Senior distributes epilepsy information

Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology student Morgana Shorter spent the month of November promoting epilepsy awareness.

Shorter, a senior and three-sport varsity athlete, enlisted the help of friends to educate students about epilepsy. Morgana wanted to learn more about the brain disorder after one of her family members was diagnosed with the disease last year.

So she provided her peers with basic information one needs if they see someone having a seizure. She distributed an epilepsy awareness packet to teachers and staff at Berry, and she also spent her lunch hours handing out flyers and talking to students.

Here are Morgana's tips:
* Place a person having a seizure on his or her side.
* Prevent her or him from hitting his or her head.
* Do not force anything between her or his teeth.
* Do not hold her or him down.
* After the seizure, speak calmly to the person, explaining what happened.

Photo: Morgana Shorter speaks to one of her peers about epilepsy. Photo courtesy of Deb McLean.

New student enrollment deadline is today for CMA

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' new student enrollment deadline is today. 

To participate in the first student-assignment lottery in the spring, students must enroll by Dec. 7. Parents are required to enroll children: 1.Who are entering pre-kindergarten in 2013-2014. 2. Children starting kindergarten in 2013-2014 and did not attend a CMS pre-kindergarten program. 3. Older students who will be new to CMS.

Students entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2013. To enter pre-kindergarten, students must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 31, 2013.

In order to enroll in CMS, families must provide three documents to show proof of residency. These include: A copy of a lease or a record of the most recent mortgage statement; a utility bill dated within the past 30 days; and a valid driver’s license or vehicle tax bill.

Families who plan to send their child to home school do not have to register by Dec. 7, but are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible.

For more information on the new student enrollment deadline, click here.

Observer's Holiday Card Contest deadline extended

Grab the glitter and glue and get ready for the Observer’s 11th annual Holiday Card Contest. We invite children ages 4-17 to enter original artwork reflecting the holidays. Seven winners will see their work published on the front page of the Observer.

Who’s eligible? There are four age categories: 4-7; 8-11; 12-14; 15-17.

When is it due? Online entry deadline: midnight, Dec. 7. Mailed entries must be postmarked or dropped off in the lobby of the Observer, 600 S. Tryon St., by Dec. 3.

How do I do it? Entries should be about 6 inches by 6 inches, using any medium. For online entries, click on the link below to upload and enter the necessary information. For mailed entries: On the back of each card, write: your name, age, mailing address with ZIP code, school, daytime phone number and parents’ names. Please type or print legibly. Include a photo of yourself suitable for publication.

MAIL CARDS TO: 
Holiday Card Contest
The Charlotte Observer
P.O. Box 30308 Charlotte, NC 28230

The fine print: One entry per person. Only winners will be contacted by the Observer. Entries cannot be returned. Children of Observer employees are not eligible to enter.

How do I upload the card? It's simple. Click here to go to the submission page. Your entry won't automatically go online. It will be reviewed by an editor, and then will join the online slideshow.

Card pictured: 2010 entry by Davis Frazier, of Waxhaw.

Davidson Elementary takes first place in Mathapalooza

Analyzing math problems in a time crunch and working together doesn't unnerve a group of Davidson Elementary students.

The team of third grade mathletes took home first place in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools' Mathapalooza competition on Nov. 3.

In the competition, held at Irwin Academic Center, students worked together to solve math problems and build a structure using math.

Photo: Finley Heller (front, left), Tess Palmer, Ryan Harris, Brooke Van Epps, Laura Porter, Mrs. Tedone (center, left), Julian Rizo, Andrew Kryshtalowych (back, left), Drew Adams, and Ella Watt. Courtesy of Davidson Elementary School and Laura Adams.

Students' global trivia knowledge shines at WorldQuest

More than 200 students from 23 area high schools went head-to-head in global knowledge at the 14th Academic WorldQuest competition on Nov. 13.

The trivia competition, hosted by The World Affairs Council of Charlotte, challenges students to demonstrate their knowledge of world history, current events, world elections, international culture, and geography, among others.

Of the participants, Charlotte Country Day School claimed first place at the 2012 WorldQuest challenge. 

Providence Day School placed second, and East Mecklenburg High placed third.

Top 10 finishers:
1st Charlotte Country Day
2nd Providence Day
3rd East Mecklenburg High
4th Charlotte Catholic
5th Charlotte Christian
6th Cannon School
7th Myers Park High
8th Highland School of Technology
9th Charlotte Latin School
10th Ardrey Kell High

Cannon School hosts 'Funding a College Education'

As college application deadlines draw near for high school seniors, their parents are seeing dollar signs - thousands of them.

In an effort to help parents and students navigate costs of college, the College Counseling Department at Cannon School is hosting "Funding a College Education."

The free, public event will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 27 at the school's Foundation Hall (5801 Poplar Tent Rd., Concord).

The forum will address key strategies for covering rising costs of college. Chad Spencer, associate dean of admission and financial aid at Davidson College, will be in attendance to talk about the financial aid and scholarship process. He will also field questions from participants.

For more information, email Beth Levanti at blevanti@cannonschool.org.

Myers Park High hosts International Festival

For two days each year, Myers Park High students transform their campus into a cultural experience.

This year marked the 20th annual International Festival, which was held Nov. 13-14, and hosted by the school's International Baccalaureate (IB) Council.

Participants had the opportunity to share their individual cultures through music, dance, cuisine, and other exhibits, said Myers Park student, Sara Lee.

Photo: IB juniors Anna Claire Joyner (left) and Mary Charles Byers (right) organized this year's festival at Myers Park. Photo courtesy of Sara Lee.