SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2012 the Chapter will award up to $35,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors in our local communities. The Scholarship Committee, supported by the Executive Committee, decided to offer one $5,000 scholarship, six $2,500 scholarships, and fifteen $1,000 scholarships. The application deadline for 2012 has passed. Scholarship winners will be announced after the scholarships are awarded at local school award ceremonies. Watch this site for the 2013 application next fall.
New for 2012, this Chapter is participating in the AFCEA Scholarships for Teaching STEM. The AFCEA Educational Foundation and this chapter is offering (2) scholarships of $5,000 to students actively pursuing an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or credential/licensure for the purpose of teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) subjects at a U.S. middle or secondary school. In addition to the $5,000 scholarship, each graduating AFCEA STEM Scholar can receive a $1,000 AFCEA STEM Teaching Tools grant each year for three years if the recipient continues teaching a STEM subject. These grants can be used to fund hardware and software, other classroom tools, field trips, STEM-focused clubs and other activities. Applications can be found at this link.
GRANTS
In addition to scholarships, we provide educational grants. This funding is aimed at local schools from the Stafford County, Spotsylvania County, and Prince William County Virginia area, including Marine Corps Base Quantico, the City of Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park in the form of grants for Science Teaching Tools Award and Science Fair Awards. This program promotes effective science teaching and to enhance the abilities of capable teachers in secondary schools in the United States. Schools can purchase consumable supplies and/or equipment that would augment science and technology experiments and activities in the classroom.
As of April 2012 the Chapter has awarded $10,000 to Stafford County Public Schools and $4,000 to Prince William County Public Schools. This chapter was a Silver Sponsor and Category Sponsor (Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical, Mathematics and Physics and Astronomy) for the Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair for a total of $3,000.
For the second consecutive year, this chapter is a sponsor for the Become a Pilot Family Day at the Air and Space Museum Udvar Hazy Center. AFCEA will be honoring our mentored schools and STEM scholarship and grants recipients at the reception, including the students benefitting from those grants. The event is Saturday, June 16, 2012.
On April 4, 2012, Donald Hom the VP of Scholarship and Grants presented a $10,000 Science Teaching Tool Award to Ms. Jerri Piacesi, K-12 Science Coordinator and Kenya Wallach, Supervisor of Math and Science to the Stafford County Public Schools at the second annual STARS in Science from student participation in the Virginia Piedmont Regional Science Fair. The chapter also awarded Senior Division Winners (Grade 9-12), Ariana Mirzada, $250 for her project titled, Under Pressure: Creating Heat from Waste, Energy & Transportation Category and Malcom McRae, $100 for his project, Cause and Effect, Earth & Planetary Science Category. Stafford County Public Schools presented a plaque to AFCEA Q-P chapter for their support of the science. At the 3rd Annual AFCEA Q-P USMC IT Day on April 18, 2012, we recognized the Senior and Junior Division first place winners. Students displayed their projects and had an opportunity to interact with those in attendance.
This year we have expanded our scholarship and grant program to Spotsylvania County and the City of Fredericksburg commensurate with funding availability.
SUMMARY
Your participation and your companys’ sponsorships in Chapter activities allows all of us to recognize and support deserving students and teachers in our community and to give back to the Educational Foundation at AFCEA International.
On behalf of the Chapter Executive Committee, and the Scholarship & Grant Committee, I thank you for your continued support.
Donald Hom
VP, Scholarships and Grants
