Opportunities below from the Birmingham Zoo

• Zoo Bioblitz 

• College and Career day

• Spring Camp & summer teen leadership experience        

• The Alabama Bird Search Youth Competition

• Teen volunteering opportunities

McWane Center Summer Volunteer Opportunities:

https://mcwane.org/volunteer/#summer 

BRIDGES FAMILY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM SESSIONS STARTING SOON

Hoover City Schools proudly presents the Bridges Program, a remarkable Family Intervention Program offered at no cost. Led by our district's skilled counselors and social workers, this four-session program covers essential topics for parents. From fostering healthy communication and trust-building to promoting emotional wellness, addressing alcohol and substance use, and navigating social media and technology, each session provides valuable insights. Attendees not only benefit from the sessions but also receive a participant workbook filled with additional tools and information. Sessions commence on February 6th at the Hoover City Schools Board of Education building from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. To secure your spot for you and your middle or high-school-aged child, contact your child's school counselor today. Don't miss this opportunity for meaningful discussions and valuable resources.

The Birmingham Zoo is happy to announce that the Teen Volunteer Program is accepting new volunteers starting TODAY, January 1st, 2024! This program is open to students who are currently enrolled in seventh grade all the way up to students who are currently in eleventh grade(will be 8th-12th graders during the 2024-2025 school year). Please let students know about this wonderful opportunity!

If you would like to forward a pdf to interested students, see document: Digital/PDF copy or attached document

If you would like to print out fliers for students to take home, see document: Hardcopy or attached document

In short, the Teen Volunteer Application can be found on the Birmingham Zoo website  by following this sequence of clicks: 

Get Involved > Volunteer > Teen Volunteer Opportunities > Apply HERE 

2023 AUBURN UNIVERSITY "Student For A Day"

Auburn University Athletics is currently planning the First Annual College Visit

"Student For A Day” for students K-8 to have the opportunity to step foot on a COLLEGE CAMPUS on Saturday,

November 18, 2023 and attend the NCAA Football game vs New Mexico State University. Time TBA

The program will feature the following phenomenal opportunities:

EDUCATIONAL WORKBOOK

"STUDENT FOR THE DAY" RECOGNITION

CUSTOM SELF GUIDED CAMPUS HIGHLIGHT TOUR

PREGAME PHOTO ON FIELD AT JORDAN-HARE STADIUM

FOOTBALL GAME

Individual parents are welcome to attend with their children.

If you are interested in having your students visit AUBURN UNIVERSITY and

participate in this EXCITING program, please email vicki@vlpproductions.com for information and details.

2023-2024 School Year Updates from the School Counselors Begin Above

2023 Summer Teen Program McWane Center

McWane volunteers gain valuable leadership skills in a fun, hands-on environment and get to strengthen their public speaking skills while developing a strong work ethic. This volunteer program emphasizes the professional development of its participants and is a unique opportunity for students to see how STEM can apply to everyday situations. 

If you have students interested in improving their communication skills, learning how to work with a team, and want to pursue their STEM related interests, you should encourage them to apply! To apply for the program, candidates will submit an online application with an attached resume and two letters of recommendation. All new candidates will participate in an interview after they apply. The application deadline is April 1, 2023. 

For more information about the program and the link to the application, check out our website: mcwane.org/volunteer/teen

Community Service Opportunity: https://www.justserve.org/projects/e30307e1-954f-4ffb-8764-0f8d45d7141d

Pediatric leaders in Alabama are warning families about unusually high and severe influenza activity occurring throughout the state, especially in children.  

ALL Kids Alabama covers vital health care services including flu vaccines, preventive care, and prescriptions. Please go to https://www.facebook.com/ALLKidsAlabama for more information. 

The BRIDGES Program is a free, dynamic, interactive program offered to any Hoover City Schools student (grades 6 – 12) and their parent/guardian(s). It focuses on helping students make positive life choices toward overall success.  This early intervention family education program utilizes trained masters-level counselors to help coach students and families to improve family communication, and build healthy, trusting relationships. In a fun and relaxed environment, this four-week program allows teens and families to support and encourage one another to resolve problems that may interfere with a teen’s educational, social, or emotional success.  Contact your school counselor for more information:

Ashlee Webster (6th) awebster@hoover.k12.al.us

Winnie Davis (7th) widavis@hoover.k12.al.us

Erika Berryhill (8th) eberryhill@hoover.k12.al.us

2022-2023 School Year Updates from the School Counselors Begin Above

HOMEWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST FOOD PANTRY 

Our monthly food pantry takes place on the third Wednesday (Sept. 21) of each month at our building located at 265 W. Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, 35209 (corner of Lakeshore and W. Oxmoor). Distribution begins at 9:30am and continues as long as food supplies last. No registration is required. For more information, call (205) 942-6854.

All Alabama K-12 students and parents can use these fun learning resources this summer – See the official Alabama Summer Learning Challenge webpage at: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/communication/summer-learning-program/ Starting next week (on Monday, May 23rd) this website will be fully updated/active, and will have great reading, math, science, and other learning resources that Alabama parents and students can use throughout the summer. 

1) SPRINGBOARDERS Teen Leadership for girls entering 8th-12th grades in the 2022-2023 school year. Deadline to Apply -- May 31. Do you like to write, make videos and podcasts, and meet girls from other schools? Springboarders are the driving force behind GirlSpring's website and online magazine for girls, GirlSpring.com. They meet monthly to plan monthly content for the website, help plan public programs for their peers, get access to female mentors, serve in leadership positions as committee heads for Youtube, Interview, and Podcast, and TikTok committees, and volunteer for group projects to help others in the community. Apply today if you think this is a good fit for you! Most meetings occur via Zoom, so girls can attend from any geographic location. https://www.girlspring.com/springboarders/

2) **NEW PROGRAM**Girls at the Center. For girls ages 14-17, with a focus on girls of color and girls from marginalized communities. A max of 20 girls will be accepted for this program. This program will start with a kick-off party in mid-June, and in August will begin meeting every 2 weeks to address issues that girls of color and girls from marginalized communities face. Over the course of 12 sessions, in-person, facilitated by author and journalist, Javacia Harris Bowser, girls will learn about mental health, confidence and public speaking, safety, mentorship, and other issues. The goal of this program is for girls to learn how these become challenging issues for girls in the first place, to learn how to advocate for themselves, and to use GirlSpring's digital platform, girlspring.com as a vehicle for awareness and dialog around the issues that girls face. The program will conclude with a group project on girlspring.com and a public program for the girls to present their findings and share what they learned. Apply by May 31 here:

https://www.girlspring.com/springboarders/girls-at-the-center-new-teen-program-for-girls/

The HCSF is seeking Hoover High School and Spain Park High School students to serve as representatives of this organization. Student Board members will represent the HCSF at various functions and events, assist with marketing to alumni and city leaders and occasionally assist the HSCF in supporting Hoover City Schools with community service efforts.  Deadline for applications is Wednesday, May 25th.  More details are found in the following application link:  https://forms.gle/zcerQZ9Z9acajyEC 

Teen Leadership Program Manager at Girls Inc. of Central Alabama: This summer we are expanding our enrichment services and hosting a #SmartGoals 2-week College and Career Summer Summit at Jeff State Community College (Shelby/Hoover campus) on June 6th-17th. Registration is open for additional rising 9th grade girls.

This is for students who would be interested in going on college tours, exploring different career fields, preparing for the ACT/SAT, strengthening their diversity inclusion skills through community service, and engaging in fun team building field trips this summer. Please see the link for more information along with registration. 

https://forms.gle/qn5kvegqatDjWSgD6 

The Lawson State STEM Program hosts STEM programs in the summer.  The following programs are expected to be held on the Birmingham campus for 2022.

STEM Enrichment Institute (SEI) – For current 8th graders through 11th graders; Must have at least a 3.0 grade point average to be admitted.

Girls IMPACT – For girls who are current 7th graders through current 11th graders; No minimum GPA is required.

How to apply/more information:

SEI and Bridge (both held in June): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhJJFAA_1J8aOzfVtef4jiU25JMX9WZ14zBO607MoxQgFmDw/viewform

Girls IMPACT (held in July): https://girlsimpactalabama.org/ 

EUREKA! At Girls Inc.: https://girlsinccentral-al.org/programs/eureka/

Middle-school students living in Alabama are eligible to attend a special Space Camp program free of charge. Students ages 12 to 14 may apply for Space Academy for Leading Students in Alabama, or SALSA, a Space Camp program funded by the Alabama legislature. Two students in each Alabama legislative district will receive a scholarship to attend SALSA, which promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education along with leadership skills.  

To be eligible for SALSA, students must apply for the scholarship. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center will then forward a notice of application to the members of the Alabama House of Representatives or the Alabama Senate representing the district in which the students reside. Each member will nominate two students to receive a scholarship to attend SALSA. 

Travel to and from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is not included.  

To learn more, visit www.spacecamp.com/salsa.  

The SALSA 2022 application is now open at https://spacecamp.smapply.io/ 

Follow this link to download or print a brochure: https://www.spacecamp.com/docs/SALSA2022.pdf

The deadline to apply is February 21, 2022. 

Red Ribbon Week Dress Up Days 2021! 

• Monday: Drugs are stupider like Jupiter!- Dress wacky/tacky 

• Tuesday: Wear Red for RRW

• Wednesday: Reach for the stars with a drug free bright future!- Wear neon or stars

• Thursday: Say NO to peer pressure. Keep good friends in your orbit!- Matching Friend Day/Copy Cat Day 

• Friday: Send drugs to outer space!-  Wear space/alien themed clothing

Summer Learning Resources from the Alabama Department of Education 

https://www.alsde.edu/sec/comm/Pages/summer-learning.aspx

Simmons Dance Team:

Are you 6th or 7th grader interested in joining our 2021-2022 Dance Team?

• Dance Team Tryout Information

• Join our Google Classroom for all Dance Team Info! CODE:   txbmtkt

• Also, check our our Dance Team Website: http://bit.ly/simmonsdanceteam

Student Interest Meeting:

• Thursday and Friday, Jan. 28th and Jan. 29th

• Upper Deck of Lower Gym during Homebase

Parent Interest Meeting (Mandatory):

• Tuesday, February 2nd

• Lower Gym, 5:30pm

Virtual Student: We will provide a Google Meet during these meetings through the Google Classroom so parents and students can join. 

Dance Team Clinic:

• Monday-Wednesday, March 1st-3rd

• Lower Gym, 3:30-5:00pm

Dance Team Tryouts

• Thursday, March 4th

• Lower Gym, after school

Contact Mrs. Odom & Ms. Jones for any additional questions, kodom@hoover.k12.al.us & emjones@hoover.k12.al.us.

Please click here for information/resources for National Suicide Prevention Week

September 21 - 25, 2020 

Throughout the year the school counseling team will use this blog to post announcements related to our counseling program. We will also post articles and resources that relate to the social and emotional development of middle school students.

Ashlee Webster, 6th Grade Counselor, awebster@hoover.k12.al.us

Winnie Davis, 7th Grade Counselor, widavis@hoover.k12.al.us

Erika Berryhill, 8th Grade Counselor, eberryhill@hoover.k12.al.us 

2021-2022 School Year Updates from the School Counselors Begin Above

1) SPRINGBOARDERS Teen Leadership for girls entering 8th-12th grades in the 2022-2023 school year. Deadline to Apply -- May 31. Do you like to write, make videos and podcasts, and meet girls from other schools? Springboarders are the driving force behind GirlSpring's website and online magazine for girls, GirlSpring.com. They meet monthly to plan monthly content for the website, help plan public programs for their peers, get access to female mentors, serve in leadership positions as committee heads for Youtube, Interview, and Podcast, and TikTok committees, and volunteer for group projects to help others in the community. Apply today if you think this is a good fit for you! Most meetings occur via Zoom, so girls can attend from any geographic location. https://www.girlspring.com/springboarders/

2) **NEW PROGRAM**Girls at the Center. For girls ages 14-17, with a focus on girls of color and girls from marginalized communities. A max of 20 girls will be accepted for this program. This program will start with a kick-off party in mid-June, and in August will begin meeting every 2 weeks to address issues that girls of color and girls from marginalized communities face. Over the course of 12 sessions, in-person, facilitated by author and journalist, Javacia Harris Bowser, girls will learn about mental health, confidence and public speaking, safety, mentorship, and other issues. The goal of this program is for girls to learn how these become challenging issues for girls in the first place, to learn how to advocate for themselves, and to use GirlSpring's digital platform, girlspring.com as a vehicle for awareness and dialog around the issues that girls face. The program will conclude with a group project on girlspring.com and a public program for the girls to present their findings and share what they learned. Apply by May 31 here:

https://www.girlspring.com/springboarders/girls-at-the-center-new-teen-program-for-girls/

All Alabama K-12 students and parents can use these fun learning resources this summer – See the official Alabama Summer Learning Challenge webpage at: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/communication/summer-learning-program/ Starting next week (on Monday, May 23rd) this website will be fully updated/active, and will have great reading, math, science, and other learning resources that Alabama parents and students can use throughout the summer.