There are a couple of events coming up for students with learning disabilities.  The first is a Special Education College Night, offered by Plainfield School District.  It will take place on 2/21/12 at Planifield Central Campus from 7:00pm-8:00pm.  Parents and students are welcome.  To be discussed are topics such as documentation required, entrance requirements, student responsibilities, and college expectations.

The second event is called "Finding Your Future."  It is sponsored by the Learning Disabilities Association of America and will take place on February 25, 2012.  This event will be at the Hilton Chicago (720 South Michigan Ave) and will run from 8:30am-12:15pm.  For more information, please visit: www.ldaamerica.org

The Illinois Institute of Technology will be hosting a web design competition for Illinois students.  This is open to students ages 13-19 participating in teams of two to four.  Registration is now open and the deadline to register is 2/28/2012.  Final sumbissions are due by 3/20/2012.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bliinkcontest.com/

Camp College is  is free opportunity sponsored by the Illinois
Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) for rising
seniors in need of additional college planning resources.  Students
will be able to have the experience of living on a college campus,
while attending college planning sessions led by college and high
school counselors.  Camp College will take place on Monday, July 9 -
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at Bradley University in Peoria, IL.
Students will be provided food and lodging free of cost.

The application for Camp College 2012 will be available through the IACAC website on February 17, 2012. Listed below is more information on Camp College, along with the website link for last year's program.

I am attaching a document that I have begun to use with students to help them find affordable college options.  The document links students to schools in each of the seven different categories of colleges.  The link goes directly to each school's net price calculator.  By filling out this document, students can get a pretty good idea as to which "type" of school will be most affordable.

The Sons of the American Revolution are currently accepting admissions for their "George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest."  While this is not a scholarship, this is a contest where students can win money (which could be put toward college education).  This contest is open to grades 10-12 and requires an original essay (800-1200 words) on a topic which deals with an event, person, philosophy or idel associated with the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the US Constitution.  Details and contest rules can be found at: http://www.sar.org/Youth

Students interested in Southern Illinois University-Carbondale may be interested in the following scholarship: http://www.firstyear.siuc.edu/web/index.php/first-scholars

This scholarship is for first generation college students (neither parent attended college) who have a solid academic record and have demonstrated financial need.  Please check the website for more information.