Judges attend a brief orientation at 8:00 am to be divided into judging groups, judge science projects from 9am-12pm without the students being present, enjoy lunch, then interview students from 1pm-3pm.

Sound fun and exciting?  It is!  Please read the attached letter and contact Judge Coordinator Scott C. Ryals for more information at scott.ryals@ncdenr.gov

With funding from NSF Grant DEB #0847868, Drs. Larry Grand and Marc Cubeta will offer a workshop July 11, 12 and 13, 2012 for high school biology and AP Environmental Science teachers. See below for details of the 2011 workshop.

The opportunities for informal science inquiry through local field work and collecting trips offered in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.  The student as co-investigator: opportunities for student participation in on-going biodiversity studies

A stipend of $500 will be provided to the participating teachers. Teachers will participate in outdoor and indoor lab activities and demonstrations.  Materials for the workshop and for incorporating workshop activities into classroom lesson plans will also be available. Interested teachers should contact Larry Grand at grand@ncsu.edu for further information.

Application deadline is May 1, 2012.  Application can be found here.

*ONLY 12 TOTAL POSITIONS AVAILABLE IN CHATHAM, FRANKLIN, AND WAKE COUNTIES*

GlaxoSmithKline’s Science in the Summer program in North Carolina needs high school students to assist in week-long and three-day science enrichment programs for second through eighth grade students at libraries and community centers in Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Orange, and Wake counties this summer. Please read the attached Application form for more details.

Email or fax your application form and reference letter to Crystal Harden by March 2, 2012.

2012 is the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act.  In honor of this milestone, EPA has renamed its annual contest to the “Sense of Water” Contest for 2012.

The Judges are looking for your most artistic expression of a “Sense of Water” through poetry, essay, photography, or dance video.  All ages can enter, but you must at least have a team of 2 people from different generations.  Here’s the EPA web link with all contest details, rules, and information.  There’s also a flyer for Educators to post.

We had a Wake County Winner in 2010 from the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, NC – 3rd Place in Mixed Media!

Let’s show them that the arts immersed with the sense of water is alive and well in Wake County!  Good Luck!

The Izaak Walton League offers two $2,500 scholarships for qualified college juniors or seniors.  These scholarships are made possible through the generous support of the Izaak Walton League of America Endowment.  Specific requirements are available on the League Web site.

Applications are due no later than April 1.  For more information about the application criteria and process, contact Earl Hower, IWLA Director of Chapter Relations at (800) IKE-LINE x216.

Here’s an announcement about a FREE Youth Job Fair for ages 16-24 on Sat., 03/03/12 at Wake Tech.  This may be helpful to the young people you know who are looking for a summer job, part-time work, and/or on-the-job-training!

Here’s a flyer  with more details and who to contact:

Find out more information from the USDA here.  There’s also a YouTube video about the App.

For more information, please view the links above or contact Stuart Lee, NRCS State Public Affairs Specialist, at 919.873.2107, or Stuart.Lee@nc.usda.gov.

The Wake Soil and Water Conservation District was honored with a Unit of Government Award for outstanding achievement and contributions to natural resources programs.

Associate Board of Supervisor Robin Hammond received the award from the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.  The Society recognized award winners from across the state at their January 21, 2012 annual event.

For more information please contact: