Harrisburg - Here we come!

Thanks so much to Venango County Community Foundation Youth Philanthropy Board for funding our incentive trip this year. Unfortunately due to the crazy transportation costs we've made our trip a little closer to home. Fortunately, we have a great state capitol to visit! On August 8th we are heading to Harrisburg. Check out the website for more information. The bus is filling fast!
-Rhonda

Need for healthcare workers

Are you interested int he healthcare field? Here is an article from the LA Times that you may want to check out.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shortage27-2008jul27,0,7015815.story

-Rhonda

trivia

Went to the movie... guess what I learned?

There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

No, I didn't try it, but it's pretty cool!

-Rhonda

Communication changes

Hello! Hope you are enjoying your summer.

I just wanted to share some information - the clarionets and venangoets listservs for ETS participants in grades 9-12 will be discontinued this summer. Please check here at the blog for all reminders and updates!

Additionally, over the next couple of months, Clarion will be rolling out a new website. This may result in some changes and delays in use of the site. If there is information or anything that isn't working, please let us know! You should be able to continue to access us at www.clarion.edu/ets. The changes won't take place for a while, but I thought you'd want to know!

Thanks. - Rhonda

Web2.0 application

Here is another one...Evernote.

"Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere."

Sounds great. I haven't tried it yet, but you may want to check it out too at http://www.evernote.com/

Let me know if you do.
-Rhonda

Just for fun

Here is a new Web2.0 application that my friend Donna sent to me. It is called Wordle and it allows you to take a passage and create a graphic from the words. I chose to do it with my del.icio.us bookmarks and the result said a lot about me! What could you do with this - use it for a report cover? What else? Send me your ideas...

www.wordle.net

-Rhonda

Matching majors with schools

Today I found an amazing wiki - it has every major I could think of and then lists of schools that offer that major. It also has links to websites where you can do a free college search - this provides a customized result list based upon the answers to questions personalized for you!

http://collegelists.pbwiki.com/

Also, if you are not familiar with wikis (quick in Hawaiian), then click on the bottom right on the above website for a link explaining about wikis. It will link you to a great short video entitled "Wikis in Plain English." If that doesn't answer your questions, leave me a comment below or email me and I'll try my best to help you out!

-Rhonda

Cricket Chirps

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Weather Capital of the World - Punxsutawney, PA. I also got to see Phil and visit Gobbler's Knob. Good thing for me that it wasn't Groundhog Day, as 25, 000 people is way more than fits my comfort zone. One of the neatest things that I did learn is that there is truth to the tale that the number of cricket chirps in a minute is a predictor of temperature. Here is a cricket chirp temperature calculator - check it out!!

http://www.csgnetwork.com/crickettempcalc.html


-Rhonda

Internet Public Library

Writing a paper? Getting ready for finals? Need some homework help? Have some poetry to share? Check out the Internet Public Library's Teen Spaces at http://www.ipl.org/div/teen/.

Book List

The list of student recommended books has now been posted on the Book Brunch wiki. Just go to the site below and the select the book recommendations page. Feel free to add books and insert authors where I did not know them.

-Rhonda

Book Brunch

We had an awesome Saturday morning discussing books and completing some projects... If you tried to get on the wiki though, you may not have been able to. It seems I neglected to change the setting to public. OOPS! Well, it is now accessible at http://bookbrunchets.pbwiki.com/

I'll be adding a page with the books we all recommended. Now you have a summer reading list!

-Rhonda

Happy Administrative Professional's Day

Let me tell you something...and it isn't a secret. Things would not run they way they do around here without our amazing assistant. So, if you talk to Joni on the phone, tell her thanks for the great job!

Happy day, Joni!

--ETS

Activites that promote fitness

I am participating in Shape Up PA - through Clarion U. We get a weekly newsletter with some interesting tidbits and since today is such a beautiful spring day, I wanted to pass along a few!

• Are you engaged in activities that promote fitness, but not into walking? Check out this convertion table at http://moonwalk.palmpeoria.org/logMiles/conversions.asp.

• Also, 2500 steps = 1 mile (dependent on stride length.)

If I find more interesting facts, I'll send them your way!

-Rhonda

Earth Day

Here are some websites in celebration of Earth Day 2008. check them out at your leisure!

-Government related sites http://www.earthday.gov/kids.htm
-Crafts and more http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/
-Check out the photos from across the nation http://earthday.envirolink.org/

Plant a tree, conserve our resources, recycle and more. Have a neat project you did? Leave it as a comment, so that we can all share in your knowledge or experience!

-Rhonda

Math SAT

Attached are the powerpoint and links from the SAT workshop on Saturday. Feel free to use this information! - Rhonda

http://del.icio.us/mctoth/SAT

(OK - I'm still working on attaching the powerpoint)

A Few FAFSA Pointers from My Friends in FA

When filing on-line:

-The save button appears sporadically, throughout. When it is there, use it. Progressing to the next page, does not automatically save your application.

-Do not use the back button.

Again, DO NOT PAY FOR THIS SERVICE! Filing your FAFSA is free. Make sure you are on the .gov site!

Get your FAFSA filed today! Remember May 1 is the PA deadline.
-Rhonda

Important Date Changes!

Due to some craziness in our office, bad weather, travel and just about everything else, it seems we need to make a few changes in the spring schedule.

Our VisionQuest date for rock climbing and the ropes course has been set for June 12. (It was tentatively June 11.) There will be limited transportation from Clarion. Also, you will need to bring your lunch, as this year we'll be paying a fee to use the facility!

The date for Taking Care of Me: Mind, Body and Soul will be May 10th. This workshop is at the Clarion YMCA.

Don't forget to call and register for these great days. There is also limited room on the two junior high trips, so call and register and send in your permission slips! Need more info, visit us at www.clarion.edu/ets and click Upcoming Events.

Rhonda

Seniors - FILE YOUR FAFSA @ .gov

I've pulled up this post from last year, to remind you of the importance of getting you FAFSA filed this month!

Attention seniors or anyone planning to enroll in postsecondary education in Fall 2008:

It is time to file your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.) Applicants are encouraged to file online, but there are still paper versions available through Trio offices. (Call us.)

Meanwhile, if you do decide to file online, make sure you use the government website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Do not use any of the look-a-like sites that charge a fee. Filing the FAFSA is free. Here are some of the sites not to use (The links are not active - just check out the names.) : http://www.fafsa.com/, http://www.fafsa.us/, http://www.fafsaonline.com/, http://www.fasfa.com/. They are designed to confuse. I am sure there are even more out there - so feel free to share them in the comments.

Remember- the FAFSA is filed FREE and it is a .gov website!

Rhonda

Did you check?

Here's Google's prank for April 1st - go to Google and click on Gmail! Did you know you can now back date your email. Get those assignments in on time...

New! Gmail Custom Time TM
Ever wish you could go back in time and send that crucial email that could have changed everything -- if only it hadn't slipped your mind? Gmail can now help you with those missed deadlines, missed birthdays and missed opportunities.
	Mobile access Read Gmail on your mobile phone by pointing your phone's web browser to http://gmail.com/app. Learn more
	Lots of space Over 2757.272164 megabytes (and counting) of free storage so you'll never need to delete another message.

Also, here is the NASA link - check out the robot in today's photo! -Rhonda

Dreaded PSSAs

Well, unfortunately (imho), it's time for the PSSAs in western PA schools. All kids in grades 3-8 and 11 are subject to this week long battery of assessment.

Here is some basic info on the tests for those interested-
There are three sections of items for each of the reading and mathematics assessments.
There are multiple choice questions and open-ended questions.
The reading assessment requires responses to fiction and non-fiction passages to evaluate comprehension and reading skills.
The math section assesses five categories, which vary according to grade level.

Students should follow all good test taking behavior - go to bed on time, eat a healthy breakfast, use the process of elimination in multiple choice questions... So, keep up the good work - review those ETS study packets, and call us if you think you need specific help with your test taking. Most importantly - relax!

So go forth and be proficient!
-Rhonda