Christina Wong is an successful comedian who is also fighting against structural racism. She has created an AWESOME YouTube channel called Radical Cram School in which she teaches young children who are also Asian American or Pacific Islander American (AAPIA) about the American experience through the lenses of AAPI.

In very recent news, there is extreme violence targeting the AAPI community. These violent acts are called hate crimes, and are against the law.

The best way to stop hate crimes is to learn about diverse people and keeping an open mind towards people different than yourself. If you have time, take a look at at Radical Cram School and the special guest Auntie Mia Yamamoto who is a Japanese Internment Camp Survivor.

1. MALDEF: The MALDEF Scholarship Resource Guide is a free, informative resource guide for students, parents, and educators with an extensive list of scholarships, including many that do not inquire about immigration status.

2. High School Laptop Scholarship: Apr. 9

3. California Coast Cares Foundation : Apr. 16

4. The Balkhi Foundation Scholarship - Apr. 14

I'd like to shout out Prathna Tan. Prathna works diligently to complete assignments that other students ignore. He is one of the students that I can count on to study independently and make sure that he understands the material.

Woohoo! Great job Prathna!

If you would like to engage in a meaningful virtual exchange program this summer check out this program! https://www.experiment.org/digital-leadership/

You will have a chance to connect hundreds of young people across the United States with peers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, such as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Palestinian Territories, and Yemen.

The Experiment Digital Youth Leadership & Community Service prepares participants to be more civically engaged and lead change. This fully funded eight-week summer virtual experience teaches high school students to formulate and implement service projects in their local communities.

You will gain community service hours (you need a minimum of 30 to graduate). Programs like this also help you gain invaluable skills ,it looks great on your resume, college applications and job applications!

Please let me know if you have any questions and or if you need help applying!

SWAG (Students With Academic Goals) is a free, 10-day College Readiness Academy. For safety and health, the 2021 SWAG program will take place online only via Zoom. Students will be able to hear from experts in college admissions, financial aid, scholarships, careers, athletics, test preparation, etc. They will have a chance to interact online with current college students and find out about majors, classes, and college life. They will also have the opportunity to take virtual tours of local college campuses.

Application for SWAG

SWAG Dates, 2021: June 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, July 1, 2

Deadline to apply:April 25, 2021. Students applying by April 25 will receive priority consideration but the application will remain open online and applications submitted after the priority deadline will still be considered if capacity allows.

Location:Online via Zoom (students must have WiFi and device to connect)

FREE: There is no cost to participate in the program. The program is free to selected participants

YLI is a free, five-day, college empowerment program for high achieving Latino high school juniors held at two top universities across the US (Due to COVID-19, YLI 2021 will be held virtually). This highly selective program is designed to give young leaders the practical tools they need to successfully apply to top universities, have full access to scholarship and financial aid opportunities, and set a course for academic and career success. Attendees will enhance their leadership abilities and expand their professional networks by participating in college and career workshops, and interacting with college students and professionals who serve as their mentors.

You can find a video with highlights of the YLI program at the bottom of this page

2021 YLI Dates and Locations:

July 7 - July 11, 2021 - University of Chicago (Virtual)

July 21 - July 25, 2021 - University Southern California (Virtual)

Student Qualifications:

• Current high school junior (Class of 2022)
• Must have an unweighted cumulative GPA above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or above an 80 on a 100-point scale
• Identify as being from Hispanic heritage
• Currently attends high school in the United States or a U.S. territory
• Must be a US Citizen, Permanent Legal Resident, DACA or Eligible Non-Citizen (as defined by FAFSA)
• Plan to enroll full-time in a four-year degree program, at a US accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university after high school graduation

Application opens Monday, March 1, 2021. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 9, 2021, 5:00 PM PT.

How to Apply:

• Create a MyHSF Profile as a “Student”
• Select “YLI 2021 Student Application” on your Dashboard

https://youtu.be/ftbo93lhtzk

Languages & Program Experiences

NSLI-Y programs provide intensive language immersion in a variety of locations around the world. Beginners are encouraged to apply for any of the target languages; previous language experience is not required.

NSLI-Y offers the following languages: Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish.

National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

The U.S. Department of State’s NSLI-Y is part of a U.S. government initiative to foster international cooperation by ensuring that Americans have the necessary linguistic skills and cultural knowledge to effectively communicate globally. NSLI-Y provides overseas critical language study opportunities to American youth through merit-based scholarships to spark a lifetime interest in critical foreign languages and cultures.

NSLI-Y Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for NSLI-Y applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen at the time of application

• Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent

• Be 15-18 years of age at start of the program

• For 2021 summer programs: birthdate between July 10, 2002 and June 10, 2006

• For 2021-2022 academic year programs: birthdate between August 30, 2002 and June 30, 2006

• Be enrolled in grades 9-12 (high school or home school equivalent) at the time of application

Webinars

NSL-Y 2021-2022 Daily Life Webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1lzg-ZtE_8

NSLI-Y 2021-2022 Competitive App Webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL7QY2K1ojQ

Air Force Career Opportunities (for High School Seniors only)

For the following Air Force jobs, high school seniors will not compete with high school and college grads.

• Command and Control Operations (Emergency Management), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/command-and-control-operations
• Weather (Weather Operations), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/weather
• Avionics (Avionics Systems Technology), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/fighter-aircraft-integrated-avionics
• Aircraft Mechanic (Aviation Maintenance Technology), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/refuel-bomber-aircraft-maintenance
• Aircraft Electrical and Environmental Systems (Aviation Maintenance Technology), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/aircraft-electrical-and-environmental-systems
• Armament Systems (Aircraft Armament Systems Technology), https://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/aircraft-armament-systems

Who: High school seniors in San Diego County that meet the Air Force’s eligibility requirements.

When: Very limited slots available through March 31st. These slots are first-come, first-served.

To Sign-up: Contact MSgt Juan Ayala at juan.ayala.3@us.af.mil to be assigned to the appropriate liaison for more information.

If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact Sonia Lira at Sonia.Lira@sdcoe.net (cc’d).

1. I'm a skateboarder from New York City
2. I play piano and saxophone
3. I've been to over 14 countries
4. I design stuff: jewelry, phone cases, glassware, etc.
5. I have an honorary degree in aquaponics