Focus on Education (2/21/13)

Feb 21, 2013 (The Modesto Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- SHELTER PETS CONTEST: Scooby-Doo is inviting schoolchildren across the nation to raise awareness about pets in animal shelters by participating in the Mutt-i-grees "America Adopts" PSA Contest and sampling the Mutt-i-grees social and emotional skills curriculum of the Pet Savers Foundation. The public service announcement videos will be judged on sincerity, creativity, originality and persuasiveness of encouraging animal lovers to adopt a pet from a shelter. The contest deadline is 2 p.m. April 4. For more, visit www.education.muttigrees.org.

EGG-ING THEM ON: Modesto Junior College received a student recruitment grant of $6,500 from the U.S. Poultry Foundation. Richie King, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association board member, said the grant was to encourage students to consider a career in the poultry industry.

FOR PREGNANT YOUTH: A comprehensive guide that informs pregnant and parenting minors in California about their legal rights is available -- in English and Spanish -- by visiting www.pregnantyouth.info. It was published by the National Partnership for Women & Families, National Health Law Program, and Planned Parenthood of Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley Inc. The guide was developed to help minors and their families know their rights, access available resources and make informed decisions about issues that affect the health and well-being of minors and their children.

MUSIC TEACHER AWARD: The Grammy Foundation and Recording Academy are partnering to present their first Music Educator Award to recognize music educators for their contributions to the musical landscape and their positive influence on their students' musical experiences. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers from kindergarten through college, in public and private schools. Anyone can nominate a teacher, who will be notified and invited to fill out an application. The winner will get the award and a $10,000 honorarium from the Ford Motor Co. Fund during Grammy Week 2014. The deadline for nominations is April 15. For more information, visit www.grammymusicteacher.com.

TECH KNOW-HOW: The Alliance for Excellent Education offers "Project 24," a free service to help school districts plan for and effectively use technology and digital learning to achieve the goal of "career and college readiness" for all students. Project 24 is a one-stop shop containing district-level planning tools, expert advice, creative ideas, and tangible suggestions from experienced education experts and nonprofit education membership organizations. Educators can sign up, take a self-assessment and explore through blogs, webinars and partner resources. For more information, visit www.all4ed.org/project24.

ACA DECA WINNERS: Merced High School took top honors for the fifth consecutive year at the Merced County Academic Decathlon. Students competed in art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music and science through writing essays, delivering prepared and impromptu speeches, and oral interviews. The overall top-scoring student was Merced High team member Qixuan Zhang, and Atwater High took first place in the Super Quiz competition. Sponsorship partners for the Merced County Academic Decathlon were the Hattie Givens Testamentary Trust, Kemper CPA Group LLP, Educational Employees Credit Union, Merced College and Merced County Office of Education. The Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union sponsored the Robert Wayne Scholarship Program.

SEALS' REALITY SHOW: EarthCam has added another animal camera to its webcam network, eying a rookery of harbor seals in La Jolla. Watch seals on the beach give birth, nurse and raise their young. For more, visit www.earthcam.com/usa/california/lajolla.

YOUNG SCHOLARS PROGRAM: The Young Scholars Program at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation will accept applications through March 21 from low-income seventh-graders who stand out in their schools for their high academic ability and achievement, persistence and desire to help others. Selected applicants enter the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program in eighth grade and continue through high school while receiving individualized advising and educational opportunities that develop their interests and abilities as well as prepare them for success at competitive colleges and universities. This year, the foundation will select up to 60 students. For more information on the program, go to www.jkcf.org/scholarships/young-scholars-program.

___ (c)2013 The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.) Visit The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.) at www.modbee.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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