Thursday Round Up

5 February

Photo by gretta vosper on Unsplash
News from the Homefront: 

Peer Tutoring Needs You!
Yes, YOU! Every You, in fact! Peer Tutoring is an excellent way to give back to your community here at WAHS. And there is no requirement that you be a straight A student in all Honors and AP Classes. Tutoring is for everyone! 

Things prospective tutors should know about our program
  1. There is no application and no criteria for enrolling in our class or signing up to be a volunteer peer tutor beyond a desire to help others. 
  2. Training is provided. Volunteers receive brief in-person training and a handbook, and students enrolled in the peer tutoring class receive intensive training throughout the school year (and create the next edition of the handbook each year). 
  3. Tutors will have some time most periods to work on their own schoolwork, but peer tutoring is not a study hall. There are assignments, there are duties, there is training, and there is of course tutoring! 
  4. Peer Tutoring is a sequential elective.  Students can earn up to three high school credits for taking the peer tutoring class -- one elective credit per year. 
  5. Most tutors say that there are two things they love about tutoring: a) the reward of helping another student get past a rough patch in their academic journey, and b) the benefit they get themselves from the review of subjects and classes they have taken or are taking. In addition, enrolled peer tutors love the camaraderie in their class; it's a community that grows together and supports each other.
​So talk to your counselor today!
​
Get Ready for the Global Health Case Competition!
​GHCC asks you to solve a real world public health issue working in teams. This competition is at the intersection of health care, public policy, and global issues. You will work in teams mentored by students in public health from UVA. Space is limited so let us know if you're interested! Interest form can be found here. We will hold two lunch meetings on 11 February and 12 February in the WAHS Library. Come to either one!
Tomorrow is a(n) A day 

​Upcoming Events:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  • 16 February – Snow Make Up Day
  • 17 February – Snow Make Up Day
  • 5 March – Conferences
  • 13 March – End of 3rd Quarter
  • 13 March – Better Together!
  • 19 March – Snow Make Up Day
  • 20 March – Teacher Work Day, No School for Students
  • 24 March – In School SAT Day
  • 27 March – Arts Fest in the West
  • 6-10 April – Spring Break
  • 17 April – Model Congress
  • 23 April – Post High Planning Night
  • 23-25 April – High School Musical
  • ​2 May – Prom
  • 12 May – Last Day of Classes for Seniors
  • 22 May – Graduation
  • 25 May – Memorial Day
  • 29 May – Last Day of School (1/2 Day)​

Use Your Brain for Fun (&$)!

Humanities & Social Sciences

Are you a policy fan? The American Foreign Service National Essay Contest is taking entries. This year's topic is soft power. Submit by 1 March

The Carl Sandburg Poetry Contest is taking submissions between now and early March. This year's theme is unity.

Delete Cyberbulllying is an essay contest with a $1,000 prize. Submit your proposal to end it by 28 February

The  Ántonia Scholarship awards a $1,000 stipend to high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree in English. Submit by 28 February

Next Generation Short Story Awards invite you to send your best short story for consideration for awards and cash. Submit your work by 26 February

The Society for Professional Journalists sponsors a contest for high school journalists. This year's topic is misinformation. Submit by 22 February

STEM

Action for Nature is an award for a young person who is involved in environmental action. Submit your application by 28 February

Get involved with the math modeling challenge with MathWorks! Register for the competition by 20 February

Genes in Space invites students in grades 7-12 to explore a topic of biology. Individual or partners.

The Virginia Junior Academy of Science is taking submissions for its conference in May. Get your paper in now!

Submit to the Microsoft's Imagine Cup Competition. If you are a tech head, this is for you! And it;'s worth between $50,000 and $100,000!

Get in on the Cool Science Extreme Weather Art Contest. It's open to people in grades K-12. 
Picture
Photo by Ari He on Unsplash

Visual and Performing Arts

Get involved with the Directing Change Film Contest. It's open to people ages 12-25 and has multiple categories. Submit your entry by 1 March

#USvsHate invites students to create a campaign against hate speech. Submit your work to them by 27 February

Junior Duck Stamp invites you to submit a drawing to be featured on a stamp. Submit yours by 1 March

The Outdoor Writers Association of America invites you to submit your work focusing on experiences out of doors. This is both a writing and a photo contest. Submit by 31 January

River of Words invites students ages 5-19 to submit writing and art. The deadline for submissions is 31 January.

Get in on the Cool Science Extreme Weather Art Contest. It's open to people in grades K-12.  

Scholarships for Seniors

The Virginia EL Supervisors’ Association (VESA) is pleased to offer one-time scholarships to English Learners who plan to continue their education at a college, university, community college, or workforce training program. Only complete applications will be reviewed. The deadline for submitting applications is April 24, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. EST.
Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria:
· Enrollment in an ESL program for at least one year in grades 6–12 in a Virginia public school
· Enrollment in 12th grade at the time of application
· Demonstrated financial need
· Strong, student-written essays
Application Deadline: April 24, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. EST 
More Information: http://www.vavesa.org/scholarships
For questions, please contact Samuel Klein at [email protected] or 703-228-6095.

Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship
The African American Heritage Scholarship supports graduating seniors of African descent from Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the surrounding metropolitan area who are pursuing postsecondary education. Scholarships are available for students attending trade schools, community colleges, colleges or universities, and HBCUs.

Eligibility requirements include:
• Graduation from a public high school in the region
• Acceptance to a fall 2026 in-person program
• A minimum GPA of 2.5

Students must complete the full application and submit:
• A copy of their 2026 acceptance letter
• A minimum 400-word essay responding to:
– What they hope to learn and experience at their chosen school
– How their education will prepare them for a career or trade
– How their success will benefit or impact the African American community

Important dates:
• Application deadline: March 16, 2026
• Recipient notification: No later than April 6, 2026
• Minimum scholarship award: $500

Scholarship recipients will be honored during the 35th African American Cultural Arts Festival on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Booker T. Washington Park in Charlottesville.

Completed applications should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line:
“Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship 2026”

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Page West Hill at (434) 826-9259 or [email protected].

100 Black Men of Central Virginia
Even though this scholarship may seem like it is only for Black Men, it is open to all people of color.  Generally speaking, if you have a 3.0 or higher and you fill out the application in its entirety, you will most likely win $1,000.  Can't beat that!!!   Due March 30.

The Allen and Allen Scholarships
are for students who have overcome challenges in high school. Financial need is also a factor.

The Application Process:
Complete the application form and submit it with a copy of your high school transcripts that reflect academic improvement and high achievement before the application deadline. In addition to these documents, applicants must submit two reference letters, one reference letter must be supplied by a teacher or school counselor, and a personal statement describing your biggest personal challenge and how you overcame it. 
Application Timeline:
    • Application opens: December 5, 2025
    • Deadline to submit applications: March 6, 2026
  • Recipients notified: April 10, 2026
  • Awards : $2,000
Requirements:
  1. The applicant must be a senior in a Virginia high school whose plans include advanced education through college, nursing, business, trade, technical training, or similar programs. Future plans are not required to be in Virginia. 
  2. All sections of the application must be completed in full, with all materials submitted together; incomplete applications will not be eligible for consideration. 
Four Ways to Submit Your George E. Allen Scholarship Application:
Please choose the option that is most convenient for you.
  1. Filling out the online application at this website
  2. Emailing your completed application and supporting documents to scholarship@allenandallen.com
Self Care:
​Scholarships
Do you need money to make post high a reality? Start with these two databases!
The Kim and Harald Louie Foundation offers up to $100,000 in scholarships for talented seniors in high school. GPA and SAT requirements. Apply by 15 March

AICPA offers up to $10,000 for people who are interested in becoming CPAs. Apply by 15 March.

Planning a future in building and construction? NPCA offers up to $20,000 in scholarship money and internship opportunities. Apply  by 13 March.

The Society for Exploration Geophysicists offers a $10,000 scholarship for a senior in high school who is planning to go into the filed of geophysics. Apply by 1 March.

Are you the descendent of an Italian immigrant to the United States who is interested in Italian heritage and culture? There's a scholarship for that! And it's worth up to $12,000. Submit to the National Italian American Foundation by 1 March

The Vegetarian Resource Group sponsors a scholarship for vegetarians worth up to $10,000. Submit your application by 20 February

Davidson Fellows are people who have made a significant contribution to an academic discipline. Fellows receive $50,000 for their education. Submit by 11 February

McDonald's Hacer Scholarship provides up to $100,000 for students who serve their communities and are making a difference there. Apply by 17 February.

Horatio Alger is a need based scholarship worth up to $25,000.  Juniors and seniors may apply. Submit by 15 February

Get in on Microsoft's Imagine Cup Competition. If you are a tech head, this is for you! And it;'s worth between $50,000 and $100,000!

Amazon's Future Engineer Scholarship is worth up to $40,000 for students who have demonstrated need. 

Do Good Things for People

 Volunteer with Community Bikes! Give them time or goods.

The IRC has multiple openings right now for volunteers

​Volunteer with Cville Tulips

Summer's Coming!

Looking for great things to do this summer? Look no further! And also don't skip this!
Applications are now open for Camp Woods & Wildlife, to be held June 15-19 at Holiday Lake 4-H Center near Appomattox. This hands-on, career-focused overnight camp is open to any Virginia student aged 13-16 who has not attended before. Our curriculum covers many aspects of forest and wildlife ecology and management. Classes are taught in the field by natural resource professionals. The camp is supported by donations that allow each camper to attend at a cost of only $95.
 
The TJSWCD has limited funding to allow students to attend for free! Please contact them ASAP if you have an interested student.
 
Students should apply no later than April 15. The application and all information can be found at https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/youth-education/camp-woods-wildlife/. Questions about camp? Contact Ellen Powell at the Department of Forestry-  [email protected] or 434-987-0475.
Triple C Camp Is Looking for Counelsors!
Triple C is a traditional day camp serving 300+ kids in the Charlottesville community each week. Every summer we hire an incredible team of 60+ staff to lead, inspire, and educate our campers. Hiring for Summer 2026 has begun! They have many positions available including Lifeguards, General Counselors, Horseback Riding Instructors, facility support, and more. Contact them today!

Get Writing This Summer with Kelly Writers' House!
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Summer Workshop for Young Writers, a ten-day program for rising high school juniors and seniors which will take place from July 5-15, 2026. 

This is an opportunity for promising, passionate high school writers from diverse backgrounds to learn from the faculty, staff, and alumni of Penn’s Kelly Writers House and Creative Writing Program, and from their fellow participants. Students will engage in a workshop-style course focused primarily on literary nonfiction writing with additional craft sessions in other genres. The goal of this workshop is to provide creative high school students, especially those who have not had similar opportunities, with the chance to dedicate full days to the practice of writing. 

Thanks to the generosity and vision of longtime friends of the Kelly Writers House, Maury Povich (C’62) and Connie Chung, we are able to offer assistance in the form of full-tuition grants and funding for travel to participants with financial need.

Because of our commitment to keeping a close-knit learning environment where students receive extensive individual feedback, we will only be able to accommodate a small number of candidates. We hope you will consider applying! The application is open now and is due March 2, 2026. 

Please note that admission, or lack thereof, to this program has no direct impact on a student’s chances for eventual admission to the University of Pennsylvania. 

Much more information and the application are available via our website. 

Martha Jefferson Junior Volunteers
The Summer 2026 Junior Volunteer Program Application is opening (and closing!) earlier this year. As of today, the application is open. It will be closing on March 1, 2026. Please tell your students to get their application submitted early!  
 
Our perfect student: 
-Age 15-18  
-Expresses an interest in working in a hospital or healthcare field  
-Wants to help  
-Available for June 8 orientation  
 
All information about the programing, including the application, can be found here: Junior Volunteer Program at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. If there are additional questions after exploring the website, please reach out to us at [email protected] so the email does not get lost in the shuffle. 

Girls Who Code
The Girls Who Code Summer Pathways program's applications are now open! 
Pathways is a free, virtual program that empowers high school girls and non-binary students of all experience levels — including rising 9th graders, graduating seniors, and returning participants — to explore AI, Game Design, Cybersecurity, and more, while learning how to build tech for good. The program is entirely flexible in how participants choose to learn and requires no prior coding experience. Students complete courses at their own pace over seven weeks, from June 29 to August 14.
Beyond coding, students gain real-world insights through Partner Events with leading tech organizations, connect with peers through Girls Who Code’s private Discord community, and join optional Student Hours for live support. Participants earn a certificate for each completed course and join Girls Who Code’s lifelong alumni network, gaining access to mentorship, internships, and career opportunities in tech.
Students can apply by February 25th for priority consideration. The application closes on April 10th.

STEM Enhancement in Earth Science
The SEES Summer Intern Program is a nationally competitive STEM experience for high school students hosted by the University of Texas Center for Space Research. Interns collaborate with NASA, academic, and industry experts using mission data across disciplines such as aerospace, astronomy, planetary science, remote sensing, microgravity research, and space geodetic techniques. Projects are mission-based and aligned with national aerospace priorities, giving students the opportunity to build technical expertise in areas including data analysis, engineering design, and systems modeling. Through this research, interns also strengthen teamwork, communication, and professional skills critical to the nation’s future science and engineering workforce, while contributing to studies of Earth systems and natural hazards.
SEES APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 22, 2026 at 8:00 pm PT
NO LATE APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED – NO EXCEPTIONS

"The Best School" and "The Best School for You" should be one and the same. You're not buying a pair of shoes. You're going to school for four years. Just because it's a good brand name, doesn't mean it fits you or that you're comfortable there. 

How to High School

Electives in High School

It's registration season and time for everyone at WAHS to consider what classes they should be taking next year. Many of you are loading up on those AP and Honors courses, concerned that you have the most rigorous course load and highest GPA you possibly can so that you can get into the "best" school you've heard of.  I have some news for you.

You should stop doing this.

Elective classes are some of the most important classes you will take in high school. And if you are not taking these classes, you need to start taking them. Right. Now.

Let's look at them a little closer. In fact, let's look at what I consider one of the great series of electives we teach at Western: Our engineering classes are some of the best classes for students to try. The entry classes are CTE Prototyping and CTE Product Design. Both of these classes require students to have the following skills: creativity, responsibility, collaboration, empathy, and independence. Don't believe me? Here's the course description for Prototyping: "Prototyping is a foundational design theory course that introduces students to a variety of tools that focuses specifically on the nature of design and aesthetic appeal. Students will identify the specific needs of worldly concern or a customer, generate concepts, pitch ideas, and create physical or digital prototypes for evaluation. Students may interact with a variety of problems or iterate a few designs based on the needs of the class" Here in this class, students will be doing the work of the real world. These are interpersonal skills, work readiness skills, and essential skills for college and beyond. They also demonstrate a student's desire for challenge, creative outlet, and to problem solve beyond the academic sphere.  Students who stay in these sequences all the way through high school will continue to challenge themselves in greater ways, too. Not only will they build better products, but at least here at Western they will eventually work on full blown, hands on, problem based projects that have real world implications. 

Why would colleges care about these classes? Aren't they for kids who aren't going to college? Kids who want to be contractors or carpenters, kids who will be in construction? Sure. But they are also classes for kids who want to learn with others, be a part of a meaningful team off the sports field (which is not for all kids, and is not the only kind of team work), grapple with complex problems, be entrepreneurial, creative, problem solvers, solution oriented, and work with their hands (plus, honestly, I'd love to have those skills myself and I bet many of you would too, frankly, because you'd save a lot on repairs!).

And this is just one series of electives! Think about some of our others: journalism, ceramics, computer science, TV production, theater and drama, visual art, band, digital imaging, photography, choir, or yearbook! Each one of these has a million opportunities for students to express their individuality, their passions, and their interests. Far from detracting from a student's record, electives show the diversity of a student's interests and their explorations through high school. Moreover, the more students are free to explore, the more open minded a student tends to be, the greater the diversity of people they will come in contact with, the more disparate the kinds of thinking they will engage in, and the more flexibility they will be expected to have. A student who does yoga one year, CAD one year, Art one year, and web design another year has tried out many modalities of thinking and had multiple different kinds of experiences. He's more likely to be able to think both creatively and analytically. The student who takes ceramics, digital imaging, four years of jazz band, and audio production, is likely to be able to talk about musicianship, tone quality, and syncopation on her self produced album with cover art she designed while drinking coffee from her own mug. 

Students who engage in our electives give colleges more to consider beyond straight academics and athletics, although those things are important. They give them people. Real people. With passions and interests that are explored, developed and nurtured. And while it's true that not all passions are developed in a school setting (ballet, ethical hacking, fly fishing), and many are done after school (Debate, Model United Nations, the spring musical, robotics), selective schools, especially the most selective schools want to see students with these activities and the joy that comes with doing them.

Colleges are suspicious of students who profess an interest in something but who have never actually explored those areas. And this is why choosing your electives is an important part of your "story.” The top 5 majors in the US are Business/Econ, Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Liberal Arts & Humanitie, and Health Professions (which includes PTs, PAs, RNs, etc). We offer classes in all of these areas! So take an opportunity to try these fields out before college. Do a CNA certification or take the EMT class. Take Sports Medicine (1 and 2!), Sociology, Oceanography, Nutrition, Data Science, Horticulture, or Practical Law, try out our Debate class folks who are interested in Politics. Love English? How about Genre Studies or Creative Writing. 

And if you really are worried about that AP label, we have some elective classes for you as well! Think about our new AP African American History course, AP Psychology, or AP Computer Science (we offer two of them!). We offer AP Econ (and a PVCC version), AP Art History, and AP Music Theory. 

If you have taken 7 science classes here at WAHS but then you say you want to do Finance in college but you've only done our regular Personal Finance class, are you telling colleges the story of your interest in the world of business? Not really. Schools often conclude that you just want to make money and you are not serious about the subject. But if you say you love Comp Sci (which is like 6th) and you've done our comp sci classes, or an Independent Study in coding, colleges know you're serious. 

So before you decide to double up on science APs instead of that photography class or film studies class or Independent Study or Peer Tutoring, take a minute and ask yourself: what message am I sending if I do take this class? And, more importantly, what message do I send if I don't take this class? And, am I OK with that message? If I don't take it, that is.

On the Town

Photo by Jared Sluyter on Unsplash
Events:​​​​