Congratulations to this year’s Word Up! winning poets. They competed in three categories, Grades 6 – 7, Grades 8 – 9, and Grades 10 – 12.  First, Second, Third and honorable mentions were awarded in each category.  Poems will be posted to the web site after the awards ceremony. To hear these young word smiths reading their poems, join us:

Word Up! Winners Circle

Thursday, April 28

7 – 9 pm

East Columbia Branch (50+ Center)

Guest poet: Linda Joy Burke of Poetry Out Loud

Sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library

Choosing that dream school was tough enough.  Now comes the really difficult part…figuring out how to pay the tuition bill!

On Thursday, April 28 from 7 – 8 pm at Howard County Library, Miller Branch, a financial aid counselor from Howard Community College demystifies the college financial aid process.  Families can expect to learn about completing the FAFSA, searching for scholarships, and other sources of college tuition financial aid. A must for any future college student planning to attend any college.

Register online.

Katie George – Administrative Office

Science Club

Like science? Join the club! The Science Club is a new class dedicated to all things science. Join us at the Miller Branch this spring as we practice our engineering skills by building spaghetti bridges, investigate the chemical make-up of a Peep, and discover the shocking truth about electricity. Registration required for each class.

Bridges – Wednesday March 23, 7-8 pm

Peeps! – Wednesday April 27, 7-8 pm

Electricity – Wednesday May 25, 7-8pm

Courtney Gardinier – Howard County Library Miller Branch

Chess Tournament

The Howard County Library Chess Tournament provides an opportunity for students to meet and compete with other students who share their enthusiasm for this classic board game. All participants will receive fabulous prizes.

The Howard County Library Chess Tournament happens at the Miller Branch on April 16th, 2011 at 1 pm. It is open to ages 9-17; register online or call 410-313-1950.

Courtney Gardinier – Howard County Library Miller Branch

The Game is Afoot! Students can prepare their entry for the 2011 Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest by exploring the fictional world created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Explore the stories, find the clues, and pick up a copy of “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” and the contest instructions.

Savage Branch

Thursday, April 14

7 – 8.30 pm

John Jewitt – Howard County Library Savage Branch

Attila the Hun, bubble gum, and the Green Lantern: what could they possibly have in common?

Your students can learn some cool things about all three at Howard County Library. For a fun twist on finding information in the library, your students are invited to a Library Scavenger Hunt to be held on Wednesday, April 13 from 7 – 8 pm at the Glenwood Branch. Clues will be given to each student, and a prize goes to the one who finds the most information in the alloted time! Registration is required, and can be found here.

Who said finding information can’t be fun?

Amy Stephens – Howard County Library Glenwood Branch

There are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States. Even more outside of our borders. How’s a student supposed to choose?

On Tuesday, April 12 come to Centennial High School from 6:30 – 8:30 pm and meet with representatives from colleges and universities from across the country and around the corner. Discover what different schools can offer, such as class sizes, extracurricular activities, and academic specialties. Speak with admissions counselors and school alumni. Learn what it takes to be accepted to the school of your choice.

A complete list of participating colleges is available at hclibrary.org.

Co-sponsored by the Columbia Association.

Katie George – Administrative Offices

Financial education is crucial for all age groups.  During Financial Literacy Month, encourage your students to attend these money-minded classes.

In Who Wants to be a Millionaire, teens explore the myths and realities about becoming a millionaire, then learn strategies for setting and achieving financial goals.  Register to attend the Thursday, April 7 class at Howard County Library Savage Branch or the Monday, April 11 class at Howard County Library Central Branch.  Both sessions begin at 7:00 pm.

Teens can choose to Take the Spending Challenge.  This interactive game leads students through 16 weeks of purchases and payments in a single hour.  Students begin with a regular “paycheck” and a fictional credit card, then make choices about how much to save, how much to spend, and whether to pay by cash or credit.  Register to attend the Wednesday, April 6 class at Howard County Library East Columbia Branch or the Thursday, April 14 class at Howard County Library Elkridge Branch.  Both sessions begin at 7:00 pm.  (To request a session of Take the Spending Challenge in your very own classroom, complete the online Curriculum Enhancements request.)

Those teens who are dreaming of the day they’ll be driving, will be interested in Your First Set of Wheels.  Students will learn about hidden costs like maintenance and insurance, then create a savings plan.  Register to attend the Tuesday, April 5 class at Howard County Library Glenwood Branch or the Wednesday, April 13 class at Howard County Library Miller Branch.  Both sessions begin at 7:00 pm.

Katie George – Administration Office