Welcome to the second installment of the Grizzly Grads News! Please make sure to read this entire newsletter so that you stay informed on what’s happening in regards to your grad year. There’s something for everyone in here!
Fundraising!!
Grad Pasta Dinner and Talent Show - is on November 14th beginning at 5:30. Tickets can be picked up at the office. Cost is $15 per person. We are asking each grad to sell 2 tickets!
Car Raffle –We will be unveiling our Grad 2014 car at the Grad Pasta Dinner! Ticket sales will begin that evening. Tickets are $10 each and we are only selling 5000 tickets! Thanks to the Major Sponsorship from Murray Honda, Fix Auto Chilliwack, 604 Autosound and Fountain Tire! If each grad can sell 30 tickets, the potential profit for the grad class is $20,000 – this will help keep grad costs down! Thanks to Mrs. Meldrum for all her work on this fundraiser!! Please see Mrs. Jordan for a Sales Agreement Form. Each Grad is required to have this form completed before they begin their ticket sales. Please return to Mrs. Jordan as soon as possible.
Panago Pizza Promotion – Buy a $10 coupon at the office to purchase a medium, 7 topping pizza valued at $17. Only 50 coupons available each month. $4.00 of the $10.00 purchase goes directly into your Grad Account. Thank-you to Lucy-Anne, owner of Panago Pizza Vedder location, for making this possible!
Are you graduating?? If you are taking a FVDES course needed for graduation, it must be 80% complete by May 1st to be considered part of the Grad Class of 2014. See Ms. Schramm for details!
Grad Transitions
Personal Health component and Community Connections component are due during the Midway interviews with admin on November 28th and 29th.
Final interviews are scheduled for Feb 27th and Feb 28th . ALL STUDENTS must complete Grad Trans in order to graduate!!
Students waiting for a WEX placement or needing to apply for WEX must discuss their work experience plan with Mrs. Jordan or Mr. Wiseman. Haven’t figured out your work experience for Grad Transitions yet? Come to Student Services and discuss your options.
Grad Parent Meeting Scheduled for Wednesday Oct. 30th at 7pm in the school library. The purpose is to discuss work to be done forthe Grad Pasta Dinner including the Entertainment and Silent Auction portions.
What are you doing after graduation???
We want to know! Come down to Student Services and plot your future on the grad 2014 chart! Don’t know what we’re talking about? Come to C167 and find out! If you’re not sure what you’re doing, see Mrs. Jones in Student Services or check out http://www.educationplanner.ca/
Grad Clothing – The first order will be going out November 13th so we can receive the clothing before Christmas. Get your order forms from Student Services and return them to Ms. Schramm
Post Secondary!!
SATs – Are you planning on attending a post-secondary institution (college or university) in the US? If you are, you need to write the SAT ( Scholastic Aptitude Test) in order to be admitted. Go to www.collegeboard.com for information or to register.
Planning on going to a post-secondary institution in BC? If you have less than an ‘A’ in English 12, you may have to write the Language Proficiency Index test (LPI) for placement in the appropriate first year English course. Refer to the program section and course descriptions in your institution’s online calendar to determine if you need the LPI score at the time of application or prior to course registration. To write the LPI, you must register in advance at www.lpitest.ca Click on the red ‘on-line’ under the Registration tab and follow the directions. Applications are now open. The deadline to register for the next sitting is Nov 16 at midnight, with the exam being written on Nov 23 at UBC, SFU or Kwantlen in Langley. The cost is $109 + tax. (Please note, however, that you may have to wait up to six weeks for your LPI score.) GW will be hosting a test on TBA!
Applications for Post Secondary Education:
Check each institution’s website to see when they will start accepting applications. For example, UFV Application process - now open (started Oct 1st) until January 31st for September 2014 start. UFV works on a first come - first serve basis. The earlier you get your qualified registration in, the closer to the top of the acceptance pile you are!
Check out www.ApplyBC.ca – this website allows you to apply to any BC public post-secondary institution.
Scholarships and Bursaries:
Provincial: If you are working to win a provincial scholarship ($1000), you must achieve at least a B in English 12 and achieve at least three B’s and one A on four of your five mandatory provincial exams (En 10, Math 10, Sc 10, SS 11 and En 12).
District: The district scholarship booklet will be available on-line by November 30th. In it will be listed all of the scholarships available to only Chilliwack, Sardis and GW Graham students. Application deadlines will be February 13th for Internal (GWG) Awards and March 6th for External (Chilliwack District) and Specific awards. You MUST attend at least one information session scheduled at lunch November 19th-21st in C175. There is also a scholarship workshop for your parents – Thursday, November 21st at 7pm in the library. See Mrs. Jones for details.
Major Entrance Scholarships from Universities and Colleges: These scholarships may pay for your entire schooling to obtain your bachelor’s degree. Make sure you check the post-secondary institutions that you are applying for. You need to have a 90% average in your academic grade 11 and 12 courses. Check the university websites for deadlines.
Quest for Excellence Bursary
For the 13th consecutive year, RE/MAX of Western Canada is renewing the Quest of Excellence bursary program. This year they are offering (16) $1000 bursaries for a total of $16,000 to grade 12 students. Only on-line entries will be accepted (before March 10th); for more information go to: http://www.remax-western.ca/quest-excellence
House of Commons Page Program
Want to earn money while attending university in the Ottawa region? Application deadline is December 9th. Check out: http://www.parl.gc.ca/Employment/House/PageProgram/pp_welcome-e.htm
BCIT Big Info Session – if you are interested in attending BCIT for any program, attend the info session on nov 20th at 5pm. See Mrs. Jones for registration info.
G.W. Graham Careers and Post-Secondary on Facebook! Like us on facebook. Mrs. Jones posts all kinds of scholarship info, volunteer opportunities, application deadline info and more…
Thinking of taking a year off after grad? The following programs are available if you are thinking of spending a year travelling or volunteering before ‘getting on with things’:
Youth Challenge International-YCI believes that young Canadians have a meaningful contribution to make to international development and global youth development. “Over the years we have seen our youth volunteers become the leaders of non-profits and key contributors to society.” For more info: www.yci.org
Volunteer Abroad - The Volunteer Abroad Program is one of the longest running and most affordable international volunteer programs in the world.Since 1998, the Volunteer Abroad Programhas coordinated international volunteers working on volunteer projects with small community groups, non-governmental organizations and institutions seeking volunteer assistance. For more info: www.volunteerabroad.ca
Canada World Youth - Canada World Youth (CWY) is a world leader in developing international educational programs for young people aged 15 to 35. A non-profit organization, CWY is dedicated to enriching the lives of young people that have a desire to become informed and active global citizens. CWY programs are designed to help youth experience the world for themselves, learn about other cultures and diverse Canadian communities while developing leadership and communication skills.
For more info: www.cwy-jcm.com
Latitude –This program provides international volunteering opportunities for 17-25 year olds. Volunteers are placed in schools, outdoor camps and non-profit organizations in over 20 countries. For more info: www.latitudecanada.org
Reminder of the Grad Celebration Events:
Oct 30, 2013 Grad Parent Meeting at 7pm in the library
Nov 14, 2013 Grad Pasta dinner and Entertainment at 5:30
TBD Josten’s here at lunch for ordering Grad Rings
Nov 19-21 Scholarship Presentations in C183 at lunch
Dec 9-13, 2013 Grad Photos – listen to announcements for signup times in Student Services
Feb 13 Internal Scholarship Applications due
Mar 6 External Scholarship Applications due
April Grad fees added to student fee statements
June 12, 2014 Convocation Rehearsal during lunch and afternoon blocks
June 13, 2014 Convocation – Be at the church at 5:15 for a 6:00 start
June 26, 2014 Banquet and Dance at Shelby’s Pond and Dry Grad