September 2015 Sponsors Update

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