EVENTS

UVM 4H Extension: check out November's offerings at the UVM 4H Extension website.

Friends of Winooski River: The Friends of the Winooski River has some tree/shrub planting projects in the works for this fall and we are in desperate need of some volunteers to help plant.  I'm wondering if there would be any classes or clubs that would be interested in a project like this. The main site we need help with is in Middlesex, so transportation would be required. There are 140 trees destined for that site, which would take about 2 hours for 8 people to plant (or 4 hours for 4 people).  The plants are small and easy to handle, and no previous planting experience would be necessary.  No date set yet, so we can be flexible - as long as we can get the trees in the ground before the ground freezes!  Ideally we get them planted before the end of the month.

North Branch Nature Center: North Branch Nature Center is looking for habitat restoration volunteers this fall! Join us in our field and forest as we remove invasive plants, care for newly planted trees, and restore habitat along the river. Meet the plants and animals of our riparian areas and enjoy caring for the land in the company of fellow nature lovers like current volunteer Dana, who says: “Volunteering is the best antidote I know to climate despair. Seeing small, concrete changes on the local level can help us view the big picture with some sense of hope, knowing that millions of others around the world are participating in these small, decentralized acts of reparation.”

Youth Environmental Summit: Take an in-school "virtual" field trip on October 29 and come to our real-time virtual kick off from 9 am - 12:30 pm. The kick off will feature keynote speakers and skill-building workshops around a unifying theme of climate change. Join us as a class, a club/team, or an individual. You won't want to miss this event! For those unable to attend the kick-off, then join us for the month of November in our YES Flipgrid. You will have access to pre-recorded workshops on a wide variety of environmental topics, including everything that happened on Oct 29. This allows you to participate in YES on your own time, when it fits in your schedule! Learn more and register at the 4-H Announcements page: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/youth/announcements

Every year the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) sponsors a youth essay writing contest for middle and high school students. There are cash awards, as well as, scholarships at the national level. This year's themes are as follows:  Voice of Democracy (9-12 grade): America: Where do we go from here? Patriots Pen (6-8 grade) How can I be a good American? Submissions may be submitted to VFW Post 792 (1 Pioneer St, behind Stove and Flag Works) no later than 31 October. For more information and to download the application visit: https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships

The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education is excited to announce the 2022 Jacobs Teen Innovation Challenge! This is our 3rd annual worldwide event to help teenagers and teachers develop social good solutions and innovation skills. New this year: a virtual exchange option that will pair educators and students from different countries. 

Hildene House Essay Contest: Coming soon.

Teens Reaching Youth (TRY) for the Environment: TRY stands for Teens Reaching Youth and is an environmental leadership opportunity for students in grades 7-12. It is an environmental education program taught by teens and designed to increase environmental literacy and responsibility in younger youth. TRY for the Environment connects young people to real-world environmental problems by allowing them to be key change agents contributing to real-world solutions.  Learn more here. Applications are due no later than November 7, 2022.

Student Journalism at VTDigger: Three New Opportunities – “The Underground Workshop is a collaborative community, bringing together student journalists from across the state. The project is led by a team of student editors, representing ten of Vermont’s high schools and colleges. We gather on zoom every two weeks, on Thursday evenings, with student work at the center of each meeting. Any student is welcome to attend, to pitch ideas for stories, to submit drafts for feedback, or just to listen in. We’re eager to support students’ own ideas for stories or projects, in any media (not just articles, but podcasts, video, etc.). We also work with teachers to develop projects for their students. Student journalism can be a transformative experience of civic engagement, and can be integrated into projects across all subject areas. Please help spread the word, and for more information, please email Ben Heintz, the Workshop’s editor.

Young Writers Project – YWP is a community of young people who create and connect online through words, photos, and art. Since Young Writers Project started in 2006, more than 120,000 youth have participated in YWP – and for some it can be a life-changing experience. YWP's interactive website is the beating heart of the community. Publication of the best of 10,000 submissions to the site each year brings genuine affirmation to our writers, photographers, and artists. Most are between 13 and 18, most are from our home state of Vermont, but we welcome young people from everywhere! Thanks to generous individuals, businesses, and foundations, all programs are free! JOIN TODAY!