Dear Sponsors,

The Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS) now has a newly revised website! The VJAS website can be accessed at www.vjas.org. As indicated at the bottom of the Home Page, the website is currently in beta form and there will be occasional modifications to the website. You are encouraged to navigate through the available links and offer any suggestions and comments that would help us make the VJAS website better. Your feedback is very important!

The VJAS website has a page dedicated to the 2016 Research Symposium/Meeting which will have the latest news and information about the upcoming Research Symposium. One of the most important components of the newly revised website is the updated 2015–2016 VJAS Handbook and Appendices which can be accessed via the Rules and Guidelines (Forms) link at the top of the Home Page (or via http://www.vjas.org/rules--guidelines-forms.html).

The VJAS Handbook serves as the official rules and guidelines for VJAS activities including the Research Symposium/Meeting. All forms - including VJAS Membership Applications, Student Entry Forms, and all other VJAS paper submissions forms - can be found in the Appendices. Note that the Appendices are bundled into one PDF file that is fillable on your computer after download (parts A, B, C and D). Download the PDF file and fill out the appropriate section(s), and print out only the pertinent pages for submission.

As the holidays are quickly approaching, we strongly encourage and recommend that you submit your VJAS School Membership Application and Membership Fee as soon as possible. Joining early will ensure you are in the loop and doing so now will be one less item on your agenda as the busiest time of the school year arrives.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions. 

We look forward to seeing everyone at Mary Washington University!

Sincerely,

VJAS Team

Susan Booth, Director, VJAS 757-897-3104, susan.science@gmail.com
David Torain, Associate Director, VJAS david.torain@hamptonu.edu
Se Jeong, VJAS Committee Chair, VJAS swj3af@virginia.edu
Carolyn Conway, Associate Executive Officer, VAS 804-864-1450, vas@smv.org

Dear Sponsors,

Welcome Back! The Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS) Research Symposium will be held on May 17-19, 2016 at the University of Mary Washington. A revised VJAS website is currently under revision and will be made available to everyone once it has been finalized. A revised Handbook has been prepared for the start of your new school year. This updated Handbook plus the revised Appendix will initially be distributed to past sponsors via email and later made available on the new VJAS website. Please take your time to read through it to make sure nothing is missed. We are here for you so if you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Remember that the Phil Robinson Research Grant is available to assist students with their research expenses. For a student to be eligible, his/her school must be a VJAS member for the coming year at the time that the student applies for this grant. Therefore please submit the school’s VJAS School Membership Application Form and Fee prior to October 1 submission deadline for grant applications. Additionally, if your students are interested in exploring potential research topics and/or ideas, encourage them to look at the special awards listed on the VJAS website.

By involving yourself in VJAS you are assisting to develop scientific research to present at the Academy, where students explain how they conducted research, drew conclusions, with their public presentations. All student science research receives feedback from experienced scientists and science educators. Students who present at the Research Symposium have an opportunity for publishing abstracts of their research and receive awards and scholarships among the STEM disciplines at http://www.vjas.org.

To receive future Sponsor Updates and the Voice, Student Newsletter, please make arrangements for your school to join VJAS this fall using the School Membership Application found in the Handbook and/or VJAS website. Following receipt of your School Membership Application and membership fee at the VAS Office your school will be added to the 2015-2016 VJAS Membership database and subsequently receive periodic email communications about VJAS events.

Along with this letter, we are attaching the Superintendents Memo for you to share with your Principal and Curriculum Leader, as well as the Voice. We appreciate your support and you do make a difference in science education by your dedication in the advancement of science by discovering and encouraging scientific aptitude among Virginia’s students.

Sincerely,

The VJAS Team

Susan Booth, Director, VJAS 757-897-3104, susan.science@gmail.com
David Torain, Associate Director, VJAS, david.torain@hamptonu.edu
Se Jeong, Committee Chair, VJAS, swj3af@virginia.edu
Carolyn Conway, Associate Executive Officer, VAS, vas@smv.org

Dear Sponsors,

As we get ready for those holidays, we need you to encourage your students to continue to collect their data and write their papers. Hopefully, at this time, you have reviewed the Handbook and understand any revisions that have been made. If you still have questions, then do not hesitate to contact us since we are here to help you.

This purpose of this Sponsor Update is to stress VJAS Membership Applications and Membership Fees. We are encouraging one and all to submit their Membership Applications early. Over the past several years, many schools waited until the paper submissions deadline to send in their memberships. We hope that for 2014-2015 you will submit your School’s Membership Application and Membership Fee by the January 15, 2015 deadline. This will ensure that you are kept in the loop since we will have your school’s current contact information.

Please realize that the Membership Application registers you with VJAS. There are both School and Individual Membership Applications and Fees. You can find the details located in your Handbook as well as the Membership Applications found in Appendix B which are downloadable using the link in the “For Teachers” section of the website. There are separate forms for School Membership and Individual Membership (for those students who attend schools that do not join VJAS this year and for home schooled students).

In summary, we are asking for a completed Application Form from each School Member or Individual Member and a membership fee of $50 per School Member or $10 per Individual Member.

Sincerely,
Susan Booth, Director, VJAS
757-897-3104, susan.science@gmail.com

David Torain, Associate Director, VJAS
david.torain@hamptonu.edu

Carolyn Conway, Associate Executive Officer, VAS
804-864-1450 (Academy Office), vas@smv.org