Scholarships, Marine Science Fellowship and math training: Education news
Orphans of veterans receive scholarships
SOMERSWORTH — The New Hampshire Department of Education recently issued two $2,500 checks to assist orphans of veterans with their college expenses.
The scholarships are part of the Orphans of Veterans program that helps war orphans offset the cost of college for items such as books and supplies. This year’s recipients are:
Kathryn Routhier of Somersworth, a senior at the University of New Hampshire majoring in Justice Studies with a minor in Forensic Science.
Evan Milton, a freshman at the University of New Hampshire studying Health Sciences
Routhier’s mother, Ronda Routhier, was an Army Veteran of the War on Terror and passed away due to a service-related illness in 2018. “This extra money helps me feel a bit more secure in my ability to attend college, and I am very grateful,” said Kathryn Routhier.
Evan’s father, James Milton, was an airman in the U.S. Air Force who passed away in 2014 from a service-related illness. “This scholarship will really help with covering some fees and getting me through the next few years of school. It means a lot that my father’s service will have a direct, positive impact on me years after he passed away,” said Evan Milton.
RSA 193:19 was established in 1943 to give children of soldiers who lost their lives during World War II the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to attend college. The program has been updated numerous times to cover other wars and conflicts through the Gulf War. In 1981, the law was updated to allow orphaned children of veterans to also obtain free tuition to the University System of New Hampshire colleges and universities and the Community College System of New Hampshire.
“We are pleased to recognize and assist these two students, as their parents gave the ultimate sacrifice. It is our hope that they will both achieve their educational and career goals, and that these scholarships will provide a small amount of financial assistance and support,” said Edelblut.
The Orphans of Veterans program is able to issue four, $2,500 grants each year. For more information about the application process and records needed to qualify, contact Jeffrey Newman at the Division of Higher Education at Jeffrey.Newman@doe.nh.gov.
Apply for Seacoast Science Center fellowship for high school students
RYE — Seacoast Science Center is now accepting applications for its semester-long course designed to give high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors the opportunity to study marine science topics in depth. Participants in the Marine Science Fellowship program, which begins on Feb. 4, 2023, will learn about different careers in the marine sciences, engage with professionals in the field, and gain clarity on their future educational path.
Through inquiry, investigation, and hands-on experience at the resource-rich science center, students will greatly broaden their understanding on a range of marine topics.
They will also gain insight on the impact they have on the ocean, the challenges facing our climate, and how they can contribute to a sustainable and healthy ocean.
Marine Science Fellows will develop individual research projects based on their special interest, receiving guidance throughout the process. Students who participated in the past semester can continue their research project in greater depth or choose a new topic of concentration. Students may have an opportunity to earn credit through their school.
The 10-week course, which runs Feb. 4 to June 11, 2023, has an expected time commitment of 3 to 4 hours per week, with an option for additional hours. The course schedule includes Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center, plus additional study, project, and/or volunteer time to be conducted on the student’s own time, as arranged with the program leader. If a student is unable to make a Saturday session, a make-up session can be arranged.
For fees, a complete course itinerary, details on the Marine Science Fellowship Program ELO Guidelines, and to apply, visit www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/programs/grade-k-12/marine-science-fellowship. Please contact course leader Sean McKenna at s.mckenna@sscnh.org or 603-436-8043, ext. 31 if you have questions. The Seacoast Science Center is located in Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, N.H.
Educators take advantage of math training
CONCORD — More than 300 educators within 34 school districts throughout the state recently completed hands-on mathematics training, which is designed to build teacher assessment literacy and a stronger background in mathematics learning progressions and formative assessment practices.
“This interactive training has become an important tool for educators in New Hampshire, and we are thrilled to see that the number of school districts participating in this work has doubled,” said Frank Edelblut. “Math can be a challenging subject for some young students, and this work aims to help teachers further support their elementary students by addressing learning gaps, shifts in curriculum and foundational skills.”
The Ongoing Assessment Project training was completed by 304 teachers during the summer of 2022, which included a total of 14 training sessions on mathematics instruction, learning, and formative assessment. Training focused on innovative practices and mathematics education research on how students understand mathematical concepts, common errors made and misconceptions that interfere with learning new concepts or solving problems.
Feedback received from educators who completed the training was overwhelmingly positive, with participants recommending the program to their peers, explaining they will now be able to easier assess their students on progression and use that progression to best meet their students’ needs.
The New Hampshire Department of Education partnered with the New Hampshire Learning Initiative in Hampton to make the math training accessible to teachers statewide. “It was very dynamic this summer. The OGAP training was in-person and the teachers seemed to appreciate the way they could interact with each other and bounce ideas off each other as they went through the days of learning,” said Mariane Gfroerer, director of advanced studies at NHLI.
School districts with the most participation included Barrington, Rochester, Conval, Fall Mountain, Timberlane, Hollis-Brookline, Henniker-Weare, Fall Mountain, Derry and Conway. NHLI will continue to support districts with math training next summer. For more information about the program, contact Anne Wallace at Anne.K.Wallace@doe.nh.gov.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Scholarships, Marine Science Fellowship and math training: Education news
