Young Artists and Authors Showcase
The annual Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) encourages youth from around the globe to express the mission of Sister Cities International through original artwork and literature. This year, in addition to artwork, essays, and poems, students CAN ALSO SUBMIT A SHORT 1-10 MINUTE VIDEO for Cinequest's inaugural Sister Cities Film Challenge.

The 2015 theme is "Connecting Communities for Peace and Prosperity." Artists, authors, and filmmakers from around the world are encouraged to use their imagination. What is your vision of peace? How does connecting globally allow you and your community to prosper?

A panel of judges selects the winners based on originality, composition, and theme interpretation. Grand prize winners will receive $1,000.

The deadline for all artwork, film, and literature is May 1, 2015. Visit the YAAS website for more information and to view last year's winning entries.
 
High School Home Stay Exchange
The High School Home Stay (HSHS) exchange program is an opportunity for member cities to host students from their sister city for a year or semester of high school in the U.S. 

The international cities choose the high school students, who must be between the ages of 15 and 18 1/2 on the first day of school. Once the international student arrives, the U.S. sister city will provide oversight for the student, organize a host family, and include the student in sister city activities.

Deadline for applications is May 1, 2015. Visit the HSHS website for more information.  

Contact Mrs. Salzman in room 5-211 for more information about Sister Cities International.

The Pathfinder High School Scholarship Awards are presented each year to high school seniors in Palm Beach and Martin counties who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in 18 academic, vocational and athletic categories — to recognize excellence and to encourage these students to one day bring their considerable talents to the communities where each received a start on the path to a good education and a rewarding career.

Pathfinders is sponsored by Cox Media Group Palm Beach, publisher of The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach Daily News. 

Nominees will meet with judges for personal interviews and/or performances on March 11, 2015, at Palm Beach Atlantic University. College scholarships of $4,000 for the first-place winner, $3,000 for the second-place winner, $2,500 for the third-place winner and $2,000 to the fourth-place winner in each category will be presented at a ceremony on May 13, 2015, at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. 

Top winners in each category will also receive the special “astrolabe” trophy, a symbol for the path each student may follow in the world and the leadership and direction each may provide for others in the future.

Congratulations to our 2014-2015 nominees! Please wish them luck as they continue in the competition.

The fifth annual Alcohol Prevention Poster Contest sponsored by the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition is open to students in grades K-12. 

Submit an alcohol prevention poster with a clear message promoting an alcohol‐free lifestyle for young people for a chance to win a $500 scholarship and other prizes. Winning entries will be posted on the inside of Palm Beach County school buses. The entry deadline is Friday, Dec. 5, 2014. Visit PBCBusPoster.org for more information.

ATLANTIC GOLFER C.J. FISHER QUALIFIES FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Congratulations to junior C.J. Fisher. He will compete at the state golf finals in Tavares on Nov. 4. Congratulations also to freshman Jasmine Ferguson on placing in the top 10 at regionals, and to the entire boys and girls golf teams for a successful season.

ATLANTIC GIRLS VOLLEYBALL DISTRICT CHAMPS
Congratulations to the district champion girls varsity volleyball team, and good luck at regionals!

EAGLES FOOTBALL: "WE'RE ON A HIGH RIDE RIGHT NOW"
Friday's 37-26 upset over Dwyer puts the ATL in a 3-way tie for first place in District 13. The last district game for ATL is next week's homecoming contest against Lake Worth. And congratulations to the JV football team on an undefeated season!

CONGRATULATIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Adeet Patel is one of five Palm Beach County students to win a freshman-year scholarship during Florida Atlantic University’s first expo for high school students on Oct. 18.

The Miami Dolphins surprised senior Jojo Mathurin with a Rising Star scholarship award last week. Jojo will be honored at Sunlife Stadium during the Dolphins game December 7.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE JROTC RAIDER TEAM
The Atlantic JROTC Raider team won first place in the Palm Beach and Martin County Raider meet, placing first in all five events

The annual College and Career Fair is from 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday, October 22, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL.

More than 175 colleges, universities, career programs and military representatives will be there, along with commercial vendors who provide tutoring and college search services.

All high school students and their parents are invited to attend the free event. 

For more information call 561-434-8820.

The PSAT will be given at school on Wednesday, October 15. The PSAT measures college readiness and provides students personalized feedback in preparation for college entrance exams. The PSAT also serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for juniors. The top scoring juniors in the state may be eligible for scholarships through the National Merit Program, National Achievement Program, or National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program. National Merit Scholars and National Achievement Scholars are eligible for a new Florida Incentive Scholarship, which provides the cost of attendance to Florida public colleges including tuition/fees, room/board, books and more.

Sophomores are automatically registered to take the exam at no cost. Parents may request that their students not take the PSAT by signing the waiver on the testing information page on the school website. 

Juniors must register for the PSAT. Juniors can register in the IB office before school or during lunch. The fee for juniors is $15. Students on free or reduced lunch are eligible for a fee waiver. To have the fee waived, bring a copy of your eligibility letter showing you receive free/reduced lunch. If you do not have a copy, the cafeteria staff can print one. 

The last day to register for the PSAT is October 10.  

It is important for students to take PSAT not only to qualify for scholarships, but also to practice for the SAT which serves as a college entrance exam. Sophomores will be given a printed practice booklet during English classes. Juniors will receive a practice booklet at the time of registration. Students can take a practice PSAT test online. 

Robin Blank from the Florida Department of Education will provide information on college financial aid programs and the application process. The program will cover scholarships, grants and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

When: 6 pm to 8 pm on Monday, Oct. 13
Where: Pompey Park, 1101 NW 2nd St., Delray Beach, phone 561-243-7356
Who: Junior and senior students and their parents

For more information please contact Mrs. Ward-Finney at 561-243-1500.

Four students from Atlantic Community High School are among the group of local high school students selected for the prestigious Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience summer research internship. The internship provides highly-motivated juniors and seniors an opportunity to work alongside world-class scientists for six weeks.

The nine students selected for the 2014 program are: Ibrahim Ali, Brittany Fischer, Samantha Grubner and Revathi Ravella of Suncoast High School; Rohan Challa, Jonathan Li, David McClintockand Anton Relin of Atlantic Community High School; and Taisuke Yasuda of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts. The students were selected based on their exceptional academic records and keen interest in pursuing a career in science.

The 2014 summer research internship will run from June 16 to July 25.

The Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2014-2015 school year are available online now at the Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance and Federal Student Aid websites. 

The FFAA is the application that is used for Bright Futures, First Generation Matching Grant Program and other state scholarship and grant programs. 

More information about federal financial aid is available here.

Congratulations to Atlantic's National Merit Scholarship semifinalists Christina Ramsey, Kirill Safin and Jason Ziev, and to Christopher Demezier, National Achievement Scholarship semifinalist.