End of Year High School AIG Update

I will check email periodically over the summer, but not regularly. I am traveling quite a bit and have 3 young children so my check-ins will be inconsistent. Additionally, my access to scheduling information in the summer is extremely limited. Look for communication from the general school calls/email updates about when schedules will be available.

No AIG newsletters will be sent over the summer break - they will begin again the first week of school on August 24, 2026.

Scholarship Value: varies, up to $1,500

Awards Available: 38

Award Deadline: Jun 8, 2026

The 2026 Ocean Awareness Contest – Your Story, Our Ocean – encourages you to explore the many ways our ocean sustains, protects, and inspires us. We invite you to think about your personal connection to the ocean – whether you’re coastal or landlocked – through the value it brings to your life. The benefits of the ocean are widespread and multifaceted, from food production to climate regulation to artistic inspiration. Go through the sub-themes and explore the topics that resonate with you. Share how the ocean has shaped your story through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia. How does the ocean sustain, protect, and inspire you?

A NEW CHALLENGE-

The ocean has always been central to Bow Seat’s mission. Since the first Ocean Awareness Contest in 2012, we’ve asked students to explore ocean-related issues like marine species conservation, plastic pollution, and climate change. As our organization continues to evolve in new and exciting ways, we wanted to return to the topic that has captivated, moved, and activated tens of thousands of students who have participated in the Contest: the ocean! What value does the ocean bring to all of our lives? We’ve learned about the challenges that threaten the ocean, but why is it so important that we protect it?

We challenge you to dive into this year’s theme by exploring how the ocean sustains, protects, and inspires you and your community. We hope that these prompts serve as jumping-off points, guiding you toward further exploration! Be sure to check out our past winners and explore our broader Resource Studio for ideas and guidance.

Our Resource Studio is a unique space for creative exploration and a jumping-off point for deep inquiry of climate change, ocean conservation, and using art and creativity as tools in environmental movements.

WHO MAY ENTER-Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate in the Ocean Awareness Contest. Enter the division based on your age at the time of entry:

Junior Division: Age 11-14

Senior Division: Age 15-18

Students can participate as an individual or as a club, class, or group of any size. All students must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.) Students who have started college or university are not eligible to participate in the Contest.

Submissions are accepted in:

• Visual Art: Handcrafted

• Visual Art: Digital

• Poetry & Spoken Word

• Creative Writing

• Film

• Performing Arts: Music & Dance

• Interactive & Multimedia

How to Apply:

Go To Scholarship Application

Virtual NSLI-Y, a program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is a beginner-level language and cultural experience for U.S. citizens currently enrolled in U.S.-based high schools.

Eligible students can apply to learn Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, or Russian. Selected finalists receive a merit scholarship to study the language and associated cultures in live, online classes with peers from across the U.S.!

Virtual NSLI-Y Fall '26 Application Now Available!

Virtual NSLI-Y participants who meet eligibility requirements may still apply for NSLI-Y overseas summer and academic year programs.

Deadline to Apply: Monday, June 8, 2026, 4 PM US Eastern Time

Summer months bring long days, warm weather, school vacations – and great opportunities for kids to serve and families, camps, and youth groups to plan projects together.

We've compiled our annual list of Summer of Service programs, events, and opportunities that you can participate in this summer.

Individuals, families, summer camps, summer school classes, and youth groups can also use YSA's free resources in the Youth Service Knowledge Center to help you plan your own Summer of Service projects too!

Each year, the U.S. House of Representatives sponsors the annual Congressional App Challenge.

This contest is open to middle and high school students, working individually or in teams of up to 4 members, to create a new app, game, robot, etc. Students may use any programming language. Registration is now open, and all apps must be submitted by October 26, 2026. Judging begins in November and winners will be announced in December. District winners are invited to a spring reception in Washington, DC to celebrate their achievement.

Register HERE.

Students have until June 20 to send one free score report to the college, university, or scholarship organization of their choice. When they sign in to My AP, they’ll see a pop-up window with instructions for making their selection. The official score report will be sent in July, and it will include scores for the AP Exams that students took this year as well as any past AP Exam scores. More information about the free score send is available on the AP Students website.

The College Board National Recognition Program awards academic honors to high-performing 10th- and 11th-grade students across the country, helping them stand out on their college and scholarship applications. Students are selected for this opportunity based on their exceptional performance on the PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, or AP® Exams. Colleges use the program to find talented students who may be a good fit for their campus.

The 2025 National Recognition Program offers three award designations to celebrate students of all backgrounds in high schools nationwide and help colleges connect with remarkable students across the country.

• New! School Recognition Award to recognize talented students, including those from lesser-known schools
• First-Generation Recognition Award
• Rural and Small Town Recognition Award

Students can claim their award on BigFuture.org but must be confirmed by the June 27 deadline. It takes about 5 minutes for students to verify eligibility by sharing their GPA and confirming they meet the award criteria. All students who meet the eligibility criteria will receive an award. Check your email for a notification from College Board or Big Future.

Teen Writers Workshop

July 20-31st

Monday - Friday, 12:30-4:00 p.m. on campus

The Teen Writers Workshop is a two-week summer afternoon program that helps writers ages 14-19 develop and explore their creative writing talents and skills. Often, students who have aged out of the Young Writers Workshop find a new group of like-minded friends and creative soul mates in this sister program. See below for the easy two-step process to apply to this on-campus program.

Questions? Email Director Dr. William K. Lawrence at wklawren@ncsu.edu.

Sponsorship

The Teen Writers Workshop, which grew out of the popular Young Writers Workshop, was begun by writer/professor Daun Daemon in 2007. TWW is a nonprofit program sponsored by the NC State College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of English.

Eligibility

Rising 9th-12th graders and recent graduates who will enter college in Fall 2025 are eligible to apply with a writing sample.

NC State University provides equal opportunity in all education programs/activities and prohibits discrimination and harassment. For more information on NC State’s Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy, please visit policies.ncsu.edu

Step 1: Application

Please apply HERE for the 2025 program. Note that there is no confirmation for your application. You will be notified via email of your status within 15 days. When you pay (within the time frame below) is what determines the tuition level.

Step 2: Pay Tuition

Note that your teen writer has not reserved a place until you have received an acceptance email and paid the tuition. Cost of tuition depends on when you pay (see levels below). NO payments can be accepted after July 1.

It's the time of year to start signing up! The site linked below is certainly not exhaustive, but we have tried to include what we can. If a link on the page doesn't work . . . google it. Many of the links change every year and it is impossible to keep up.

With the Common App opening on August 1st you can get a jumpstart on the application process. Enjoy!

Each month on the 2nd Saturday, CFRW conducts a community clean-up somewhere in the local Cape Fear area. Clean-ups are almost always from 9am-11am. Anyone can sign-up to join the clean-up event. CFRW staff provide gloves, trash/recycle bags, and grabbers for volunteers. Check the calendar each month as locations are usually TBD until about a week before. You should register to attend so they will have enough supplies. Click on the event in the CFRW calendar to register.

The GAC is an independent council of families, community members, business leaders, and NHCS staff who meet monthly to support and advocate for the NHCS AIG Program. The GAC is part of the community partnership standard in the 2025-2028 AIG Plan. The council provides perspectives, information, and independent initiatives that are not shared through regular NHCS AIG communications.

2025-26 meetings are concluded

2026-27meeting schedule will be posted in August 2027. If you are interested in being a GAC liaison for your student's school, please contact your Gifted Specialist.

All meetings are from 6:00-7:00pm at the Spencer Board Room at 1805 S. 15th Street

Please use this link to join the GAC's mailing list for newsletters and other information for how to support your student and their school's AIG program.

Email: jennifer.crudeli@nhcs.net

AHS Office: 405

Hoggard Office: 104B