A Better Hand

Hey guys! We're going to be holding a Winter Session of ABH, mainly for high school seniors to get their college/scholarship essays revised and/or to answer any remaining questions that seniors may have about the college application process. The camp will be held December 21st-23rd upon appointment, so the times are flexible! We'll email all those interested later with a schedule to make an appointment with an instructor of choice whenever needed at a convenient location within Spring Branch. Don't hesitate to email us if interested.

If you wanted to apply to our Fellowship program but thought it was too late, you have nothing to worry about (except maybe finals? Which we're sure you will excel in!). We will be extending the deadline until January 1st. So if you want to get involved or know others who would be willing to volunteer their time during the summer there is time. Help us spread the message by sharing this post with your friends! We need a good amount of fellows to ensure that our program can reach a higher number of students who need our help!

The application only takes about 20 minutes!
http://goo.gl/forms/UwrfzGXHQk

Thanks for sharing everyone!

A Better Hand 2016 Winter Fellowship Our team is composed of native Houstonians who attend schools from across the nation. We've had successful experiences applying to the Ivy League and securing prestigious scholarships such as the Gates Millennium Scholarship. We want to pass down our knowledge and we hope that you do too! We are loo…

Hey guys! We're going to be holding a Winter Session of ABH, mainly for high school seniors to get their college/scholarship essays revised and/or to answer any remaining questions that seniors may have about the college application process. The camp will be held December 21st-23rd upon appointment, so the times are flexible! We'll email all those interested later with a schedule to make an appointment with an instructor of choice whenever needed at a convenient location within Spring Branch. Don't hesitate to email us if interested.

Once again, it takes more than a simple good GPA to fully take advantage of the college experience. By taking action in organizations, clubs, sororities/fraternities, the possibility of satisfaction from college increases. So, go out there and spark a movement! Create a club, become politically engaged on your future campus, or stay active in the current events of your campus. Taking upon these challenges will continue to form your identity. Remember, life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/how-to-make-college-education-worth-the-cost/article/2574276

How to make college education worth the cost Half of college alumni strongly agree that their education was worth the cost, according to the 2015 Gallup-Purdue study published this week. An additional 27 percent of alumni simply agreed that their education was worth the cost. Tucked inside the report was data that reveal how to make a student'…

"Due to a variety of factors, ranging from the actual exam to the scoring system, students of color are less likely to be enrolled in gifted and talented classes in the Houston Independent School District...Racial bias has to be operating. Inequities are rampant. Discrimination does exist whether intentional or unintentional." - Donna Ford, an education professor at Vanderbilt University.

We shouldn't be giving extra resources to students who SEEM to be smarter than the rest. We should be teaching our students that it's not about intelligence, but rather, it's about developing a good work ethic, taking your dreams and goals seriously, and doing whatever it takes to accomplish them. Every student deserves a GT education.

ABH exists because we want to create a community made up of different students so that EVERYONE can understand how unique, promising, and capable we ALL are. A community such as this one will push students to encourage one another to be the best they can and reach for their greatest goals. We can not let so many beautiful/talented minds go to waste (regardless of their skin color or income) and we can not let this type of segregation plague our schools.

Why Houston's Gifted and Talented Classes Are Considered 'Segregated' | Houston Public Media In the Houston Independent School District, students of color are so under-represented that one researcher has called gifted classes there “a clear case of segregation.”

The ABH Team is happy to present its first article, "8 Ways To Take Control Of Your Time", by Lauren Iozzio.
The members of ABH are thrilled regarding the progress produced with the Scholars and the Spring Branch Community.
Once again, thank you all for your support. More articles to come!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LBS5qttw1GB-yKkabeOdIj3ROdEZSNNV87r1u3xFALQ/edit?usp=sharing

Article Two 9-7-15 By Lauren Iozzio Time management is an aspect of life that high school and college students seem to struggle with the most. We often take time for granted and consider the 24 hours in a day to be a long time, but we must dig a little deeper. We have to account for everything that eats up our time,

All college students are aware of how pricey textbooks can be, but with the technological resources we have today that doesn't have to be the case! This article introduces a great resource called Slugbooks that can significantly cut down prices you were worried about! The internet is a wonderful thing, isn't it?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2015/08/17/textbooks-can-be-incredibly-pricey-for-college-students-heres-how-to-save-money/

How college students can save money on pricey textbooks The high cost of tuition gets a lot of attention, but any college student can attest that buying textbooks is no small expense.

Want to understand how your school might get funding? Read on to learn more!

Vouching for Success? Debating School Choice

Came across this great article providing some great tips for the college experience. It's important to acknowledge the education and learning practice you'll recieve, rather than just the degree. Make your own milestones; don't let the degree be the only one!
http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article31335011.html

Dear college student: Get an education, not just a degree Eric Johnson: Thousands of new students are settling into North Carolina colleges and universities this week. Most will have already endured a formal orientation and received all manner of official guidance, but there are some informal practices that can make the difference between receiving a degre…

We are family. We are students who care about the future. We are A Better Hand. Our Scholars spent two weeks learning about college, the application process, scholarships, and more. They joined our community and we want you to join too! Here is a little more about who we are:

We are so excited for the promise of the new school year. Let’s work hard and do it big! If you want to get involved with the team, like our page, tweet us, or email us at [email protected]! Make sure to share our video with your friends!

Special thanks for our amazing school district, SBISD. Thank you for everything that you do for EVERY CHILD.
Spring Branch ISD Spring Branch Independent School District Spring Branch Education Foundation

https://youtu.be/jqt3vYEjh20

These College Students Are Doing Something Amazing, And YOU Need to Join Them! A Better Hand is a story of seven students working together to make a difference. We all share similar stories -- stories filled with hardships and triumphs ...

Chris and Max took a selfie with all of the Spring Branch ISD family before speaking at the 2015 SBISD Convocation! We were honored to serve as the masters of ceremony and introduce our new superintendent, Dr. Scott Muri! We will release a sneak peak of the event soon. The question is, are you ready for this next school year?!

Tag yourselves if you attended Convocation!

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/08/17/study-benefits-of-a-college-degree-are-historically-high

Seriously, Go to College A new analysis finds the benefits of a college education are higher than ever.