Looking for a scholarship?

The Kinesis organization, which has since 2004, provided scholarships to attend accredited colleges and universities at the bachelor, master, doctoral and post doctoral levels in Puerto Rico, the U.S.A. or abroad, has requested applications for their 2008-2009 scholarships. Applications will be accepted until May 31, 2008. Applications are available on the Kinesis website. There are four basic steps to apply:

Step I. Certify that you qualify before submitting your application.

Step II. Include all required documents with your Scholarship Application to Kinesis. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Step III. Fill out and sign the Kinesis Scholarship Application. ALL fields must be completed.

Step IV. E-mail or Mail the application form to Kinesis.

The scholarships are available for Puerto Rico residents or students who consider Puerto Rico as long term residence, demonstrated by providing a valid driver’s license, passport or other identification. In addition applicants must (for complete details, please visit their website):

• Have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent)
• Plan to enroll full-time as an undergraduate or graduate student in a degree seeking program at a U.S. accredited institution in the U.S., or Abroad in the upcoming academic year.
• Be pursuing or plan to pursue your first undergraduate or graduate degree
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Have applied for federal and other financial aid. See- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Have a passion to contribute to the future of Puerto Rico after graduation
  

The mission of Kinesis is to tap the energy in our youth by helping them overcome social boundaries and providing them access to the best educational opportunities. By fueling and maximizing their potential, we will encourage students to lead the social and economic transformation required for generations to come. Kinesis is supported by Fundación Fernández-Bjerg.

Flickr Creative Commons Contributor Today: Herkie

Bowling for better education

If you're looking for a an excuse to go bowling this weekend, then look no further. Sapientis and GlaxoSmithKline are sponsoring a fund raising bowling event at the Galaxy Lanes in the Terraza of Plaza Las Americas. For $50, four people will receive one hour of bowling, shoe rental, pizza, and soft drinks. Oh yeah, plus IVU, of course. Additional people can join in the fun for $7. Can't round up 4 people, then you can pay individually for $15 per person.

The event benefits Sapientis, who is a non-profit organization that uses its leadership programs to develop a network of people dedicated to bringing change to Puerto Rico's public schools. The organization was founded in 2003 by Kristin Ehrgood and Vadim Nikitine. Since then Sapientis has provided training to more than 450 people working in public education, including outstanding college graduates, teachers, school directors, and parents. Sapientis members have taught more than 3,000 students in 56 public schools in Puerto Rico.

If you can't make it bowling, then consider either donating cash directly to support their work, volunteer your time or participate in our listening campaign, Sapientis te Escucha. Or you can nominate yourself or your school to join one of their programs. Click here for more information, email us at involucrate@sapientis.org, or call 787-977-3230.

For their part GlaxoSmithKline will provide information on how to keep children and families healthy. The hours of the bowlathon are from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Payment can be made with checks, credit card, ATH, or in cash. To obtain tickets ahead of time, please call (787) 977-3230, ext. 222.

Flickr Creative Commons Contributor Today: .res

Puerto Rico Portal

I was researching a new post I came across a new section on Wikipedia, well although it's not new, I've never seen it before so it's new to me. It's called the Puerto Rico Portal. It is kind of an index or starting page that organizes Puerto Rico-related entries together.

First, the the portal includes information about Puerto Rico organized by these categories History, Politics, Geography, Economy, Society, Culture, Ecology, and a catch all Other. But it also has some additional areas that provide a nice glimpse into Puerto Rico. In these areas you'll find featured content, what's in the news, selected anniversaries, selected quotes, selected pictures, and a selected article.

As always in Wikipedia-land the portal is maintained by volunteers. So if you'd like to see something added to the portal than snag yourself a Wikipedia registration and start editing. Most of the editing has been done by Wikipedia user Mtmelendez (Cool job dude!), but according to his profile page he is now without an Internet connection, thanks to PRTC, so let's pitch in and keep the portal up to date. There is a Spanish version of the portal, but it features less content.

17ma Convención: APENET

The Puerto Rican Association for the Education of the Childhood in Edad Temprana (APENET), in its goal to improve the quality of the service to its members, will celebrate its 17ma Annual convention of Early Education on Friday, 12 and Saturday, 13 of October of 2007 in the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan.

The subject of the convention will be "Childhood: Protagonist of life". In this convention, the participation of a diversity of professionals in the field is expected, such as directors, teachers, officials of diurnal care, assistants, supervisors, parents, owners of centers and homes of care, among others. They are openly inviting everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to exhibit and to promote educative materials or appropriate services for the early age that your company might offer by attending the activities of the Convention.

The rough schedule is as follows:

• Friday, October 12th:
• 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Pre-conference Seminars
  
• 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Dance Workshops
• Saturday, October 13th:
• 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Simultaneous Conferences
  

APENET is a non-profit organization affiliated with the “National Association for the Education of Young Children”, a prominent organization with nearly 130.000 members in the United States and Europe.

Its mission is to work collaboratively to promote the care, the education, well-being and integral development of children in early age (birth to 8 years), and offer opportunities for the fortification of their professionals and programs.

For more information and related costs for the convention call Luly López, President of APENET at (787) 409-7877 or visit their web site.