Fairchild Challenge

Congratulations to Felix Varela student, Samantha Barnes,she received an Honorable Mention for her Lychee Watercolor.

Congratulations to Varela Science Students

Please join the Felix Varela Science Department in congratulating Jonathan Prendergast and Christopher Sanchez who will be two of eight students representing Miami Dade County Public Schools at the Intel International Science Fair May 9-14 in San Jose, California.

Jonathan presented the results of a year long research project with Dr. Ligia Collado and his poster is entitled “Interpreting the nutrient limitations, salinity, and seasonal variations of Florida Bay in order to analyze shifts in species and biomass productivity”

Christopher’s poster summarized two years of research with Dr. Evelyn Gaiser, the Lead Investigator at FIU’s Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research Program and is entitled: “Quantifying hydroperiod fluctuations across an Everglades wetland through microscopic analysis of siliceous microfossils”. This project is a continuation from his 2009 project for which he received 2nd Place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2010 College Scholarships

Application Deadline: March 15, 2010

MIAMI, FL, February 22, 2010 – The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications from Miami-Dade high school seniors for the Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship and Maloof Family Scholarship Fund. The application deadline is Monday, March 15, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Applications are available at www.MiamiChamber.com.

The Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship fund was created by Jeanne Bellamy, the first woman to serve as chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. One scholarship of $2,500 will be awarded to a female, high school senior from a Miami-Dade County public high school who intends to pursue a degree in business. The scholarship is restricted to 12th graders.

The Maloof Family Scholarship Fund was created by board member Al Maloof, PhD to ensure that five deserving Miami-Dade students would have a scholarship opportunity to be able to attend the college of their choice. Five scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded to seniors from Miami-Dade public or private high schools who intend to pursue a degree in business, law, political science or government service. Two of the scholarships will be awarded to the child of a Miami-Dade County and/or City of Miami employee.

The recipients will be announced and the scholarships presented at the May or June 2010 Chamber Board meeting. For more information about the Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship contact, Tania Valenzuela: 305-577-5491 or tvalenzuela@miamichamber.com. For more information about the Maloof Family Scholarship Fund contact, Cornelia Pereira: 305-577-5432 or cpereira@miamichamber.com.

QBIC Scholarships at FIU

Over the last three years, several faculty at Florida International

University (FIU) have formed a fantastic and highly selective

Undergraduate Premedical and Biology Scholarship Program.



This program continues to grow, and the students involved in it

continue to excel in their course study. At this time, we are seeking

to increase the scope of our endeavors. As a result, we are asking

South Florida High School Science Instructors to help us spread the

word to their interested senior class students.



Students can Google us at “QBIC FIU” or directly visit

our website at: http://qbic.fiu.edu

What is QBIC?
» QBIC (Quantifying Biology in the Classroom) is a new Biological Sciences Program intended for incoming freshmen interested in earning a BSC in Biology.

QBIC graduates will have a greater likelihood of being accepted into Medical, Biomedical, or Behavioral Science Graduate Programs.

Our rigorous, faculty-developed curriculum is both interdisciplinary and quantitative: QBIC courses integrate the biological and physical sciences with, statistics, mathematics, English, and other required electives.

QBIC Scholarships
36 total scholarships are available for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Two general awards are available:

1. FIU scholarship: Covers the cost of in-state tuition. There are no US residency/citizenship or FAFSA financial need requirements.

2. NSF scholarship: ~$5,315 per year. Does not fluctuate with credit load. Requires US residency/citizenship, and at least $1 of FAFSA financial need.

Currently, 33% of QBIC students pay no tuition.

QBIC Benefits
smaller and specialized classes
a tight social network of gifted classmates
close interactions with professors
research opportunities
a summer computer simulation and modeling workshop
and a chance at one of QBIC’s four-year scholarships, among others.
How To Apply
QBIC is actively recruiting entering freshmen with excellent academic credentials for Fall 2010.

Applicants must have:
minimum 3.3 GPA
minimum 1750 SAT score (Math 600+)
an interest in an M.D. or Graduate degree in the Biological Sciences

Applicants must provide:
completed application form (http://qbic.fiu.edu)
2 letters of recommendation from teachers/advisors
personal statement that explains your interest in QBIC

Small Works Exhibition

At the M-DCPS Small Works Exhibition at Miami International University of Art and Design, Bianca Khan was selected as the senior high school winner of the Renay Rossi Distinguished Artist Award for her ceramic sculpture. This yearly award is made possible by the Dade Art Education Association and the family of former M-DCPS Art Educator, Renay Rossi, who taught in this county for over 30 years. Please congratulate Bianca for her outstanding sculpture. Her piece will be featured on the Dade Art Education Association website.

Varela's Mock Trail

Congratulations to Varela's Mock Trail Team. The Mock Trial team won all four rounds of the mock trial competition and advanced to the District Final, which will take place Friday, March 5th. The teams competing are Our Lady of Lourdes, Coral Reef, Killian Sr. and Felix Varela.

In the photo:

(Bottom row Left to Right):
Zabrina (The Rock) Branca
Vanessa (The two-step) Martinez
Dalisi (Mrs. Mock Trial) Otero
Antonio (Awkward) Lopez

(Top row Left to Right):
Frank (The Tank) Samitier
Martin (The Helmet) Tenorio
Mateo (The Tinman) Riano
Luis (Mr. Mock Trial) Herrera
Stephania (Mom) Herrera
Dr. Vichot (The man, the myth, the legend)
Linette (Accident on heels) De Los Santos
Jonathan (Curly) Carrasco
Ivana (The Paperclip) Alvarez
Kabil (Big Sexy) Afzalirey

Harvard for Free

Free Harvard Education Opportunity!!!!! Please share with your students.

A family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to

Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans!

To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at:http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.