Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

I hope you're enjoying the sunshine and warm weather as we approach the end of the school year.

Remember to sign up for UFT text messaging by texting the word "parent" to the number 30644 and answering the questions that follow. We'll alert you about school cancellations due to weather, political campaigns and breaking news. We'll even send a text message that links to a copy of your newsletter you can easily read on your mobile phone.

Enjoy the events, resources and news below.

Sincerely,

Rose Walker-Yates
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Saturday, May 14: The Department of Education invites seventh-graders and their parents to a high school admissions workshop from 10 a.m. to noon at PS 180, 370 W. 120th St. in Manhattan. Learn how the high school admissions process works for specialized high schools and more. To RSVP, call Karen Butler at 212-678-2782. See the flier in English, Spanish, French and Arabic »

• Wednesday, May 25: The Center for Independence of the Disabled will offer free public benefit screenings for people with disabilities at 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, Suite 107 in Queens. Find out if you or a loved one qualifies for Medicaid, Medicare, food assistance and many other programs. To make an appointment, call Iris Mantilla at 646-442-1520. See the flier »

• Friday, June 17: Support public school students' art by coming to Thrive: An Experiential Art Exhibition from NYC public school students at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway, in Manhattan. The evening will include a cocktail reception and art show. This event is sponsored by the UFT and the Thrive Collective. Early-bird admission, which ends on May 31, is $40 (plus a $2.99 handling fee). Get tickets online now »

News, opportunities and resources

• Career and technical education programs lead to a good career out of high school: Although a college education is a wonderful goal, career and technical education programs are an underrated path to well-paying, high-skill jobs right out of high school. Read an article from USA Today »

• Children's books that encourage kindness: Check out this list of 13 children's books that encourage kindness toward others. Read the article on Buzzfeed »

• Encourage summer learning and get free books: The Barnes and Noble summer reading program, and other summer reading programs like it, award free books and other prizes to kids for completing summer reading activities. Read the article on About.com »

• Auditions for a scholarship program at the Harlem School of the Arts: Harlem School of the Arts' HSA prep scholarship program offers college-preparatory training to students in music, dance, theater and visual arts. Auditions are being held between May 3 and 21 for students between the ages of 12 and 17 who are interested in advanced-level training in the arts along with mentoring, support for both high school and college applications and more. For more details, see the website »

Free and low-cost summer programs

• Dual-enrollment and college-readiness programs: High school students are invited to enroll in College Now summer programs. These are dual-enrollment (both college and high school credit) classes and college-readiness classes offered by CUNY. They span many disciplines and are offered in all boroughs. For more information, visit the website »

• Summer programs for students attending renewal schools: The Department of Education invites students attending the 94 schools in the mayor's School Renewal Program to attend summer programs for all grade levels. There are Summer in the City enrichment programs, STEM programs and more for students in grades 2 through 11. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

• Free science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) camp: The DOE is accepting applications until May 20 for its STEM "summer in the city" program for students in grades 2 through 10. The program runs from July 7 to Aug. 11, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and Metrocards are provided. Apply online now »

• Free summer tutoring for rising fourth-grade students: Everyone Reading will offer free tutoring this summer to children born in 2007 and entering fourth grade next school year. This program most benefits students with dyslexia or who need support with phonics. The program will begin on June 30 and run from July 5 to 29, Mondays through Fridays, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York on 5th Ave and 103rd St. in Manhattan. The program involves an hour of one-on-one tutoring in reading skills, then two hours of hands-on museum education activities such as photography, map making and model building. To apply, contact Lavinia Mancuso at lmancuso@everyonereading.org or 917-903-2648. See the flier »

• Summer youth police academy: New York City children who are between the ages of 10 and 16 and attending school are welcome to apply for the New York Police Department's summer youth academy. This 6-week program, running from July 5 to Aug. 12, offers educational sessions about law, behavioral science, drug prevention and gang resistance. Students will also enjoy field trips and outdoor volunteer opportunities. There are locations in all boroughs. Lunch and transportation are included. Applications are being accepted until May 20. To learn more and apply, visit the website »