To be eligible to compete for the KFC Colonel’s Scholars Scholarship, an individual must: Graduate from high school this academic year (between 12/1/10 and 8/31/11); Earn a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.75. Plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a public, in-state college or university (start date no later than 9/30/11); be a US citizen or permanent resident.

Scholars may begin their college career by entering into either a 2-or 4-year accredited in-state college/university, as long as they stay on track to complete a bachelor’s degree program. Completing the online application at www.kfcscholars.org. The KFC Colonel’s Scholars Program has an on-site staff to support the program. To contact this staff, send an email to: scholars@kfc.com.

This is a unique opportunity to visit universities and colleges from across the United States under one roof. The cost of the College Fair is free and the information is priceless. It is very important that you spread the word to help better equip the executives, doctors and lawyers of tomorrow on how to succeed in college today.

Representatives from colleges will be on hand to help students and parents learn about their options. Workshops will be available on a variety of topics, such as choosing a college, scholarships, financial aid, and other pertinent issues and information for parents and students alike. This is a free indoor event. No preregistration is required.

Last year’s College Fair at Riverbank State Park was a tremendous success, exposing more than 5,300 students and parents to new options and possibilities. Over 80 colleges from across the country were represented.

The College Fair does not exclude those who have already graduated and are not in high school.

By the same token, Hispanic students make up 6 percent of those admitted and black students make up 5 percent. The Department of Education released a statement Friday that says in part, “We are constantly working to improve these efforts, but outreach alone is not the answer…. We also must ensure students taking the exam are receiving a high-quality education in elementary and middle school so more of them can access our specialized high schools.

You can help develop charitable qualities in your child by first practicing what your preach. Becoming involved in charity efforts is a great way of showing how helping others is considered responsible behavior and actually brings positive feelings of relief and peace in light of such a tragedy. Many young children may become anxious as a result of, frequently hearing about or seeing vivid images of suffering; it is always a great idea to limit this exposure.

However, children can also get a sense of empowerment that comes from feeling that they made a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.

Particularly for young children, discuss the differences between Haiti and the United States in regard to tangible resources, such as hospitals and money.

This should deepen your child’s understanding of how natural disasters (earthquakes) could further destroy a country even after the earthquakes have ended.

On the other hand, adolescents may be more directive and want to assist, but may not know where or how to begin. Parents mistakenly assume they have little influence on their teenagers, but this just applies to their choice in peers and music. In other areas, such as religion and political beliefs, parents have considerable influence on teens’ values and beliefs.

Thus, get involve and encourage your teenager’s desire to find an organization that interests him/her. For example, your teen might prefer to donate to a more “hip” foundation that’s featured on a music channel or that is organized by a famous musician or rapper. In addition, they may want to donate through text or their school rather than an organization you are involved with.

Remember, the important thing is that they are interested in affecting their world in a positive way. You can always influence their critical thinking skills by helping them find out information on the charity such as, the percent of proceeds that go to Haiti or what the organization buys with the monetary donations.

I have worked with many parents who have been through a tough and difficult school period with their children’s teachers. The teacher was not as receptive to the child’s needs or supposedly disliked the child for no particular reason.
The parents claimed their child was picked on by the teacher or singled out for misbehaviors that were often unnoticed when expressed by other students in the class.
This experience is often a source of pain for parents…they experience the child’s hurt as if it were their own and feel a sense of betrayal and injustice by the teacher.
After all, teachers are supposed to be fair, loving, and sensitive, aren’t they? Well, teachers are human and life isn’t always fair. I will never know all the circumstances that led to these conflicts between teacher, parent, and child, but I do believe that parents must make a concerted effort not to create the same situation with a new teacher.
I know it might be challenging to change old feelings and beliefs about teachers, but you have to try for your child’s sake. Not every teacher is going to respond to your child the way the previous teacher did.

Furthermore, once you become open to more positive experiences, your child will follow suit and will become more optimistic as well.
Here are some ways to make this change:
1. Pay attention to your negative thoughts about this new school experience. For example, just because the teacher reprimands your child does not mean that the teacher hates him.
2. Are you interpreting the situation accurately? Or are negative emotions clouding your assessment?  For example, do you think that the teacher hates your daughter just because she does not smile at your child? There could be other reasons, such as; the teacher may have been distracted at that moment.
3. Try not to let negative past experiences dominate your perception of all teachers. This will lead to distorted perceptions without evidence.

Contact: Desiree Grand at 914-665-6786 or e-mail: dgrand@mtvernoncsd.org