A Message from the Principal!

Monday, March 4th - State Science Fair

Tuesday, March 5th - WVGSA Writing Assessment for all students

Wednesday, March 6th - Spring Pictures (do not wear green) - there are no make-up pictures

Friday, March 8th - End of the 3rd 9 Weeks

Wednesday, March 13th - Two-Hour Delay - Teacher Prep Day

Friday, March 15th - Report Cards go home, 3rd 9 Weeks Awards

HSTA (Health Sciences & Technology Academy) is a West Virginia high school program that opens doors for under-represented students to go to college for STEM + M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine) careers. The goal of HSTA is to increase the number of African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander students that pursue post-secondary education in the health sciences.

HSTA gives tuition waivers to students who fulfill all requirements. These waivers pay for post-secondary tuition at state run West Virginia Colleges, Universities, technical or professional schools.

The requirements include:

• Attend 70% of weekly club meetings during all four years of high school.

• Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA during 9th grade and a minimum 3.0 GPA during their 10th - 12th grades.

• Must maintain good behavior during high school.

• Must attend two summer camps at West Virginia public universities. These camps last for one week.

• Complete and present one, 6-to-7-minute PowerPoint presentation each school year.

• Complete 75 hours of community service while in high school.

The deadline for Eighth grade students to apply to the program is MARCH 15.

See School Counselor for application and GPA help.

The four criteria for admission are as follows:

• Underrepresented minority groups as determined by federal guidelines
• Low Income (see guideline information below)
• First Generation College (neither parent is a four year college graduate, i.e. neither parent has a Bachelor's degree or higher)
• Students living in Rural Areas - Martinsburg and surrounding areas are considered rural.

Please review federal income guidelines to determine low income eligibility.
Link: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/income-eligibility-guidelines

(Household Size) Annual Income:

(Family of 2) $36,482.00 or less

(Family of 3) $45,991.00 or less

(Family of 4) $55,500.00 or less

(Family of 5) $65,009.00 or less

(Family of 6) $74,518.00 or less

(Family of 7) $84,027.00 or less

(Family of 8) $93,536.00 or less

For each additional family member add $9,509.00

The link to apply is at: https://redcap.wvctsi.org/redcap/surveys/?s=DFD33D9PXAC9ADWK

Our hands-on robotics camps are 4-day programs focusing on fundamental building and programming skills, games, and fun challenges. Each camp will provide information on age appropriate competitions and how to get involved and stay engaged in robotics. Camps are staffed by NASA ERC staff and college interns sponsored by the IV&V Program and the WV Space Grant Consortium, and hosted at partner sites across the state.

WHO

Our robotics camps are divided into two age groups:

• Ages 6-8: Half-day camp (9AM - 12PM) – LEGO WeDo 2.0 and Coding Express
• Ages 9-12: Full-day camp (9AM - 4PM) – VEX IQ and Drones

Space is limited, and we will cover the same material in each camp. We do not recommend signing up for two camps. The camps are a basic introduction to the platforms, so no experience is required. Coaches looking for guidance for more experienced students should reach out to schedule a coach/team training.

WHEN & WHERE

• June 4-7: BridgeValley Community & Technical College, South Charleston
• June 11-14: Mountaineer Middle School, Morgantown
• June 18-21: Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, Huntington
• June 25-28: Fairmont State University, Fairmont
• July 16-19: James Rumsey Technical Institute, Martinsburg
• July 23-26: Fairmont State University, Fairmont

There will be a parents' meeting on Monday evening at 6PM to discuss logistics, meet with the staff, and collect donations. Camp sessions will run Tuesday through Friday.

SUGGESTED DONATION

We suggest a donation to cover our costs. The suggested donation is $50/student for the half-day camp (ages 6-8), or $100/student for the all-day camp (ages 9-12). This includes a morning and afternoon snack, use of robots, tablets, and all materials. Full-day campers must bring their own lunch.

Donations will be collected at the parent meeting and on the first day of the camp. We can accept cash or checks made out to Fairmont State University.

For more information and to register, visit our website: https://www.wvrobot.org/events/2024-summer-camps. For any questions, please contact me via email at john.holbrook@fairmontstate.edu

Are you interested in learning a new language or about different cultures? If this interests you, and you are a current 4th-8th grade student, then the Berkeley County STARTALK program might be for you! Beginning in February through the end of May, students in this program will have the opportunity to learn about the Chinese Mandarin language. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a two-week learning camp this summer through the BCS Summer SOLE program. If you are interested in this opportunity, contact our school counselors, Ms. Riggs or Mrs. Corea for more information.

Click here to view the informational flyer: http://tinyurl.com/BCSStartalkMandarin