Next SAGE meeting: Engineering 101

Hello all,

I just wanted to update you with regard to next week's SAGE meeting topic. Mr. Dan Zavaleta will be present to discuss an exciting program for all those interested in a future in Engineering. Desert Vista currently is looking to expand this course for all gifted students interested in taking Engineering 101, a joint Desert Vista/ASU Polytechnic Program designed at preparing students for college and an opportunity for college credit through Arizona State University. If you are at all interested in Engineering or in pursuing a career in Engineering, please attend this next Wednesday, 5 March 2008. As always, we will be meeting in the library at 3:00PM.

See you there,

Mr. White

The Maricopa Book Drive: Coming Soon!

Here’s a quick heads up from the Community Service Department:

Some time after Spring Break, the Maricopa Book Drive will be up and running. We will be collecting new or gently used books to give to an elementary school that needs them. This event is a great way to get volunteer hours and clean up your bookshelf at the same time! All of these books will be going to a great cause, and you’ll be helping out the many kids who are less fortunate than we are.

-Grace

How to Approach Community Service

Community service can be one of the most enjoyable things to do - I can truthfully say that I help out because it’s fun, and not just because I think it looks good on my resume (this seems to be the reason most people do anything nowadays).

When choosing what community service you want to participate in, select one that reflects what your interests are. If you want to be a doctor later on in your life, volunteer at the hospital – in doing so, you can get a little taste of what you’ll be facing in the future. However, if you don't know what your future career path will be, don't worry -simply volunteer in a field that interests you. For example, if you are passionate about Spanish, you can volunteer at a place where a lot of Spanish is spoken to get practice with the language; if you really like sports, you can volunteer as coach for a little league team. In this way, the possibilities are endless.

The key to an enjoyable community service experience is to pick a job that genuinely interests you. Don't pick something just for the sake of getting a lot of hours; for colleges and for yourself, the quality of those hours are much more important than the quantity. Thus, if done correctly, community service can truly enrich your high school experience -which is what is was intended to do in the first place.

The catch is that often these community service opportunities can be difficult to find. Sometimes you can find out about them through word-of-mouth, or on the Internet. There is a nice little link to the left side labeled ‘Community Service,’ which has a list of volunteer opportunities compiled by SAGE. In addition, http://www.volunteermatch.org is a great resource. However, if you need any help looking for community service opportunities don't hesitate to contact us either by commenting on this blog or by sending us an email at dvsageclub.com@gmail.com. Don't be afraid to use us as a resource; we're here to help you out.

-Grace

Academics and Athletics: Getting Active!

Hey guys, whats up? I thought I'd take some time to share my personal experience and opinion about athletics and getting active.

There are numerous advantages to participating in a sport, one of which is exercise. You get a good workout, and studies show that if you're mentally and physically exhausted (from working those crazy math problems and working out), you get a better night's sleep. I can attest to this: I still find it hard to fall asleep when I'm not physically drained. If I had a good workout during the day, I fall asleep as soon as I hit my bed.

Athletics are also a good way to meet new people. It opens you up to a whole new sphere of people and friends. I met some of coolest and goofiest people I know on track and field.

In reality, athletics are not for everyone. Nevertheless, it is important to just get out and exercise. Anything to get you moving--chasing your dog around the house, playing with younger siblings, a quick bike ride--will allow you to enjoy life more.

However, if you can find a sport that you like and feel comfortable with, it will be very beneficial in the long run. If you feel like life is a chore, or just an endless stream of homework, sports may add some needed variety to your life. Don't worry about not having enough time; right now, as a junior, I'm managing all honors and AP classes, running varsity track and field, and still managing to get to bed before 12AM most nights. In the end, you will find that if you truly invest and dedicate yourself to a sport you enjoy, you will have a much more rewarding high school experience.

-Brian

The Fight Against Cancer

Not long ago, I sent several friends and loved ones an email asking for support. I want to send you another, just like it, to make sure you know how strongly I feel about eliminating cancer. I hope you can help me with a donation to this incredible cause. I have since made a donation to myself of $25. You can donate any amount you wish, but a match to my gift or an even larger donation would be very greatly appreciated. Your support will help people in our community and around the world in the fight against this disease.If you like, you can make a secure online contribution from my Personal Page by clicking on the link below.

Thank you!
- Kimi Pike kiminadine@gmail.com.

Click here to visit my personal page.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeGreatWestDivision?px=4010435&pg=personal&fr_id=4820&et=hZWygCFQ81-mlfl_lugMbw..&s_tafId=94493

Click here to view the team page for F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeGreatWestDivision team_id=182726&pg=team&fr_id=4820&et=lAJu24XFKdkaNMLkX94mIQ..&stafId=94493

What are the differences between the SAT and the ACT?

Most of you are probably wondering what the difference between SATs and ACTs are. You can compare the two by reading the charts below:

ACT
-3 hours, 25 minutes (including the 30-minute optional Writing Test)
-4 test sections (English, Math, Reading, Science) plus an optional Writing section
-4 Reading Comprehension passages, 10 questions per passage
-Covers science reasoning (analysis, interpretation, evaluation, problem solving)
-Math Topics Covered: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry (4 questions)
-Total composite score of 1-36 (based on average of 4 sections); each section receives a score of 1-36; the optional Writing section receives a score of 0-12
-No wrong answer penalty
-You decide which score is sent

SAT
-3 hours, 45 minutes
-10 Sections
-Critical Reading, Math, Writing (includes the Essay)
-Reading sections: mix of passage comprehension and sentence completion questions that require vocabulary expertise
-Science not included
-Math Topics Covered: Algebra, Geometry, and Basic Algebra II
-Total score out of 2400; 3 scores of 200-800 for each section; Writing section has 2sub-scores: multiple choice (20-80) and the essay (0-12)
-1/4 point per wrong answer (except for Math Grid-in questions)
-Your entire score history will be sent automatically

Leave comments if you have any questions or concerns.

-Ellen

A New Feature: The Email Subscription Service

As part of our continued effort to make this blog more helpful and accessible, an email subscription service has recently been added to the blog.

To have our posts automatically delivered to your inbox, simply enter your email address in the textbox on the left (above the list of officers) and click the Submit button. Keep in mind that subscription to this blog is not a permanent committment; if you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time.

-Kunal

Staying Chill

High School can be pretty stressful, especially with a rigorous school schedule. But it does not have to be. AP classes and extra-curricular activities are wonderful in healthy doses, but too much of anything can really hurt...like blunt-force head trauma.

AP classes are usually much more interesting and rewarding than your everyday honors or regular course, but also require a bit more effort. Three or four AP classes are really all you need in any given year, depending on the difficulty level of the courses (the most difficult AP classes are pretty notorious, so you should know that two or three of these are enough). Honors classes are weighted the same as AP for ranking, and DV GPA is on a standard 4.0 scale so AP classes do not have much of an advantage on honors classes. Some colleges will offer credit if you manage a 4 or 5 on the AP test, but some colleges just use the AP test to place you in more advanced classes in college.

Extra-curricular activities are a must in High School. They will not only keep you involved socially, but also help to motivate you academically. Just like a double-double is better with a side order of animal style fries (or whatever you like to eat), your school schedule should be complimented by some activity you enjoy. Whether it is football, ceramics, painting, martial arts, running, competitive sweater knitting, or whatever; you need to do something other than study. Believe it or not, sometimes having that something extra on your plate will help you enjoy your meal that much more (sorry for extending this analogy so far...haha). A good balance of school and extra-curricular is not only fun for you, but colleges like to see that too (it proves to them that you actually have a soul). So keep trucking academically, but don't forget to moderate and to do something for yourself once in a while.

-Minyu Kim

JourneySafe

Hello SAGE members,

A fellow SAGE mother sent me a link to the following video about the importance of driving safely. I highly recommend that you view it: http://www.journeysafe.com/presentation.

Be safe when driving,

Mr. White

Scholarships

As you all should know by now, college is EXPENSIVE! How are you going to pay then? With scholarships of course! Scholarships are extremely important when you go to college and they can save you a lot of money.

There are tons of scholarship opportunities out there and luckily, sites such as the Tempe Union website and CollegeBoard have complied easy to look through lists.

Although there are a lot of opportunities out there, they are no good if you don't go for them. You're going to regret waiting until the end of you senior year to look for scholarships. Instead, start your scholarship search during the second semester of your junior year, and continue on through senior year.

We have found the Tempe Union District scholarship website to be the most helpful. Check it out at the following web address:

https://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/view.php?page=55,82&tuhsdgroup=2

Here are some other sites to help you with your search:

Fastweb
http://www.fastweb.com/

Princeton Review
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/finance/

CollegeBoard
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/servlet/scholarshipsearchservlet?SS_ACTION=DB_SEARCH&pageIndex=0

CollegeNet
http://www.collegenet.com/mach25/app

College Scholarships, College, and Online Degrees
http://college-scholarships.com/

Take a few minutes to look around them. Maybe you'll find a scholarship that suits you. And remember, these are by no means, the only opportunities.

The AP Exams are coming! The AP Exams are coming!

Hello all,

It is that time of year again. Tensions are high and sales of pepto-bismol are shooting through the roof. AP Exams are upon us. Thankfully, your exam isn't tomorrow. You have plenty of time between now and May to study and prepare and agonize. While you are in that process, though, a couple of reminders:

1. If you intend on taking an AP Exam, you need to sign up for it now. Exam order forms are available in a myriad of colors, including blue, green, yellow, goldenrod, and white! You can pick up an exam order form from your AP teacher or just outside the bookstore. The cost is $86.00 per exam and you need to take your order form and your payment to the bookstore. You have until February 22nd to sign up for the exam (a date that is fast approaching). You can order an AP exam form after that date, but it will cost you $30.00 extra per exam. I will not be accepting any orders after Thursday, March 6th at 3:00PM (the order form says Friday, March 7th -- but, please, for the love of everything good and holy, just get your order form in before then. Please. I'm begging you).

2. Whatever color you pick, the final color you will receive is a pink receipt that explains when and where the Pre-Administration session is and when you will be taking your AP exam. Be sure to keep that safe and visible.

3. ALL students who plan to take an AP Exam must attend one of the two Pre-Administration sessions, which will be Thursday, April 10th at 3:15PM and Friday, April 11th at 7:30AM. You will want to report to the room assigned according to your last name. These are the American Studies rooms:

Room C 207-208 (A-G) Room C 220-221 (N-S)

Room C 211-212 (H-M) Room C 273-274 (T-Z)

4. You are not required to send scores to any college or university. You may choose to release the scores later to the college or university of choice.

5. You do NOT need your teacher's permission to take an AP Exam. Your choice to take or not to take the AP exam is YOURS!

If you have any questions, you can check out one of the two AP web sites:

http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/Desert_Vista_HS/GiftedProgram/page2.html or
http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/Desert_Vista_HS/GiftedProgram/GiftedCoordinator/page4.html

Or you can e-mail me at dwhite.dvh@tuhsd.k12.az.us or call me at (480) 706-7900, extension 92154.

Take care and don't stress out!

Mr. White

If You're Filling Out your Schedule for Next Year, HURRY AND READ THIS!!

Quickly!! Schedules are due practically yesterday!
1) Are you a sophomore or junior?
2) Do you want to explore aspects of a career that you don't know much about, or get a sneak preview of the work world?
3) Do you want an extra period of release?

If you answered "Yes!" to any of these questions, you need to put "Honors Professional Internship" on your schedule this instant!

What it is: The Honors Professional Internship (not to be confused with the Business Internship, in which you spend one period at school and the other two at work) is similar to the Business Internship, but offered only to Gifted students who want a more in-depth experience in the area of their interest (ie: engineering, biodesign, computer technology, medicine, etc). I chose to work for WSI, an online marketing company, but you can choose any company in any field you wish. The bonus is that it only takes up one period (instead of 3) and you spend the whole hour off campus as an intern. NOTE: If you take this class instead of the Business Internship (recommended) you will still need to take care of that business credit necessary to graduation; luckily you can easily take Economics or Entrepreneurship (or anything else in the business section of the DV handbook) to satisfy this requirement.

What you do: First and foremost, you need to go talk to Mr. White (that friendly guy down in the counseling office) and tell him you're interested. Then, the hardest part is to actually find the internship; don't worry, there's dozens to choose from and even though you may have to put up with a few rejections at first, it's no harder than being hired for a job. (Note: yes, i know that most internships aren't paid but it's worth it, believe me)

Any Questions? If so, you can contact me at my email thedukeofhousemagrace@gmail.com, Mr. White or any of the other students involved in the Internship program (they're on the gifted web page http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/dvh/GiftedProgram/page9.html). For more information on the Honors Professional Internship (as well as Advanced Studies) you can flip to page 33 in that nifty handbook (the code is IS15).

Good luck! And make sure you get those schedules in on time! :o
-Kadra

SAGE Meeting Dates

In case you were wondering, the following is a list of the SAGE meeting dates for the rest of the year:

February 20
March 5
March 19
April 9
April 16
April 30
May 7

The complete list of SAGE meeting dates has been available on the DV Gifted Services website: http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/Desert_Vista_HS/GiftedProgram/page4.html

However, do not confuse this site with the SAGE Club Homepage, which is accesible at the following web address: http://www.tuhsd.k12.az.us/dvh/GiftedProgram/GiftedCoordinator/page2.html

The latter is the site that has our research and our previous presentations.

If you're confused about what's going on at SAGE, or if you have any other questions, let us know by email at dvsageclub.com@gmail.com, or post a comment on the blog.

-Kunal

Art & Your High School Experience: Making More Than the Grade

It's second semester. AP Exams are creeping closely forward, term papers are appearing everywhere, you have three days of homework snowballed because you were working on that assignment that took you three days to finish--in essence, you're a gifted student at Desert Vista. "What does this all mean" and "Why did I do this to myself" might be questions that reoccur in your psyche as you laboriously engrave information into a worksheet for your history class.

I have some news for you, my friends: There Is An Escape.

This escape is better known as the Desert Vista Fine Arts Department. I know for some of you, the sound of "electives programs" that aren't AP or Honors can cause a wave of anxiety, ridden with visions of lost rank points, failure, and visions of a homeless future. I'm here to tell you these fears are irrational. I have taken one or more arts classes every year of my high school career, and I am the top 3% of my senior class. I have a very high GPA. I still enjoy my AP classes just as much, if not more! That's right: art classes won't destroy your life as a gifted student.

In fact, I couldn't live without the fine arts. In the midst of all the chaos of my AP/Honors world, I have found orchestra and ceramics classes to provide me with an outlet just to create. Art is such a personal experience--for one hour every day, you aren't judged on whether or not you can create a masterpiece; assignments aren't examined with a pass/fail mentality; you are given a space where you create your own vision of what you think is beautiful. Art isn't about getting an A--that's relatively easy. Art is about finding your own vision, about exploring your own world.

So when you are choosing your classes this semester, or thinking about your busy schedule next year, remember that you might enjoy this kind of outlet. As a culture, I believe we have become increasingly homogenized in order to "make the grade", and art classes help preserve this lost individuality and creativity. Additionally, these classes can help you look at your AP/Honors classes with a more creative, problem-solving mind.

I encourage you, with all my experiences in high school in mind, to take an art class or two. Take a break, enjoy, and create: you will be glad you did. High school is definitely about being successful, but it's also about finding out who you are--taking art classes can help you discover things you never knew about yourself.

-Kellie

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If you cannot find the information you are looking for on this blog, send us an email at dvsageclub.com@gmail.com and let us know. We would be more than happy to answer your questions or supply you with the information you need.

-Kunal