CHECK BACK IN SPRING 2018 FOR NEW CONTEST
Free Poetry Contest! Check it the 2017 winners at out at https://www.ket.org/education/young-writers-contest/
Category Archives: Events & Contests
Calling all Doodlers! Submission due March 14th, 2024
It’s time to start sketching, because this year’s Doodle 4 Google contest is openOnce a year, K-12 students are invited to bring their imagination to life in a doodle of the Google logo, using any medium they choose.
Doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists.
Check out the contest page to see past winners and to get some ideas! Start working on some sketches.
All information can be found @ https://doodles.google.com/d4g/.
EY Badge link
Reading EnRichment Contests to Check out
List of Writing Contests that are possibilities
Anne Frank Essay Contest – Grades 5 – 8 – Entry due ___________________
Metro Reading Council Writing Contest – Grades K – 12 Entry due ___________________
Americanism Essay Contest – Grades 5 – 8 Entry due ___________________
Totem Head’s Story Contest-Categories for ages 8 and under all the way up to 18 years-Entry due ___________________
Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest – Grades 5 – 8 – Entry due ___________________
Money Confident Kids Writing Contest
Learn about spending, saving, and setting smart financial goals by participating in this Money Confident Kids Website http://www.scholastic.com/mck/
Essay Prompt:
Discover and describe a true story of a time when your parent or guardian set a financial goal and then
achieved it. Include: the goal; a description of the spending and saving choices that were made to achieve the goal; and lessons that you can apply to your own future financial decisions
Here’s how it works:
1. Read an issue of Money Confident kids- Click here for an issue of Money Confident Kids
2. INTERVIEW a parent or guardian about money
management.
3 . ASK about a time when he or she set a financial
goal and then made saving and spending choices to
achieve it.
4. WRITE a 200 – to 250 -word essay (based on your
interview) that describes the true story of achievement,
and what lessons you can apply to your own future
financial decisions.
Optional: Consider including a photo or drawing
with your essay!
5. ****CONTEST CLOSED*******
Submit to the EY coordinator in your building by October 1st, 2015
Click here for more information about the process, prizes and to find the entry form for the contest.
If you read the magazine, conduct an interview, and write an essay and would like to enter it in this contest, please fill out the entry form and send it to the EY coordinator in your school by Oct 1st. If you need help with getting the permission form printed out, or any part of this contest, please contact the EY coordinator at your school.
Contest Presented by T. Rowe Price
2015-16 Seminars, Contests, and Events
We are excited to offer a variety of opportunities this year. All students are welcome to attend unless otherwise noted. There will always be some sort of “ticket” that needs to be completed first. The “ticket” might be a qualifying test or a project you develop.
Westside Schools often get invited to special contests (math contests, quiz bowls, etc.) Those contests are not listed below, but make sure to check this site often for updates!
April 28: Science Olympiad-Ticket Due Tuesday, April 12 (Grades 3-4)
April 29: Film Seminar Due Friday, April 15 (Grade 6)
May 2: Art Seminar Due Tuesday April, 12th (Grades 4-6)
May 7 (Saturday): Coder Dojo 9:30-11:30 at Westgate Elementary Topic: TBD
- Registration Link: http://goo.gl/forms/BfN8xUzHUa
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September 3: Portfolio Pow-Wow (Tier II and III identified learners)
September 9: Coding Seminar (Grades 4-8)
September 10: German Seminar (Grades 5-6)
September 19: (Saturday) Coder Dojo (Grades K-6)
- Other Coder Dojos sponsored by AIM can be found here: http://aimforbrilliance.org/coderdojo/
September 29: Invention Convention (Grades 5-6)
September 30: Invention Convention (Grades 2-4)
October 26 & 27: School Spelling Bees
October 29: Taking the Road Less Traveled @ Iowa State (WMS and WHS Girls)
November 11: Music with Andy Hackbarth (Grades 5-8)
November 17: Path to Personalization (Grades 4-6)
November 20: District Spelling Bee
November 21: (Saturday) Coder Dojo (Grades K-6) FULL!
- Other Coder Dojos sponsored by AIM can be found here: http://aimforbrilliance.org/coderdojo/
November 24: Quiz Bowl
December 2: Explore Computer Science Day at UNO (Grades 5-6)
December 14 & 15: School Geography Bees
January 20: Extreme Math Day for Grade 5 (Ticket Due January 8)
January 21: Elementary STEMinar (Grades 4 – 6) (Ticket Due January 8)
February 6 (Saturday): Coder Dojo 9:30-11:30 at Westgate Elementary Topic: Bitsbox
- Registration Link: http://goo.gl/forms/Vrz2cTiyMl
March 10: Battle of the Books (click here for the book list)
March 11: District Speech Contest
March 12 (Saturday): Coder Dojo 1:00-3:00 at Westgate Elementary Topic: Unplugged Coding Activities
- Registration Link: http://goo.gl/forms/H9wtHWyKgA
March 22: Westside/Ralston Battle of the Books
- Congratulations to the top 4 teams from Westside’s BOTB competition on March 10. They will compete against Ralston’s top 4 teams on March 22.
- Rockbrook: Rainbow Flying Bananas
- Swanson: The Noble Narwhals
- Sunset Hills: The Book Barbarians
- Oakdale: Lightning Bolts
April 9 (Saturday): Coder Dojo 9:30-11:30 at Westgate Elementary Topic: TBD
- Registration Link: http://goo.gl/forms/hsaKhBv7jW
2014-2015 Battle of the Books
After careful consideration, the EY team has decided to revise Battle of the Books so that it is less competitive and more about critical thinking. We still hope to instill a love of reading, but make the responses to the literature more meaningful. The students will still be encouraged to read the 20 designated books. When they complete a novel, students will be able to choose from a list of activities to complete. Their products will be added to a Battle of the Books keynote that they will work on throughout the year. The EY coordinators will go into the classrooms during E/I time in the next couple weeks to show students how to download the keynote and activities onto their iPads. This keynote product will be part of their ticket into the district Battle of the Books seminar which will be held on Friday, March 13th, 2015. During this day long event, we will have several different activities for the students to participate in such as a quiz bowl, an author and/or illustrator visit, and several other creative contests. All activities will be a celebration of their accomplishment and love of reading.
If parents, teachers, or librarians are still interested in a traditional Battle of the Books competition, they are welcome to organize it.
Commonly Asked Questions
Q. Do I need to be in EY to participate?
A. No, any 3rd through 6th grade student who loves to read may participate.
Q. Do I need to form a team?
A. While the seminar won’t require a team, students are still encouraged to meet as a group and discuss the books. In the past, some schools have held discussions during lunch or after school.
Q. Do I have to read all the books to participate?
A. In order to be invited to the seminar, students must read and complete an activity for 10 of the 20 books. The activities and keynote can be found on our wiki (link below). NOTE: While reading all 20 books is not mandatory, students who read all of the books may have a better chance at the quiz bowl competition during the seminar.
The 2014-15 book list and student resources can be found on our wiki at:
https://ey.westside66.org/wiki/pages/j2s325C1/Battle_of_the_Books.html
https://ey.westside66.org/wiki/pages/j2s325C1/Battle_of_the_Books.html
2014-15 Geography Bee
During the week of November 10, 4th through 6th grade teachers will administer the qualifying geography bee test in the classroom. The top 10-14 students will compete in a school geography bee which will be run a little different this year.
On Tuesday, December 9, Hillside, Westbrook, Swanson, Loveland, and Sunset will have their geography bees at Underwood Hills on 90th and Western.
On Friday, December 12, Westgate, Paddock Road, Oakdale, Rockbrook, and Prairie Lane will have their geography bees at the Community Conference Center (CCC) on 108th and Grover.
School vehicles will be used to transport the students to Underwood Hills and the CCC where they will compete in the geography bee. Parents and family are welcome to attend.
Below is the tentative schedule for each day.
December 9 at Underwood Hills
- Hillside 9:15-10:15
- Westbrook 10:30-11:30
- Swanson 11:45-12:45
- Loveland 1:00-2:00
- Sunset 2:15-3:15
December 12 at CCC
- Westgate 9:15-10:15
- Paddock 10:30-11:30
- Oakdale 11:45-12:45
- Rockbrook 1:00-2:00
- Prairie Lane 2:15-3:15
2014 Spelling Bee
During the week of October 6, 4th through 6th grade teachers will administer the qualifying spelling test in the classroom. The top 10-14 students will compete in a school spelling bee which will be run a little different this year.
On Tuesday, October 21, Hillside, Westbrook, Swanson, Loveland, and Sunset will have their spelling bees at Underwood Hills on 90th and Western.
On Thursday, October 23, Westgate, Paddock Road, Oakdale, Rockbrook, and Prairie Lane will have their spelling bees at the Community Conference Center (CCC) on 108th and Grover.
School vehicles will be used to transport the students to Underwood Hills and the CCC where they will compete in the spelling bee. Parents and family are welcome to attend.
Below is the tentative schedule for each day.
October 21 at Underwood Hills
- Hillside 9:15-10:15
- Westbrook 10:30-11:30
- Swanson 11:45-12:45
- Loveland 1:00-2:00
- Sunset 2:15-3:15
October 23 at CCC
- Westgate 9:15-10:15
- Paddock 10:30-11:30
- Oakdale 11:45-12:45
- Rockbrook 1:00-2:00
- Prairie Lane 2:15-3:15
2014-15 Seminars and Contests
We are excited to offer a variety of seminars this year. All students are welcome to attend, however there will always be some sort of “ticket” that needs to be completed first. The “ticket” might be a qualifying test or a project you develop.
Westside Schools often get invited to special contests (math contests, quiz bowls, etc.) Those contests are not listed below, but make sure to check this site often for updates!
- Friday, September 5: STEM Seminar at Peter Kiewit Institute at UNO
- Friday, September 26: Creative Problem Solving Seminar (Grades 3-6)
- Tuesday, October 21: Spelling Bee for Hillside, Westbrook, Swanson, Loveland, and Sunset (Grades 4-6)
- Thursday, October 23: Spelling Bee for Westgate, Paddock, Oakdale, Rockbrook, and Prairie Lane (Grades 4-6)
- Friday, November 7: Quiz Bowl (Grades 4-6)
- Friday, November 21: District Spelling Bee (Grades 4-6)
- Tuesday, December 9: Geography Bee for Hillside, Westbrook, Swanson, Loveland, and Sunset (Grades 4-6)
- Friday, December 12: Geography Bee for Westgate, Paddock, Oakdale, Rockbrook, and Prairie Lane (Grades 4-6)
- Tuesday, January 13: Gaming Seminar (7th-8th Grade)
- Tuesday, January 27: Science Olympiad (Grades 4-6)
- Friday, February 20: District Speech Contest
- Tuesday, February 24: Poetry Out Loud (Grades 3-6)
- Wednesday, March 11: Author Visit at WMS (Grades 7-8)
- Friday, March 13: Battle of the Books (Grades 3-6)
- Friday, April 10: Computer Science Day at UNO (Grades 5-6)
- Thursday & Friday, April 16 & 17: Nebraska Sci Fest at Strategic Air and Space Museum (3rd Grade Only)
- Friday, May 8: Art Apprentice (Grades 3-6)
- Wednesday, May 13: Extreme Math Day (Grades 4-6)