ANNAPOLIS, Md.–Applications are being accepted Feb. 1 through April 1 for the United States Naval Academy (USNA) Summer STEM Program 2010.  STEM is held in three sessions: June 7-12, June 14-19 and June 21-26.  The academy's Summer STEM Program is an overnight academic camp designed for rising 8th-11th grade students in good academic standing who have an interest in math and science.

The STEM Program gives students the opportunity to experience real-life applications of math and science principles through hands-on practical learning.  Students will learn from distinguished Naval Academy professors in world-class lab facilities that provide a unique learning environment outside the traditional classroom.  The academy's current students, known as midshipmen, help run the Summer STEM Program and act as camp counselors and tutors to students.

Students and parents with questions about the Summer STEM Program and the application process should call (410)293-1858 or visit www.usna.edu/admissions. The deadline for applications is April 1. Applicants will be notified of their application status in the month of May.

TUESDAY: Air and Space Museum/DC Tour

WEDNESDAY: So What Really Happened to the Titanic? the Challenger? the Ford Pinto?  The tragedy of the Titanic, as well as other engineering disasters have served to foster many technological discoveries and innovations. As you learn more, you will break steel and investigate crash mechanics. You'll examine Material Fingerprints to characterize technical crimes. You will visit the USNA Hydromechanics and Fluids Laboratories to study hull designs and structures and in the Aero Laboratories, you will investigate the forces of nature.

THURSDAY: Cryptography, Computers and Code, Forensics and Fingerprints.  Can you break the code? Learn how mathematics, computer science, and engineering have been used throughout history to keep messages hidden and cryptic. Create and program your own video game to solve a crime in 3-D. Use chemical analysis to solve crime and investigate fingerprinting of physical phenomenon.

FRIDAY: Biometrics, Electronics, Robotics. Learn how technological advances in engineering assist in catching criminals, spies and other bad guys. Build and program your robot to master the maze. Wire and solder your own electronic device for voice modulation. A tour of the USNA Biometrics Laboratory will find you performing iris scans and facial recognition techniques.

SATURDAY: Open House and Demonstrations.  Share your new skills with your parents and friends. End the week by putting your projects on display.

Approximately 200 total students from around the U.S. will be invited to STEM.  All students selected to participate will receive a full scholarship to attend this academic summer program.  For more information about the Naval Academy STEM program, visit www.usna.edu/admissions.  For more information about the Naval Academy, visit www.usn.edu.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.–Applications are being accepted Feb. 1 through March 31 for the United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar (NASS) 2010.  NASS is designed for students who will have just completed their junior year of high school in the summer of 2010.  This program is a fast-paced, six-day experience for high-achievers who may be interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the nation's service academies and serving as a military officer after graduation.  NASS is held in three sessions: June 5-10, June 12-17 and June 19-24.

Summer Seminar introduces students to the opportunities at the Naval Academy where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally important roles in developing our nation's leaders.  Students will live in the dormitory, Bancroft Hall, eat in the dining facility, King Hall; participate in academic and leadership workshops; and experience a variety of other activities at the academy.  Students will have an opportunity to see first-hand what the academy has to offer through its exceptional academic, athletic, extracurricular activities and leadership training programs.

The academy's current students, known as midshipmen, run the Summer Seminar training with oversight by active duty Navy and Marine Corps officers.  Over 2,250 students from around the U.S. attend this rigorous program each year.

According to Naval Academy Summer Seminar officer-in-charge, Lt. John Meise, "If you are a student who wants a summer challenge with the opportunity to sample university-level academics at a first-rate engineering school, the Summer Seminar program will let you discover how the Naval Academy can help you achieve your goals, and give you a jump start on the admissions process."

By applying to the 2010 Summer Seminar, students are also applying for admission to the Naval Academy class of 2015.  There is no need to submit a preliminary application when it becomes available on April 1 for students desiring to apply for admission to USNA.

Students with questions about NASS and the application process should call 410-293-1549 or visit www.usna.edu/admissions. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2010.

For more information about Naval Academy athletics, extracurricular activities and other general information, visit www.usna.edu.
USNA

Quad City residents are invited to join the local celebration of Chinese New Year  on February 20, at the LULAC Club, 4224 Ricker Hill, Davenport, Iowa.

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays, which begins in February 14, Valentine's Day, this year. The new year is celebrated for 15 days in China and many other southeastern countries in the world.

The event is co-sponsored by the U.S.-China People's Friendship Association, The Quad City Chinese Christian Church, and The Quad City Chinese Association.

The evening festivities will include dinner and a program. Prior to the dinner at 5 p.m., authentic chefs will demonstrate preparing the traditional "jiaozi" or dumplings, vegetable sculptures, and "Shaomai", starting at 3:30 p.m. There will be a craft activity for children, and demonstrations and audience participation in calligraphy.

Ticket prices are $5 for children twelve and under, and $10 for adult with reservation before February 18th, or $15 for adult and $8 for children at the door, Children under 3 are free.  Reservations can be sent to Susan @ s.leuthauser@mchsi.com or leave a voice message at 563-332-1576.

The New Year, "Chuxi," begins on the first day of the new moon in the first lunar month and ends on the fifteenth day of the full moon. "Chu" means change, and "xi" means eve.  In China, each year is associated with one of twelve animals in the zodiac. This is the year of the Tiger.

Although the Chinese calendar traditionally does not use continuously numbered years, outside China its years are often numbered from the reign of Huangdi. But at least three different years numbered 1 are now used by various scholars, making the year 2010 "Chinese Year" 4707 or 4646.

Traditional beliefs advise that to be born under the sign of a particular animal makes a person prone to certain humors and personality traits. New Year's is celebrated as a family affair, a time for reunion and thanksgiving. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu, symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien (pinyin: nián). Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it wouldn't attack any more people.

One time, people saw that the Nien was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nien was afraid of the color red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nien.

From then on, Nien never came to the village again. The Nien was eventually captured by hong jun lao zu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien became hong jun lao zu's mount.

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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 1, 2010 - USTA Serves - Foundation for Academics.  Character.  Excellence., the philanthropic and charitable entity of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced today that under its "Aces for Kids" umbrella, it has awarded 24 year-end grants, for a total of $297,325.  Among the organizations honored was United Neighbors, Inc., in Davenport, Iowa, with a $20,000 grant.  The number of program grants awarded in 2009 was 37, for a total amount of $549,325.  Combined with scholarship awards, USTA Serves distributed nearly $1 million in 2009.

USTA Serves awards grants to programs that successfully combine tennis and education and help children pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens.

Aces for Kids is a national initiative of USTA Serves.  It strives to promote healthy lifestyles by combating childhood/adult obesity by providing disadvantaged, at-risk children the opportunity to learn to play tennis and improve their academic skills in a structured format.  At Aces for Kids program sites, children between the ages of 5-18 learn about healthy nutrition and lifestyles, responsible citizenship, study skills, and computer literacy; interact with a mentor and other students; attend college preparatory sessions; and learn to play tennis in a team format.

Born from neighborhood action to revitalize Davenport's older neighborhoods, United Neighbors serves individuals and families in need through social and cultural interaction and educational experiences. It is neighborhood-controlled and assists primarily low-and moderate-income residents. Grant funds will support the organization's afterschool youth development program at Jefferson-Edison Elementary, as well as its expansion to two new sites: Wood Intermediate Pathway Program and Progressive Baptist Church.  Serving 250 children, United Neighbors youth programs empower youth to support and influence their community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self image, and respect their own and other's cultural identities.

"These programs are impacting the future of thousands of children, helping them to develop a healthy mentality and vital life skills that they will carry into adulthood," said Karen Martin-Eliezer, Chief Executive, USTA Serves. "We are grateful for the generous support of the many corporations and individual donors that empower USTA Serves to distribute these life-changing funds."

The 2009 year-end grants recipients:

1. Abundant Waters, New York, N.Y.

2. A's & Aces, New Orleans, La.

3. Boys & Girls Club of Central Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.

4. CHAMPS Afterschool Enrichment Program, Erie, Pa.

5. City Parks Foundation, New York, N.Y.

6. Earthen Vessels Outreach, Pittsburgh, Pa.

7. Family and Children's Association, Mineola, N.Y.

8. Hamilton County Community Tennis Association, Indianapolis, Ind.

9. Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program, New York, N.Y.

10. Harper for Kids, San Francisco, Calif.

11. Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Inc., Orlando, Fla.

12. Houston Tennis Association Inc./NJTL, Houston, Texas

13. I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County, Boulder, Colo.

14. Indianola Main Street Association, Indianola, Miss.

15. Mentoring USA Inc., New York, N.Y.

16. Norwalk Grassroots Tennis, Inc., Norwalk, Conn.

17. Ossining Community Tennis Association Inc., Ossining, N.Y.

18. Project Lovematch Inc., Saddle River, N.J.

19. Sportsmen's Tennis Club Inc., Dorchester, Mass.

20. Tennis in the 'Hood Inc., Fayetteville, Ga.

21. The Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund, Inc., Langhorne, Pa.

22. United Neighbors, Inc., Davenport, Iowa

23. University of Akron, Dept. of Sport Science & Wellness, Akron, Ohio

24. University of Hawaii's Ace to Success, Honolulu, Hawaii

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USTA Serves

Established in 1994, USTA Serves supports, monitors and promotes programs that enhance the lives of disadvantaged children through the integration of tennis and education.  USTA Serves actively supports individual students from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds through college scholarships and player incentive awards and encourages children to pursue their goals and highest dreams by succeeding in school and becoming responsible citizens.  Additionally, the Foundation supports community tennis programs across the country that provide positive role models, academic assistance, life skills, and tennis instruction to help prevent violence, substance abuse and school dropouts.  USTA Serves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds on the USTA's social conscience of addressing important health issues, diversity issues, and general well-being in the United States using tennis as the catalyst and change agent.

USTA