open for the NCS Youth Sinfonietta.

The exclusive chamber orchestra is made up of 14- to 21-year-olds from across the state and led by the North Carolina Symphony’s staff of conductors.

All auditions are held by video audition submission. After completing an online application form, students can record and submit videos of the required repertoire, from which their participation will be determined. 

Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 21; North Carolina residents or students enrolled full-time in a North Carolina school or university; and available for all rehearsals and performances during the winter and spring. Auditions will be open and video submissions considered until 5 p.m. on Oct. 5.

Information and the online application can be found at www.ncsymphony.org/educationprograms.

2012-13 Schedule:
Oct. 5: Deadline to submit application and video audition.
Nov. 3: In-person seating auditions (mandatory for all accepted musicians).

Winter Schedule: William Henry Curry, resident conductor
Cary Cultural Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., Cary, N.C., 27512
Jan 6, 2013, 6-9 p.m., REHEARSAL
Jan 7, 2013, 6-8:30 p.m., REHEARSAL
Jan 9, 2013, 6-8:30 p.m., SECTIONALS
Jan 12, 2013, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., REHEARSAL
Jan 13, 2013, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DRESS REHEARSAL
Jan 13, 2013, 2 p.m., CONCERT

Repertoire:
Mendelssohn:”War March of the Priests” from Athalia
Ives: Symphony No. 4, Mvt. III, “Fugue”
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5 in DM/m, Op. 107

Spring Schedule: Grant Llewellyn, music director
Triangle Location, TBD
May 12, 2013, 6-9 p.m., REHEARSAL
May 13, 2013, 6-9 p.m., REHEARSAL
May 15, 2013, 6-9 p.m., SECTIONALS
May 18, 2013, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., REHEARSAL
May 18, 2013, 1-3 p.m., REHEARSAL
May 19, 2013, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., DRESS REHEARSAL
May 19, 2013, 2 p.m., CONCERT

For more, visit www.ncsymphony.org/education or contact Jessica Nalbone, North Carolina Symphony Director of Education, at 919.789.5461 or email jnalbone@ncsymphony.org.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Community Blood Center of the Carolinas awards $10,000

Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is honoring 10 high schools in the region as winners of its regional “High School Grant” program.

Each winning school, announced Sept. 18, received a $1,000 grant for hosting top-performing blood drives with the blood center during the 2011-2012 school year.

Winners:
Anson High School – Wadesboro
East Burke High School – Connelly Springs
East Rowan High School – Salisbury
Forestview High School – Gastonia
Garinger High School – Charlotte
Olympic High School (now The Renaissance School at Olympic H.S.) – Charlotte
South Mecklenburg High School – Charlotte
North Stanly High School – New London
Northwestern High School – Rock Hill, S.C.
West Lincoln High School – Lincolnton

Throughout the year, Community Blood Center of the Carolinas - the primary blood supplier to 21 regional hospitals, serving 16 North Carolina and three South Carolina counties - will offer $36,000 in scholarships and grants. 

Participating high schools are encouraged to sponsor a minimum of two drives during the 2012-2013 school year to qualify for winning a grant.

Learn more:
For information on the blood center's scholarship and grant opportunities, email Kim Jones, director of development and public relations, at kljones@cbcc.us. To host a blood drive or donate blood in your area, visit www.cbcc.us or call 704-972-4700.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Students convert Ford Mustang into electric car


During the Democratic National Convention, thousands spent their time running between the Charlotte Convention Center and Time Warner Cable Arena.

But a few students from Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology and Greensboro’s McMichael High School spent their time last week converting a 1992 Ford Mustang into a street-legal, full-sized electric vehicle.

The project was a part of the national Electric Vehicle (EV) Challenge program, a collaboration with Discovery Place. The students converted the vehicle over a four-day period in Mayor Anthony Foxx’s Legacy Village, kicking off the conversion during CarolinaFest, a free Labor Day event in uptown.

Once they completed the transformation on Sept. 7, students then drove the Mustang to Discovery Place and plugged it into the electric vehicle charging station located in the museum’s parking deck.

With President Barack Obama's goal of one million plug-in electric vehicles on the road in the United States by 2015, commercial and consumer plug-in electric vehicles will become increasingly more available in the next few years, according to Discovery Place.

Any vehicle using electricity as either its primary fuel, or in collaboration with a conventional engine to help improve its efficiency, can be referred to as an electric drive vehicle.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

DNC proves to be busy week for area youth


During the week of the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Anthony Foxx selected participants for his Youth Press Corps

He announced more than 100 student participants to be a part of The Mayor's Youth Press Corps experience. Participants essentially became journalists for the week.

The opportunity allowed students to attend lectures, use social media to document the DNC, and write articles and blog posts about the convention.

The announcement of the elite group was made during the third installment of the Access to America dialogue series held by the Charlotte in 2012 Convention Host Committee.

The subject of the dialogue focused on access to quality education.


Meeting Chelsea Clinton:
Charlotte Preparatory School eighth graders  Kate Eiselt and Tory Wilkison were among a group of students that attended a panel discussion called "Conversations with the Next Generation" during the Democratic National Convention.

Presented by The Atlantic and the National Journal, the panel was moderated by Chelsea Clinton and NBC’s Chuck Todd.

The mission: To get young people excited about voting and being involved in politics.

The conversation, including more than 100 students, touched on issues from college loan debt to rising unemployment rates among 16- to 26-year olds.

Members of the onstage panel also included actress America Ferrera, actor Kal Penn, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and MTV’s Andrew Jenks.

Photos:
TOP: South Mecklenburg High students Morgan Crenshaw (second from left), Carolina Gonzalez and Alton Peques interview Des Moines, Iowa, Mayor Frank Cownie in their roles as part of the Mayor's Youth Press Corps. Photo courtesy of South Mecklenburg High.

MIDDLE: Charlotte Christian School's Conor Arden (left), worked as a student intern for Fox News during the DNC. From second left, Kelsey Phalen, Jessa O'Connor, Alex Kellogg, Mallory Finch and James Finch were part of the Mayor's Youth Press Corps.

BOTTOM: Kate Eiselt (top, left) with Chelsea Clinton, and Tory Wilkinson (top, right) with Chelsea Clinton. Photos courtesy of David Long at Charlotte Preparatory School.

Youth in Charlotte: Were you involved in an event or panel at the DNC? What was it and what did you think of what you heard? Let us know at youngachievers@charlotteobserver.com.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Northwest School of the Arts is first high school in nation to perform 'The Color Purple''

Northwest School of the Arts will soon have a spot in the history books.

The high school is the first in the nation to receive the rights to perform "The Color Purple."

The school will present the show Sept. 14-16, at Dale F. Halton Theatre on the campus of Central Piedmont Community College.

On Friday the performances begin at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, performances will be held at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. And on Sunday, the show will start at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online.

Get a glimpse behind the scenes:

Video: Courtesy of GreyHawk Films. This film was made in March 2012.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Barron Prize winner competes in Glamour's 2012 Readers' Choice Awards

Each year, the Gloria Barron Prize selects 10 inspiring young people to honor, who have made a positive impact in the world.

Now, four past and present Barron Prize for Young Heroes honorees are among the sixteen finalists in Glamour’s 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards for inspiring young women.

Of those students: The Charlotte Observer's first featured Young Achiever, Manasvi Koul.

Manasvi, 19, from Waxhaw, attends the University of Pennsylvania. What makes her a Young Achiever? She created the LIVEbeyond Foundation to educate, motivate and recruit bone marrow donors. And she understands first-hand the impact of her work.

Manasvi was diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic system at age 12. She created LIVEbeyond after her two-year battle with cancer.

In two years with LIVEbeyond, she has registered more than 500 people - all potential life savers.

And now, she's up for Glamour's honor. It will be left up to the public to vote on their favorites in Glamour's contest that honors young women.  The public can vote online for their favorites to move on to the next level of eight semi-finalists, and subsequently a final winner.

The first round of voting ends Sept. 12th at midnight. The winner will receive a write-up and photo in an upcoming issue of Glamour and a trip to the magazine’s star-studded Women of the Year Awards ceremony in New York City's Carnegie Hall on Nov. 12.

To vote: http://www.glamour.com/inspired/blogs/the-conversation/2012/09/post-1.html.

Photo: Manasvi Koul is a student at the Wharton School of Economics (Univ. of Pennsylvania). Todd Sumlin - tsumlin@charlotteobserver.com.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Kohl's honors youth from across nation


Kohl's Department Stores announced the 10 national winners of the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program. Of those youth - Cole Rasenberger, 11, from Davidson.

The students, ranging in age from 6-18, are the recipients of $10,000 scholarships for post-secondary education. In addition to the scholarships, Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization of each winners' choice.

This year’s winners were selected from more than 35,000 nominees nationwide, based on their volunteer efforts. Cole was chosen because he made postcards to help save animal habitats in North Carolina coastal forests.

Cole and his classmates sent the cards to a major fast food chain. A year later, the chain changed its bags to 100 percent recyclable fibers. For more information about the Kohl's Cares scholarship, visit their website.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Garinger High challenges freshmen to give back

Garinger High is challenging the new freshmen class to give back to their community.

On Sept. 4-5, during the DNC, about 300 freshmen will participate in a two-day workshop aims to educate students about health and nutrition, unity, and the significance of entrepreneurship.

 The workshop will focus on knowledge, health and community. Students will discover the importance of taking care of one another and their urban neighborhood.

Each morning at 7:15 a.m., students will begin with Ujima, a Swahili word for "collective work and responsibility" as they prepare to take on active roles in the school year.

Following Ujima, students will participate in activities at eight stations across the campus: healthy food options, planting vegetables, business showcase, nutrition, cultural arts, fitness and "What's in your soil?" Students will rotate in groups through the stations for 25-minute increments.

Other students will learn how to set up a blog and on day two the groups will alternate. The Garinger garden, the Fit Lab and community outreach programs will play an integral part in the workshop.

Last year, Garinger revitalized its 10-year-old garden to address nutritional deficits and foster community ties. The Fit Lab is in its first year at the school.

The school said outreach will continue to grow, with plans to invite the surrounding community to partake in exercise at the Fit Lab and offer neighbors a chance to volunteer in the school’s garden in exchange for free produce.