Applications for rising 11th or 12th grade student seat are due April 26, 2023

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney announced on Wednesday the application period for the student seat on the State Board of Education is open through April 26, 2023. The application can be found on the State Board of Education website.

Governor Carney appointed the first-ever student representative to the state board in 2019.

“When we make big decisions that impact schools in our state, it’s important Delaware students have a seat at the table,” said Governor Carney. “I have been pleased to hear positive experiences from the Board and the young members year after year. I encourage rising juniors and seniors to consider applying for this opportunity.”

One qualified student applicant will be appointed to the Board to serve as a non-voting member. The student must be a Delaware resident and be enrolled in eleventh or twelfth grade at a Delaware public school during the 2023-2024 academic year. Applicants who demonstrate a commitment to ensuring quality education for Delaware students will be given priority consideration.

“Providing an informed youth voice is important to the Board’s work in representing the citizens voice in Delaware,” said Shawn Brittingham, President of the State Board of Education. “We have learned much from our previous four student Board Members and value the insight that a student brings to conversations regarding policies and programs impacting all students across our state.”

The non-voting student seat was approved by the General Assembly in 2018 with the passage of House Bill 455 – legislation sponsored by Representative Stephanie T. Bolden and Senator Jack Walsh. The Governor annually appoints to the Board an eleventh or twelfth grade student, and a former State Teacher of the Year who also is a current educator.

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Governor Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin attended the inaugural Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) in 2020 /DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is supporting the third annual Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) on Thursday, April 14 with sponsorship and a keynote address by Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, and additional presentations by DNREC staff.

The student-led conference will be held at the University of Delaware’s Clayton Hall Conference Center in Newark and is offered free of charge, with lunch included, for Delaware high school students and educators who are advisors to school teams. Preregistration is open through April 8 at DelawareYES.org. Attendance is limited.

“Some refer to today’s young people as ‘the environmental stewards of tomorrow,’” said Secretary Garvin. “I believe they are the environmental leaders of today, and DNREC is proud to support events like YES! that seek to empower the younger generation with the tools and information to become even more effective advocates for our natural world.”

Planned by students, YES! aims to inspire youth-led action and environmental leadership through keynote speakers, breakout workshops, and nonprofit and agency exhibitors. In addition to Secretary Garvin, guest speakers include U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester, Governor John Carney (invited), Delaware Senator Stephanie Hansen, Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz, and Andrew Fagerheim, climate advocate and Columbia University student. Topics include pathways to green schools, renewable energy, factory farming, reducing plastic in schools, environmental justice, climate resiliency, electric vehicles, our diet’s impact on climate change, and environmental advocacy.

“Our goal is to inform, inspire, activate, and empower students for environmental change,” said Neha Veeragandham, lead student organizer for YES!, from Charter School of Wilmington.

Now in its third year, YES! was created by a coalition of representatives from educators at Delaware schools, non-profit environmental organizations, and public agencies to provide the opportunity for teens to meet, learn, and share their ideas on environmental issues of concern. The inaugural conference in February 2020 was attended by student teams from more than 20 Delaware schools representing all three counties and more than 270 students. In 2021, a virtual summit was held with more than 30 Delaware high schools represented.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

YES! Media Contacts: Dee Durham, CEO Plastic Free Delaware, deedurham@dca.net, 302-981-1950; or LeAnne Harvey, Green Building United, lharvey@greenbuildingunited.org, 276-608-5586

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Twelve Delaware high school students to compete for the state title

MEDIA ADVISORY
February 22, 2019

WHAT: Twelve Delaware high school students will participate in the state finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest at Smyrna Opera House. The winner of this competition will represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington, DC on April 29 – May 1, 2019, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed. This program is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. Students start arriving at 5 p.m.

WHERE: Smyrna Opera House, 7 W South Street, Smyrna, DE 19977

WHO: Finalists, Featured Speakers and Judges will be:

2019 Delaware State Finalists

Speakers and judges will be:

Speakers:

Paul Weagraff, Director, Delaware Division of the Arts

J. Mack Wathen, Chair, Delaware State Arts Council

Mistress of Ceremonies:

Donna DeKuyper, Singer, Actress and Co-Owner, Hotel Blue, Lewes, DE

Judges:

Dr. Ethan Joella, English and Social Sciences Faculty, University of Delaware, Georgetown, Director, Ethan Joella Communications

Susan Kehoe, Managing Partner, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Reverend John G. Moore, Director, Philanthropy and Engagement, United Way of Delaware

Chet’la Sebree, 2019 Individual Artist Fellow – Poetry

Dr. David Teague, Professor of English, Associate in Arts Program, University of Delaware

Dr. Jesse Zuba, Assistant Professor of English, Delaware State University

Christian Wills, Former Poetry Out Loud Contestant will serve as the Prompter

Heather Morrissey, Delaware State Arts Council Member will serve as Accuracy Judge

Entertainment:

JW2, is made up of James Witherite (organ) and Jonathan W. Whitney (drums), who bring their own originals and favorites from the jazz, funk, and old-school R&B genres to life.

OTHER: Attendance at Smyrna Opera House is free and open to the public. The 2019 Poetry Out Loud Media Kit for this event is available on our website. Hi-Res photos will be available the day after the event. Use hashtags: #POL19, #iampoetryoutloud, and #DDOA30. Tag us at: @ArtsDelaware

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR/DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

CONTACT
Sharon Boland
DOL Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
302.761.8238 (office) or 302.757.6260 (cell)
sharon.boland@delaware.gov
dvr.delawareworks.com
http://dol.delaware.gov/

CONFERENCE TO PREPARE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES FOR FUTURE CAREERS

Wilmington, DE, December 6, 2018 — On December 12th from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., hundreds of local high school students with disabilities will attend an all-day transition conference at the Dover Downs Hotel in Dover, DE, focusing on their future career and employment goals as well as learning what’s current in transition services for youth with disabilities in Delaware.

Transition services include career counseling, work-based learning opportunities, soft skills instruction and preparation for postsecondary choices leading to employment. Now in its 17th year, the “Transition and Self-Determination Conference” plays a key role in helping students with disabilities make informed choices
after high school by providing access to resources and employment information. This one day – parents, educators, vocational rehabilitation staff, and community organizations along with many other stakeholders – come together to provide resources to help students transition smoothly from school to post-secondary education and careers.

Self-determination and learning the importance networking and community participation in the transition planning process are key themes of the event. Self-determination is the process of taking control and making decisions that affect one’s life. The keynote presentation focuses on a mix of these themes and features the writer and cast from “Boundless! A Musical Journey,” a stage performance featuring Delawareans with disabilities based on a famous “Free Our People” March that took place in 2003.

The writer of the show, George Tilson, will facilitate a panel discussion with several of the performers from the show. They will share what they learned about self-determination, employability skills, and even career exploration through the audition process, improvisational workshops, and rehearsals, leading to performances in front of live audiences.

“All students, including those with disabilities need to develop a career pathway leading to successful employment,” said Delaware Department of Labor Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Director Andrea Guest. “The Transition Conference provides tools for self-advocacy and self-determination and the opportunity
for students to learn how to reach their career goals.”

The conference offers 25 workshops for students and adults shaped around the supportive nature of the transition community and important youth topics including employment, soft skills, sexuality, self-determination,
self-advocacy, leading your individualized education plan (IEP) meeting, and work-based learning. Sessions include, “Learn Job Expectations and How to Sustain Employment,” “Leading your IEP Meeting! It’s Important to You and Critical to Your Success,” “Shared Vision + Capacity Parents = Greater Student Outcomes,” and “Transition from High School to College: What Every Student Should Know.” Each workshop will be opened by a Youth Leader who will share their desired career path and what self-determination means to them.

The charge of the day is education, excitement, and empowerment. Participation and sharing are keys and
to facilitate this.

“This type of conference is very important so students learn before graduation about all of the resources available to them,” said DOL Cerron Cade. “Our state may be small in size but we have a tremendous amount of career planning and employment resources for people with disabilities.”

The conference is a collaborative effort between the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR),
the Department of Education (DOE), Division for Visually Impaired (DVI), and the Division of Development Disabilities Services (DDDS) along with a variety of other agencies and organizations.

The Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is committed to providing individualized services to employers and people with disabilities, developing career pathways that link qualified employees to jobs, resulting in greater independence and a more inclusive workplace.

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THE DELAWARE DIVISION OF THE ARTS TO HOST
ANNUAL POETRY OUT LOUD STATE FINAL COMPETITION
Twelve students to compete to advance to the National Finals in DC

Dover, Del. (February 14, 2018) – From a competitive field of 20 Delaware high school students, 12 remain to compete at the statewide recitation competition that will be held at a new location this year, Dover High School on Tuesday, February 27 at 7 p.m.

The finalists will compete for the opportunity to represent Delaware and advance to the National Finals in Washington from April 24-25, where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed.

2018 Delaware State Finalists

The competition encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition. Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation.

About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Visit arts.gov to learn more about NEA.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

Banner image: 2016 Delaware Poetry Out Loud State Finalist, Hannah Sturgis. Photo by: Kathleen Buckalew