May 14, 2021

Announcements
Digital AP Testing Information:

AP exams are coming up starting May 18 for students taking the exams digitally. There are four important steps students must make in order to complete the exams.

Important: The exam setup step, which loads the exam onto a student's testing
computer is time-sensitive—exam setup opens three calendar days before the exam and must be completed no later than the day before the exam.

Step 1: Download the App
Students must download and install the digital testing application on an approved
device they'll use on exam day. All students must log in to the app with their College Board username and password to complete installation.‌ 

Step 2: Use Digital Practice
Practicing with example questions in the digital testing app is the best way to prepare for
digital exams. Digital practice also confirms that students' testing computers work as expected before exam day.

Step 3: Complete Exam Setup
For each digital AP Exam students take, they must complete the exam setup step in the
digital testing app. This step loads the exam onto the computer they're going to test with.
Completing this step is required 1–3 days before each exam. Without taking this step for
each exam, students won't be able to test. Here's an exam setup overview.

Step 4: Check In to Exam
Students are required to check in to each of their digital exams 30 minutes before the
start time to complete final pre-exam checks. Make sure they know what time the exam
starts in your time zone. Students can only check in on the device they used to complete
exam setup.

Failure to complete this step prior to test day will result in your exam being canceled per College Board policy.

If your child does not intend on taking their AP exam for any reason, please contact Lauren McBride prior to test day. No refunds are given for those who no show or opt-out at this late date. No make-up test will be offered to those who do not attend their regularly scheduled exam, except in the case of verified illness or athletic competitions that are approved by Ms. Cavilia.
Attention Seniors:

Seniors you will need to send your final transcript to the university you were accepted to. Dr. McBride will take care of any schools that you applied to on Common App or Coalition. You do not need to order transcripts if your school is on one of these application systems. All other institutions require you to sign in to Parchment and order your final transcript. You can order now and select “Hold for Grades.” We will only send the transcript once the final grades post in June. Email MaryAnn.Michels@BishopManogue.org if you have questions.
Course Changes:

Thank you for submitting your Course Request forms to select your classes for next year. The school bases its course sections and class size counts on the number of requests received for each course. Therefore, it is imperative that your course requests demonstrate a commitment to the classes you chose. 

If you or your child are discussing a potential class change, please contact your counselor as soon as possible. Once sections are established by administration in spring, movement to other classes may be limited or impossible to avoid overcrowding in a particular class. Schedule change requests should be finalized prior to May 29th.  We highly encourage any course add/drops to occur prior to summer break. 

Counselors will not be available over summer, so any schedule change requests received after May 29th will not be reviewed until Tuesday, August 6th. Schedule changes will be completed on a drop-in basis beginning on Tuesday, August 6th.  Please understand that schedule changes will only be made for academic reasons, and not to accommodate teacher preferences.
Mental Health Feature Article
Three years ago, Jason Reid lost his 14-year-old son to suicide. Motivated by a note left by his son to “tell my story,” Jason embarks on a quest to understand what led his son to end his own life, what he could have done differently, and uncovers the painful truths about the impact of social media. We hope this film will inspire families to ask the right questions and have difficult but necessary conversations with the young people in their life, especially in today’s day and age, as we are all dealing with pandemic lock-downs, isolation, and loneliness. Please watch this movie and read the resources below. Please have the conversation with your kids. 

"In 2018, I lost my 14-year-old son, Ryan, to suicide. As a parent of 4 teenagers, I never realized the depth of his sadness; Ryan hid his depression very well. He left a post-it note behind that said, 'tell my story.'

In the year following Ryan’s death, I started a non-profit with the lofty goal to end teen suicide by 2030 - Chooselife.org. Although that goal may seem unattainable, as an entrepreneur, I knew it was a place to start the conversation. I partnered with Cinema Libre Studio to produce a documentary that shares my family’s story with other parents, to share our discoveries about youth suicide, and to serve as a clarion call that as parents, we must own our children’s mental health.

I’m writing with the hopes that you will watch the film as it streams for 90 days FREE (until June 30, 2021) on Wellbeings.org, a project of Washington, D.C. PBS Station WETA, that focuses on mental health of young people."


If your child may be in crisis now or when school is out for break, please contact any of these resources below:

Children's Mobile Crisis Response Team
(702) 486-7865
for Southern and Rural NV
(775) 688-1670
for Northern NV

Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Notice: The Office of Suicide Prevention website is informational and not intended as a crisis response or hotline.
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Youth Suicide
Parents can do several things to prevent youth suicides. Some of these are general in nature while others are more specific.

Form a Good Relationship with Your Youth
During early childhood development, children generally bond with their parents and they have a good and trusting relationship. They grow up trusting their outside world and see it as a safe place where they can continue to grow and develop. This growth reaches its peak during adolescence. The youth needs to come to terms with rapid physical growth; conflicts between parental and peer values and ideals; emotional and physical intimacy and the uncertainty about his/her future career. These "developmental tasks" can generate a great deal of pressure but most young people complete them successfully without too many difficulties.

Despite popular belief to the contrary, most teenagers do want a close relationship with their parents even though they may not admit to it openly. The relationship with their parents may have changed in form and content but it is in fact a continuum of their past relationship. Parents have to grow and change in parallel with their teenagers. It is a two-way process. If the relationship is there, teenagers generally acknowledge and respect their parents' values and they want their advice and support, especially at times of stress.

A good relationship will open up communication between the youth and his/her parents. This can be a life-saving safety valve to the depressed and troubled teenager. Support and early intervention can be effective before the youth contemplate suicide as an option. The relationship between teenagers and their parents can be improved by:

Providing a stable, safe physical and emotional home environment.
This may seem obvious but unfortunately, this is not always the case as exemplified by the problem of homeless youths. With many families breaking up and dispute over the custody and access of children, the teenager may become the "pawn" of the parental battle. 

Spending quality time with young people.
"Quality time" is a cliché frequently used in child-rearing literature and it is met with a certain degree of cynicism. However, a good relationship between a youth and his/her parents cannot occur unless they spend time together. It is common to hear parents and teenagers talk about their constant arguments about everything. The amount of time spent in conflict is huge. Why not spend some of this time having fun together? 

LISTENING to teenagers, not only to what is being said but also to the covert messages.
Teenagers commonly complain that their parents are keen to give advice but they don't listen to their points of view. Messages sent by teenagers may at times be tangential, contradicting, and confusing. Parents will need to "decode" these scrambled messages to get in touch with their children's feelings. In many instances, this may mean an interpretation of their body language. Non-verbal action can "talk" much louder than conversational language.  

Being supportive and nonintrusive.
There is a fine line between being supportive and being intrusive. It is important for parents to acknowledge the upset and distress shown by their teenage children, but not interrogating and demanding to know the "secrets" of their distress. Teenagers will generally talk to their parents about their problems when they are ready. Respect the fact that they can solve many problems on their own without the support of others. Support is there for them to use but it must not be imposed on them. 

Encouraging the appropriate expression of emotions
Many teenagers tend to either hide their emotions or show them in an explosive manner, thus leading to their parents' comments about their moodiness. Encourage them to show and share their feelings of joy, happiness, excitement in their successes. They can then show and share their sadness, anxiety, distress, and disappointment. Both "positive" and "negative" feelings must be contained so that they are not running wild and out of control.  

Early Intervention in Stressful Situations
Severe emotional symptoms are frequently found in individuals facing or following significant life events. Youths facing court appearances, break-ups, important examinations, or those who have been sexually abused, expelled from school, rejected by love ones are a few examples of common stressful situations to which young people are subjected.

Support from parents and others is particularly important to prevent despair and suicidal ideation. This can be achieved by being in touch with the youth's emotional state. Just because teenagers don't show their feelings readily, it does not mean that they are not concerned about impending major life events or feel distressed after a personal disaster. Have empathy with them. They want to be understood by their parents. Sensitive listening and appropriate advice or debriefing will help.

The successful negotiation and resolution of a stressful situation can be a confidence booster to the youth.

Take Suicidal Threats Seriously
Whether a youth has "genuine" suicidal intent or not, take all suicidal threats seriously. Don't trivialize any suicidal threat. In many instances, the threat is a cry for help - "I am not coping." If this is ignored, the youth may decide to act out his/her threat. It is much safer to be cautious.

Early detection and management of psychiatric illness.
Like suicide, psychiatric illnesses carry with them stigmas and myths. Many major psychiatric disorders, e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar affective illness, and anorexia nervosa have their onset in adolescence. Drug-induced psychosis is another important condition in this age group. These conditions, which are responsive to treatment, carry with them a higher risk of suicide if they are not managed early and appropriately.

Without describing each psychiatric condition in detail, the following symptoms should be taken seriously by parents:
  • Severe and persistent depressive mood
  • Severe agitation and panic attacks
  • Hallucination - The hearing of "voices" or seeing things in the absence of an external stimulus.
  • Delusion - a fixed and false belief system that is alien to the person's family and cultural background.
  • Grossly elated mood
  • The excessive preoccupation with certain ideas (e.g. cleanliness or body weight) to the point of affecting the person's daily functioning.

The presence of any of these symptoms may indicate the onset of an underlying psychiatric illness. With the support and encouragement of parents, the youth may agree to professional advice. A proper assessment is required to plan ways to help the young person.

Be vigilant of changes in behavior.
Be wary if there is a sudden excessive elevation of the youth's mood in someone who was previously severely depressed. This does not necessarily mean that the youth is getting better. The youth may have in fact finally decided to commit suicide and there is a sense of relief and therefore the improved mood and activity level. The youth may give away his/her precious possessions or ask the parents to go out so that he/she can carry out the suicide act.

A teenager who is grossly agitated is also at risk. The agitation can be caused by drugs, depression, anxiety, or psychosis. In this instance, the suicide act may be the youth's attempt to relieve the internal distress and agitation. Watch out for the youth who paces the floor and acts like a "cat on a hot tin roof".

Seek advice or help from professionals if in doubt.
It is not easy for parents to come to accept that their teenager is emotionally troubled, not to mention suicide attempt. Parents tend to blame themselves and ask themselves many "if only" and "why" questions. Professional assistance is frequently required for not only the teenager, but also the family. Clinical psychologists, general medical practitioners, psychiatrists, and competent youth counsellors are some professionals who are available for consultation and advice if there is any doubt that a youth is at risk of suicide.

Lethality of attempted suicide is related to the method employed to harm oneself. Any potentially lethal material for suicide should be removed from the home environment especially if there are teenagers who are depressed or stressed.

Informative Links

Additional Resources
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Academic Feature Article
Princeton Review Counselor Newsletter (April 30, 2021)

Looking Toward the 2021-2022 Admissions Cycle

Colleges have sent out decision letters and seniors must decide where they will attend college. The 2020-2021 college admissions cycle is just about finished. The headline for this cycle is that many selective schools became much more selective this year. When all eight Ivy League schools announced their admissions decisions simultaneously on April 6, multiple news stories ran noting how all had record low admittance rates.
 
The other theme in coverage has been, in some way, panic and confusion. Repeatedly, the sense that counselors and advisors were unsure how likely a student was to be admitted at any school is highlighted in news reports. The Los Angeles Times began its story on admission decisions with a student who was shocked to be admitted to just one of the seven University of California campuses where she applied. Later, the LA Times talks to counselors to hammer home the point that the admission decisions this school year were unusual.
 
This admissions cycle was unusual for what may seem like obvious reasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools, both high schools and colleges, were closed for much of the year. SAT© and ACT© Exams were difficult to even sit for this school year. In turn, colleges adopted test-optional admission policies, and did not require SAT or ACT scores. Now, colleges across the country are planning to return to full-time, in-person instruction for the fall. (Although most schools will require students to be vaccinated.) The College Board and ACT, Inc. have SAT and ACT administration dates for the 2021-2022 school year which look like typical schedules. The 2020-2021 college application process looks like it will be the outlier.
 
While the 2020-2021 college admissions cycle will be unique, 2021-2022 will not necessarily look like admissions used to. Virtual events are now standard for many admissions offices, and admissions offices had to perfect online tours. Even when students can visit a school in-person, they will have the opportunity to see much more online before visiting. This will change the on-campus visit. When and how much college admissions officers will be able to participate in college fairs, visit high schools, and interview students in person is unclear, but on the horizon.
 
Yet the college application and evaluation process will look more like the 2020-2021 cycle moving forward. Test-optional admissions policies are largely sticking around for the high school Class of 2022 and even beyond. The increased applications, and concomitant lower admittance rates, are a powerful incentive to keep test-optional policies. Admission offices are also learning that they can do their jobs without requiring test scores. “We kind of cut off a safety net, in a sense.” Kirk Brennan, the University of Southern California’s Director of Admissions told The Chronicle of Higher Education. “We are now really counting on a human decision rather than a formulaic process.”
 
Students and counselors have lost a safety net, too. Evaluating how a human decision will be made is tougher than looking at average standardized test scores to determine a student’s chances of admission. With so many test-optional policies and few opportunities to take the SAT or ACT during the 2020-2021 school year, the Class of 2022 might think there is no guidance on what schools require. Still, test-optional does not mean test-blind, and at USC 55% of admitted students this year submitted test scores.
 
This is part of the reason The Princeton Review’s The Best 387 Colleges, coming out in August, will feature standardized test scores as reported by the schools themselves. More information is always helpful for students navigating the college application process. Also, those scores will always be accompanied by detailed profiles of each school, based on student surveys. College admission, especially at selective colleges, has never been strictly a formulaic process. So if students will be evaluated by a human decision, then they should always approach it as a human process. That much has not changed about college admissions during the 2020-2021 school year.

‌

College Fairs & Visits
Virtual Campus Tours
 
Spring and summer of your junior year is the best time to visit schools you may want to apply come fall. With COVID-19 and costs as significant factors that may impede your ability to travel, you may benefit from taking a virtual tour. Below is a list of schools in the Western states that Bishop Manogue students most commonly apply to each year:

Alabama

Arizona Schools

Arkansas


California Schools

Colorado Schools

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia 

Hawaii Schools

Idaho Schools

Illinois

Indiana

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Montana Schools

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon Schools

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Texas

Utah Schools

Vermont

Virginia

Washington Schools

Washington D.C.

Wisconsin

Wyoming Schools

Student Opportunities
Online College Prep Events

Princeton Review’s online programs help students learn more about the SAT, ACT, and the college admissions process. All events listed are free!

College Application Essay Writing Workshop Tuesday, May 18, 2021 7:00 PM
SAT, ACT, or Both? Tuesday, May 25, 2021 7:00 PM
SAT and ACT Math Bootcamp, Monday, June 7 11:00am
SAT Strategy Session, June 8 11:00am
ACT Strategy Session, June 9 11:00am
Dream Colleges, June 10 11:00am
SAT Virtual Practice Test, June 11 9:00am
ACT Virtual Practice Test, June 11 9:00am
PSAT Virtual Practice Test, June 11 9:00am 
TMCC May Newsletter

TMCC has in-person info days this month! Students need to RSVP HERE. 
Their Virtual Spring Open House is live! Check out the great videos introducing their Academic Programs and services. Students will also find a virtual college tour and links to all enrollment information needed by first-year students.
Virtual Information Session for Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Notre Dame, and Washington University in St. Louis

Sunday, May 23
4:00 - 5:00 pm EDT
Nevada Girls State

Nevada Girls State is a week-long, fast-paced academic program in a camp setting open to young women who are currently Juniors in high school, and each summer, approximately 20,000 enthusiastic young women participate in Girls State sessions across the nation. This year it will be set from June 14-18. Find out more here.
Find Your Best-Fitting Summer Program

The Summer Discovery program can help you find the summer program that will work best for you!
Georgetown University's Pre-College Online Program

Georgetown University is launching a Pre-College Online Program to offer courses that enable high school students 13 and older to explore subjects they may wish to study in college. Click here to find out more!
Virtual Engineering Camps at UNR

This summer, UNR is offering a Virtual Engineering Everywhere, Level 1 camp for 12-14-year-olds and a Virtual Engineering Exploration, Level 2 camp for 15-18-year-olds. These camps are introductions to engineering and include many of their engineering majors. They utilize Zoom, FlipGrid, pre-recorded videos, and live interactive sessions for participants. Find out more on their website!
Seniors Interested in Medical Careers and Phlebotomy

The Medical Skills for Life Institute offers a 13-week Phlebotomy/Lab assistant course, 4
days a week, 3 days on line for 4.5 hrs a day in the evening 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm, and one
day on-site for testing/hands. They also offer CPR classes and 12 L EKG 4 day program.
They are an institute partnered with Join.org for financial aid to those who qualify.MSFLI also offers interest-free in-house loans that can be paid off with a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payment plan, for those who do not qualify for financial aid. Students wanting to enroll in MSFLI must be at least 18 years of age, possess a state ID and have a HS diploma or equivalency. Click HERE for more information.
Lathrop-Capurro Internship

Apply here for the 2021 Lathrop-Capurro Internship Application for college-bound seniors interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in wildlife management, biology, ecology, or a closely related field.

Scholarships
The AIA Northern Nevada's Scholarship Program

The new Rick Licata Memorial Scholarship benefits high school seniors and TMCC students. All announcements and applications are on their website.
NROTC Scholarship

Click HERE for more information. 
University of California Berkeley Bears in the Woods Scholarship

The application is due to Charlotte Curtis, charcurtisedd@aol.com, or to Abigail Kirst, sunhog4@aol.com, on May 31, 2021. Find the application here.
Barney Bell Scholarship

Golfers! This scholarship is for you! Apply here.
Dylan Rutherford Scholarship

The Dylan Rutherford Scholarship is still open! Apply here.
MyMozaic Scholarship

The MyMozaic Monthly Scholarship is titled "$1,000 A Portrait of You." It is awarded monthly with a $1,000 award amount. It requires no essay, no GPA, and no letters of recommendation. Read the official rules here, and apply here.
NAHAS Scholarship Endowment

Seniors Attending UNR, Check out his scholarship: NAHAS Scholarship Endowment
Inspection Support Network Scholarship

ISN is offering a $2,000 scholarship for high school seniors. The application dates are:

Spring Contest Cycle: April 17 - July 17
Summer Contest Cycle: July 18 - October 14
Fall Contest Cycle: October 15 - January 15
Winter Contest Cycle: January 16 - April 16

You can find all the information related to the scholarship here.
Healthcare & Nursing Students of Historically Underrepresented Groups

The Scholarship for Healthcare and Nursing Students of Historically Underrepresented Groups can be found HERE.
Scholarships App

Scholars App has continued to look for new and upcoming scholarships. For this month, they've created a PDF of scholarships that are available for students and added it to a Google drive.
A Portrait of You Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000
Award Frequency: Monthly (12 Awards a Year)
No essay, GPA, or letters of recommendation required.
OverAchievers Scholarship
Applications are now available HERE.
Other Scholarship Opportunities
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