Students at Automotive High School ave been working to restore a vintage Chevrolet pick-up truck, received from a private donor.  This project began in 2012 and is expected to be completed by summer 2015, at which time the vehicle will be sold at auction.  Funds from the sale of the truck will go towards college scholarships for the students. Click below to read the full story in the New York Daily News.  

Code.org has partnered with 30+ school districts nationwide to implement comprehensive K-12 computer science programs. At no-cost to schools, Code.org provides more than 100 hours of professional development to prepare teachers without computer science experience to deliver high quality instruction in programming. The professional development also includes nationally-recognized courses and curriculum which are optimized for blended learning, materials to promote computer science to the school community, and a special focus diversity and access to ensure that all students can participate in rigorous computer science education.  

Learn more about how Code.org is making a difference in New York City Schools; Nationwide workshops provided free of charge for elementary school educators; Hear what Vice President Biden has to say in this 2-minute pitch about Code.org to US governors at the National Governor’s Association conference. 

physiology, toxicology, and other specialties. The length of the residency is eight weeks each summer. The summer fellowship involves laboratory work (four days of the week) and formal professional development activities such as seminars by leading Columbia University scientists, peer coaching, Japanese-style lesson study, workshops on data-driven instruction, and scientific modeling. The formal activities take place one day a week, on Mondays. Each Fellow will receive a stipend and additional funds for the purchase of classroom materials.  For additional information about this fellowship opportunity, please visit www.scienceteacherprogram.org. The 2015 program Application is available now!

In 2014, 6 CTE students in New York City were selected for the prestigious Tribeca Film Fellows program, and had an amazing experience.    

Each year, Tribeca Film Institute invites emerging filmmakers, ages 16–18, to participate in a yearlong fellowship program that fosters their creative, professional, and academic skills.  Fellows work closely with a professional film mentor who helps them develop their film proposals and pitch their projects in competition for a college scholarship in the amount of $1,500.  

For more information visit, tribecafilminstitute.org/programs/detail/tribeca_film_fellows.  Applications for fellowships in 2015 must be submitted prior to the deadline on January 12, 2015. 

As one of our top teachers supporting high school pre-law programs in New York City, Randy Kaminsky has designed over seven courses in collaboration with the Justice Resource Center. We sat down with Randy to discuss his work at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, New York, learn about student mock trial and moot court, and to understand his passions for teaching and international travel.
 
SpotLight: Were you like the rest of us, hooked on television episodes of “Law and Order,” wondering what it would be like to argue legal cases in a courtroom?
  
Randy Kaminsky: As a child, I remember there were all these other little kids drawing pictures of what they wanted to be; an astronaut, a baseball player.  But I always wanted to be a lawyer. I liked to watch TV shows and movies about law when I was young, and when I started college I was debating between attending law school or going into education to become a teacher. I thought education would give me a great opportunity towards my primary goal, which was to help people build a future for themselves, while still allowing me to work on law.  Some of my own great high school teachers had that role when I was a student, which inspired me to pursue it. There was never one defining moment, it was a continuation of an idea.  I wish I had that one defining moment, exciting story, but it’s more just a continuation of life. 
 
SpotLight: What are you currently doing at Fort Hamilton High School?
 
Randy Kaminsky: I am a social studies teacher and Law Program Coordinator, I oversee the entire law program at the school.  I teach the history and law classes, coach the Mock Trial and Moot Court teams, and I oversee and supervise all the students in the law program.
  
SpotLight: You mentioned being inspired by your own high school teachers. Did you attend a similar school?
 
Randy Kaminsky: I went to John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, then to Brooklyn College where I got a degree in political science and my Masters in Social Studies Education with a focus on Political Science.  
 
SpotLight: Some CTE teachers have special certifications for their industry. Are there any that exist in NYC for pre-law programs?
 
Randy Kaminsky: No.  We are currently working on CTE certifications but we’ve been running a CTE law program for the last 4 years or so.  I also write curriculum for the Justice Resource Center.  The process is to eventually have a standard curriculum for all of the CTE programs in the city and I’m one of the people writing that curriculum. 
 
SpotLight: Tell me about the work you did to assist in the development of seven citywide law courses?
 
Randy Kaminsky: We started in the spring of 2013, and are now in the process of completing the design of the courses. We are working on implementation and teacher professional development for it. I think curriculum development and writing the courses are very important. In addition to making sure that the lessons are properly aligned with the Common Core and state standards to ensure that students get the best possible education.
 
SpotLight: How does this relate to your mock trial team?
 
Randy Kaminsky: We have a Mock Trial team and a Moot Court team.  The Moot Court team runs from October until the end of November, and the Mock Trial team starts in December and runs until March or April.  I love the legal field, and think it’s very important, but I think what students get out of our law program is so much more important than simply wanting to become a lawyer.  Students have an opportunity to learn public speaking, and we do a lot of work with technology. They also learn how to work in groups, and how to do advanced level research.  These are important skills to develop even if they decide not to become lawyers.
 
SpotLight: How does it feel to have students go on to pursue law?
 
Randy Kaminsky: I just had one student come back before the holiday for our “Alumni Day”, who is a 1st year law student at St. Johns University.  Another student recently graduated from Buffalo Law School.  A lot of them are enjoying the legal field and some are going on to do well in other amazing fields.  One of my former law students is now our new social studies teacher here.   What they are getting from the law program is preparation for the future. It prepares students for college and for careers. 

SpotLight: Who is Randy Kaminsky outside of school?
 
Randy Kaminsky: I like to travel, I am a foodie, I like to run, I like to read, I’m a big movie buff (law movies and comedies).  I like music.  Two summers ago, I ran the half-marathon in Dublin, Ireland…luckily the weather was beautiful.  It was in early August, so it wasn’t too hot.  It was a terrific run and I got to see so many historica’ sites just running around the country. I want to do more of that in other countries.  I’ve been to London and traveled all over America, I’d like to start doing more international travel now.  
 
SpotLight: What is one of your greatest success stories?
 
Randy Kaminsky: There is a young lady, a former student, who came back to visit last week.  When I first met her she was a recent immigrant who had only been in the United States for three years. During high school she jumped into our law program, and finished seventh in her graduating class. She also received a Macaulay Honor scholarship for college, and now has earned a scholarship for law school.
 
The overall theme for me when it comes to success stories are the kids who took these opportunities and ran with them and grew as people.  That’s the one thing that is nice about the law program…is the kid who would normally be quiet and not take this route or opportunity, takes the opportunity and the risk, and tries just because this is something that they are interested in. It ends up helping them in their studies, with internships and with so many other opportunities.

SpotLight: How do you match your kids with work-based learning and internship opportunities?

Randy Kaminsky: In a dream world, every single student would be able to do work based learning, unfortunately, the opportunities aren’t there for all of them. What we try to do is place as many of them as possible into work-based learning and for those who don’t  have the opportunity we do a lot of other things like job shadowing. We partner with a mentor law firm who the kids get to meet and talk to, we bring in guest speakers who are legal professionals such as judges and lawyers, baliffs and police officers, so they can get a little experience with every opportunity to see what their interests are in the legal field.  Even if they aren’t necessarily in a work-based environment, they are still getting a work-based learning experience. 
 
Each year, we also take our students to the New York County Lawyer’s Association (NYCLA) NYC Youth Law Conference. In 2014, New York Law School hosted the event and NYCLA published the  2014 Youth Law Manual.
  
SpotLight: How does your relationship with the Justice Resource Center (JRC) enhance your law program?
 
Randy Kaminsky: I don’t know if these experiences would even be possible without the work of JRC coordinating through Debra Lesser.  They are the ones who help us find the work-based learning opportunities. They are big partners with all of the law programs around the city, and I can also speak to this because I worked there when I was in high school, so JRC has had a great impact on my life.  I encourage all of my students to participate in JRC programs. 
 
Last year we had a kid try out and make it to the International Moot Court Team.  They practiced with lawyers at the mentor law firm, and then went to the Hague last year in the Netherlands to visit the international criminal court and compete in an international competition with countries from all around the world. The trip was led by Debra Lesser and JRC, NYC teachers, and members of mentor law firms.  It was an incredible experience for the student.

Do you know a CTE teacher who goes above and beyond?  Let us know.  Send your suggestion to us at
SGreaux@schools.nyc.gov.  Please include contact information and a description of their achievements.  

Nomination Deadline: December 11, 2014
Application Deadline: December 18, 2014
Contact: Lizzy Divine

For the fourth consecutive year, Foot Locker will be rewarding 20 incoming college freshman with $20,000 in scholarship funding– not because they scored the most touchdowns or goals, but because sports have helped them grow into strong leaders at school and in their communities. The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes scholarship is open to students who are college-bound in the Fall of 2015, participate in a sports related activity in high school, on an intramural team or in their community, and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. Teachers can nominate students and find more information here.

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME) Pre-Engineering Scholarship Program recognizes the nation’s highest achieving African American, American Indian, and Latino high school seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to science and engineering as a career goal. Each NACME Pre-Engineering Scholarship winner receives a $2,500 award to be used to support college tuition.
 
Applicants must be:
- African American, American Indian, or Latino high school graduating seniors

- U.S. citizens or permanent residents

- Participants in an Academy of Engineering (a National Academy Foundation national network of career-themed   academies) or a pre-college or high school program focused on math, science, and engineering

- Outstanding academic achievers earning a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA or “B” average

- Have a preferred combined SAT score of 1650 for critical reading, writing, and math, and a preferred math    
  score of 550; or preferred composite ACT score of 24 and a preferred score of 24 from the math section

- Admitted into an engineering program as a full-time student. Priority will be given to applicants who have    
  been admitted to a NACME Partner Institution,  

NACME’s Pre-Engineering Scholarship Application will be available online beginning December 15, 2014. The application deadline is March 15, 2015. If you have any questions, email NACME at scholarships@nacme.org.

December is one the busiest months in the college application process—graduating seniors are finalizing college lists and exploring postsecondary pathways such as certificate or job development programs.  Below please find resources that help educators and students navigate the research, exploration, and application process.

Free Effective Postsecondary Planning training:  Six sessions for NYC DOE Staff to cover essential content knowledge for developing a postsecondary planning culture, including financial aid, applications, and college-list making.

Educational and Work Related alternatives to College:  Free training to NYC DOE staff to focus on identifying options for students where a bachelor’s or associate degree program in not the right match.

PIVOT:  Interactive online tool created for NYC students to help them find postsecondary career and vocational options.  It pulls from multiple government websites and includes local and national programs.

The following websites support an exploration of colleges and career interests, provide comparisons on the tuition of different institutions, and help students create an individualized postsecondary plan:

- Big Future
- College Navigator
- Career Zone  

Lidio Rodriguez, an alumni of the Academy of Language and Technology, was recently featured in the New York Times.  Lidio presently works as a full-time IT professional at one of NYC’s leading hospitals. Along the way to becoming a successful IT professional, Lidio had many obstacles, including homelessness and struggling in college. After an unsuccessful year at college, Lidio struggled to make ends meet and pay back his loans.  He worked odd jobs that paid minimum wage, and on the side would repair computers for friends.  

During this time, Lidio learned about Per Scholas, a non-profit that offers free technology education, job training and career development to residents of underprivileged communities.  With some skepticism, Lidio did his research and realized that this was an opportunity he could not miss. While enrolled at Per Scholas, Lidio managed the challenges of academics and supported himself financially.  His Per Scholas career coach, Jose Jurado mentored him and gave him  one-on-one support and encouragement, which were critical to his success. 

At the end of this program, Lidio passed his A+ and Net+ certification exams.  Per Scholas offered Lidio an opportunity to earn both these industry-recognized credentials with intensive coaching on job-ready skills. After completing his training at Per Scholas, Lidio landed a well-paying job, and is better prepared to embark on a successful career.

PER SCHOLAS IS RECRUITING! Per Scholas holds information sessions every day, Monday - Friday at 9am at our Bronx location (804 138th Street). No appointment necessary. For more information or to apply, please visit the website at perscholas.org. 

NYC Department of Education Career and Technical Education High Schools (CTE) now have access to a vast network of tech executives at industry-leaders like Goldman Sachs, Tata Consultancy or at innovative NYC companies like MongoDB and 3D Heights. This is now possible via the new partnership with the nationally acclaimed nonprofit NPower and its skills-based volunteerism platform, The Community Corps, which helps schools recruit volunteers from the tech sector. By working together, we will reach between 5,500 and 8,000 students in 2015.  Engaging with tech mentors via these in-classroom Career Days can help students understand that a tech career is within their reach and helps offer students a brighter future.

The Community Corps will function as the online volunteer recruitment service for ALL fifty-one CTE schools during the 2015 school year, streamlining the coordination process for School administrators and volunteers. Each CTE school is guaranteed at least one Career Day in 2015 and The Community Corps will provide 3 to 5 speakers at these engaging events.  Advisory Board Volunteers, Panel Speakers and Career Site visits are also possible extensions of this partnership.

Nearly 100 students have already attended similar events in 2014; with Career Days at Chelsea High School, Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology, and Queens Vocational School for Technology. STEM engagements with middle and high school students are one of the most popular volunteer opportunities with The Community Corps. More than 1,000 NYC tech professionals have already signed up with The Community Corps and are eagerly waiting to participate in upcoming Career Days at your school.  “Cultivating and strengthening relationships between industrial partners and post-secondary institutions is our mission at Queens Vocational and The Community Corps at NPower made it all happen with just a click of a mouse,” said Nicole Zagada, Computer Technology Instructor & WBL Coordinator at Queens Vocational & Technical High School.
 
“The Community Corps at NPower enabled us to reach new groups of professionals, directly tied to our technology mission, to build a meaningful, diverse exchange of ideas at our school for Career Day,” added Ellen Hogarty, Partnership Coordinator at Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology.
 
NPower and CTE will select Career Speakers who are:

* Energized about speaking to High School students about their career and helping students assess their future
   options
*  Willing to share experiences that demonstrate how they attained positions, how they attained mastery in STEM
   fields, and how they overcame obstacles such as paying for higher education or overcoming other
   roadblocks
*  Connected to the tech or STEM ecosystem; Experienced  in a tech-related start-up, public-private partnership,
​   nonprofit, or established company 

LEARN MORE: Register now for our December 16th webinar training session and learn how to create an account & use the platform.  Contact tykira.clinton@npower.org.

ABOUT NPOWER: We mobilize the tech community to provide individuals, nonprofits and schools opportunities to build tech skills and achieve their potential. Learn more at www.npower.org or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or YouTube.