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Hello Connect HS 12th Grade Families!  There is still time to take advantage of FAFSA support opportunities through Da Vinci Schools.  There are 3 upcoming events that you can register for.

Please note: the event for Thursday, January 23rd is for Connect HS students only – if you plan to attend, please email Sylvia Soria at ssoria@davincischools.org.

If you plan to attend either the January 17th or February 7th events, you will need to register HERE 

WHEN: 

• Friday, January 17th (6-7:30 p.m.) – Da Vinci Communications (DVC) Room 3203 (All DV families)
• Thursday, January 23rd (4-5:30p) AT THE CONNECT HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS (Connect HS families only)
• Friday, February 7th (6-7:30 p.m.) – Da Vinci Communications (DVC) Room 3203 (All DV families)

Participants should register for ONE workshop as all workshops will cover the same material.

REGISTRATION:

Click HERE to register for the January 17th and February 7th events.

Here are a few things that could in handy to have for parents and students:

• Your Social Security Number
• Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
• Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
• Records of untaxed income (if applicable)

We are excited to announce that the Spring 2025 cohort will begin the last week of February, and applications are now open.

Program:
Impact Makers – Building Skills for Life is a 12-week program designed to empower youth with a deeper understanding of themselves and their community. Through immersive service-learning experiences, participants gain insights into local issues and discover the support resources available.

Dates: February 25, 2025 – May 14, 2025
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Students commit to ONE of the following groups:

• Tuesday at The Volunteer Center – 1230 Cravens Ave., Torrance, CA 90501 OR
• Wednesday at allcove – 514 N Prospect Ave., Redondo Beach, CA 90277

In addition, they commit to volunteering 2 hours a week at one of our partner organizations.

This program is open to ALL high school students.

Certificate:

Upon completing the program, students receive a certificate detailing the 40-50 hours of volunteer service they accomplished, which is an excellent addition to their college applications. In addition, we are also a Presidential Service Award certifying organization and for students who meet the requirements, we can submit their hours to receive the certificate from the office of the president.

Cost: 

Free.

For more details, please visit https://volcenter.org/impactmakers/

If you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Attached is a brief report on our Fall 2024 cohort and the program’s impact on the students.

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Happy New Year! We hope your transition into 2025 and back to school has been smooth.

A quick reminder that the Bezos Scholars Program, a FREE yearlong leadership development program, is still accepting applications from eligible juniors. The deadline to apply is January 21, 2025.

Enhancing Leadership Skills
We believe in young people’s potential and the power of collaboration to create lasting change. By providing leadership training, opportunities and resources, we aim to inspire students to take initiative and make a meaningful impact.

Impact assessments demonstrate that, after just one year in the program, student Scholars achieve leadership and socio-emotional growth that is on par with, or surpasses, students who have completed a full year of college. Explore our learning outcomes to see how the program fosters growth.

One Year of Free College Advising
While the program doesn’t provide financial aid, it offers a full year of free college advising, including support with applying for and securing financial aid and scholarships. Last year, our advisor spent over 100 hours supporting Scholars, and the average amount of funding students secured was ~$70,00/year!

What Makes a Student a Strong Applicant?
We seek students with a service mindset, eager to apply their leadership skills to real-world issues and make a difference. Strong applicants are deeply committed to their education and exhibit curiosity and perseverance. They have already shown leadership within their community and are looking to take it to the next level.

How Can You Help Students Apply?
Use our digital promotion toolkit to share this opportunity with your school community. When supporting an applicant, use our application guide and consider:

Providing feedback on their video and essay submissions.
Helping them secure a school staff member as their educator nominee who completes a recommendation form as part of their application.
Reminding them that they will miss 100% of shots they don’t take! If a student is doubting themselves, share this video, to let them know they are not alone.

We would be honored to consider your students for the Bezos Scholars Program.

Molly Pencke
Senior Program Manager, Bezos Scholars Program

Apply Today →

Engage Students in Becoming the Leaders We Need.
Applications are due by 8 p.m. PT on January 21, 2025. Complete eligibility requirements and application information are available at bezosscholars.org/apply or email us at scholars@bezosfamilyfoundation.org.


Copyright © 2025 Bezos Family Foundation, All rights reserved.
We send announcements to qualifying schools.

Our mailing address is:

Bezos Family Foundation

1700 7th Ave Ste 116 PMB 149

Seattle, WA 98101-1323

Basic program parameters:

• Medical Mentor/Internship Program: Participants will EITHER apply and be accepted to attend daily online programs with presentations/interactive sessions from a variety of general pediatricians, specialists including surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, infectious disease, ophthalmologists, radiologists, child life, therapists, (i.e., physical, speech, occupational, or cognitive) OR apply and be accepted to attend an in-person program (in-person programs subject to change)
• If selected to attend an in-person program, participants are responsible for their own transportation.
• This program is ONLY open to qualified students from Los Angeles and its adjacent counties.

• Age & Grade Requirement: Applications are accepted from high school students who are currently in the 11^th or 12^th grade AND born on or before 7/1/09. (In-Person Facilities may have specific age requirements)
• Online Program Times/Dates: Program 1: July 7-17, 2025 Monday – Thursday – 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

                                                   Program 2: July 21-31, 2025 Monday – Thursday – 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

• In- Person Program Dates and Times – will vary by facilities. Please see Facility Address & Requirement List
• Application Deadline: Friday February 14, 2025 at midnight

• Applicant Notification: All students will be notified if accepted or not VIA EMAIL by Friday April 4, 2025.  (If a student has not received an email by the notification deadline, please have them send an inquiry email to eseaman@lapedsoc.org
• No Fee: There is NO FEE required to participate.

The following documents are available on http://www.lapedsoc.org/summer

1. Informational Flyer: Please advertise this program on your Electronic/E- Bulletins and invite interested students to go to the website listed above.
2. Getting Started
3. Application: Online submittal
4. Application Instructions
5. FAQs
6. Exit Essay Requirements
7. Facility Address & Requirement List
8. Submission Link for Letter(s) of Recommendation

Questions? Contact eseaman@lapedsoc.org

Connect TK8 is hosting Chicas Verdes’s produce giveaway next week- anyone is free to come by and access free produce as possible! See the flyer for more info!

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