Month: January 2024

Reminder for Military Kids Scholarships

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Earlier last year, we shared a blog post about scholarships available exclusively to military kids. When the ball dropped on New Years, so did the applications for a lot of those scholarships! So, as a reminder, here are some scholarships that are now active and accepting applications. We encourage you to apply!

 

American Legion Legacy Scholarship

“The American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship provides college funding to children of post-9/11 veterans who died on active duty, or those who have a combined VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater.”

Application Timeline: January 1-April 1 2024

Link: https://www.legion.org/scholarships/legacy

 

AMVETS Children/Grandchildren Scholarships

“This application is specific to graduating high school seniors (child or grandchild) of an Honorably Served Veterans, Active Duty and Guard/Reserves.”

Application Timeline: January 15 – April 30 2024

Link: https://www.amvets.org/scholarships 

 

Fischer House Scholarships for Military Children

“The Scholarships for Military Children program is open to unmarried military dependent children under the age 23 who possess a valid Uniformed Services Identification (USID) card. In addition, a student’s parent(s)/sponsor(s) must be one of the following: active duty, reserve/guard, deceased, or retired from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force.”

Application Timeline: Opened mid-December 2023

Link:https://fisherhouse.org/programs/scholarship-programs/scholarships-for-military-children/ 

 

Army Scholarship Foundation

“Applicants must: Be sons or daughters of regular active duty, active duty Reserve, or active duty National Guard U.S. Army members in good standing, OR Be spouses of serving enlisted regular active duty, active duty Reserve, or active duty National Guard U.S. Army members in good standing, OR Be sons or daughters of former U.S. Army members who received an honorable discharge or medical discharge, or who were killed while serving in the U.S. Army. Be high school seniors, high school graduates, or registered as undergraduate students at an accredited college or post high school vocational/technical institution.”

Application timeline: January 15-April 15 2024

Link: https://armyscholarshipfoundation.org/scholarships/ 

 

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation

“The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation was established to honor the service and sacrifice of Marines and their families. That’s why we are grateful for your tax-deductible donations. As our Nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military children, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation helps cover the cost of attending post-high school, undergraduate, and career and technical education programs. Every gift has a significant life-changing impact. With your support, we can make sure that no Marine family is left behind.”

Application timeline: Opens on January 1, 2024

Link: https://www.mcsf.org/ 

 

The Folds of Honor Higher Education Scholarship

“We ensure that families who’ve sacrificed so much for our country and communities receive the education and opportunities they deserve. Whether it’s K-12th grade or higher education, we believe the cost of pursuing their academic dreams should not be an additional burden.”

Application timeline: Opens February 1, 2024

Link: https://foldsofhonor.org/scholarships/ 

 

Navy League of The United States Scholarships

“College should never be out of reach for a family member of the sea services. The Navy League Foundation guarantees this support by awarding scholarships to high school seniors who will attend college in the fall. Navy League Foundation scholarships are available to children and grandchildren of veterans or active duty sea service men and women, as well as members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.”

Application timeline: Application closes March 2024

Link: https://www.navyleague.org/programs/scholarships/ 

 

Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship

“It is important to acknowledge the sacrifices of our service members who preserve our freedom, but that is not enough. The sacrifices of the children of those who served should also be honored. Providing funds to assist these children so they can pursue higher education is a concrete way of showing how much we, as a nation, care.

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship to support the children of our warriors. These scholarships are awarded to 15 students annually who excel in academics and volunteer in their communities.”

Application timeline: Closes March 1, 2024

Link: https://www.legion-aux.org/Scholarships/Children-of-Warriors 

 

Wings Over America Scholarships

“Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation annually sponsors 50 scholarships to further the post secondary education of Navy dependents from the aviation community. Most scholarships are $5,000 and some are renewable.

Scholarships may be used for trade school certification, community college or four-year university/college undergraduate study and cover tuition only at an accredited institution.

If an applicant’s tuition is fully covered by other scholarships from their institution, ROTC, or Post 9/11 Bill/Yellow Ribbon benefits, they are ineligible to receive a scholarship. Students attending service academies are also ineligible.”

Application timeline: Opened October 1, 2023

Link: https://wingsoveramerica.us/app

 

Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships:

“Support for education is a cornerstone of our commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and their families. Our scholarships are one of the ways we thank our brave men and women for their steadfast service to our nation, while also ensuring their family members can afford to reach their higher education dreams.”

Application timeline: February 1 – March 15 2024

Link: https://coastguardfoundation.org/scholarships

 

It’s important to note the deadlines on these scholarships, as the vary from application to application. For more scholarship resources, visit: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/benefits/college-scholarships-for-military-teens/

Free Activity Books for Military Families – Order by 2/2

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We are excited to announce that once again, Ohio Military Kids is offering free projects books for you and your family! Continue reading to learn more about how you can get your hands on a free project activity book.

Our partners at Ohio 4-H are proud to present a collection of project books to military families – at no cost to you! Ohio Military Kids is an organization that benefits from the youth development education offered from Ohio 4-H and the organization resources contributed from Ohio National Guard Family Readiness and Warrior Support. Together, we hope that your families may benefit from the education opportunities found in the collection of project book titles listed in this survey.

 

Here are the books we are offering:

  • Edible Landscapes – “Beginning-level youth of any age can learn to grow edible plants, including fruit trees. Add edibles to the current landscape, swap existing plants for edible plants, create a new garden, or do all three! The activities guide you as you complete a site evaluation, plan which edible plants to use, plant and nurture them, and then enjoy the fruits and vegetables as they ripen.”
  • Explore the Outdoors – “This project opens your eyes to the great outdoors, so get your backpack and field guides ready. The first activity shows how to prepare for an outdoor adventure so you can explore the woodlands, fields, wetlands, and the geology of Ohio. Once you see nature with a new appreciation, you’ll want to learn more! Intended for youth of all ages interested in Ohio’s wildlife and ecosystems.”
  • Medicine Science and Safety – “Who should help you make decisions about medicine? How can you stay safe around it? These and other important questions are answered with five hands-on activities that get right to the point. Follow the core messages and become a good example for others. Learn about careers in pharmacy too!”
  • Rockets Away! – “These ten lessons, described in detail in the Rockets Away Teacher Guide, are a student’s gateway to the practical knowledge behind Newton’s Laws of Motion. Educational research shows that the practice of recording one’s own data and observations helps students internalize concepts.“

 

Please note that we have a very limited supply of each book. You may only select one of each book per order. If a book has “sold out” it will not be displayed as an option.

Requests must be placed by February 2 at 11:59 PM. Orders will then be processed and sent to families approximately 3-5 weeks after the order deadline.

 

For additional information about this program or enrollment in Ohio 4-H, please contact State 4-H Healthy Living and Ohio Military Kids Student Assistant, Matthew Swearingen (swearingen.96s@osu.edu)

 

go.osu.edu/omk4hbookorder

Healthy Hot Chocolate Recipe – Vegan and Dairy Free

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Ohio’s cold weather has been pretty brutal this week, but don’t let these chilly temperatures keep you from having a sweet, classic winter treat. Want to keep your family warm with some healthy hot chocolate? Check out this vegan and dairy free recipe from Ambitious Kitchen!

 

Ingredients (for two servings, increase accordingly):

  • 1 cup light coconut milk, from the can
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
  • Pinch of sea salt

 

Instructions:

Step 1

Place all your ingredients into one small pot, warm it on a low-medium heat setting. Combine the ingredients by whisking them, mix until you’ve gotten rid of all the cocoa clumps. Be sure to not let the mixture broil, as to not burn the almond milk. Warm the mixture for 3-5 minutes, or until steamy.

Step 2

Now that your hot chocolate is warm, you can grab two mugs and serve it! Add your choice of toppings (I prefer marshmallows in my hot chocolate). 

 

According to Ambitious Kitchen, this the nutritional value of this hot chocolate recipe:

Serving: 1 serving

Calories: 166 cal

Carbohydrates: 18.7g

Protein: 1.8g

Fat: 10.2g

Saturated Fat: 7.1g

Fiber: 2.6g

Sugar: 13.6g

Adapted from: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-hot-chocolate/

Tips for Filling out the FAFSA

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The spring semester of a high school student’s senior year might seem like the most stressful time of their lives. Between scholarships and college acceptances, it might seem like high school seniors are drowning in a sea of deadlines. 

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an inevitable aspect of the senior year of high school. Ultimately, it might just compound with the already existing stress of high school seniors. However, it doesn’t have to be a big, scary beast to overcome. Actually, it might be easier than you think. Here are some tips for filling out the FAFSA.

 

You might be asking yourself “What is the FAFSA?” Simply put, it is the form used to apply for federal student aid for college. According to the Federal Student Aid website, to fill out the form, you will need the following:

 

  • Your social security number
  • Federal income tax returns, records of child support received; and your current balance of cash, savings, and checking accounts
  • Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable), net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
  • Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
  • An FSA ID (account username and password) to log in to StudentAid.gov and start the FAFSA form electronically

 

This article is less of an explanation of the FAFSA, and more of tips to help you be successful when filling it out. For more background info on the FAFSA, visit our blog post from last year: https://u.osu.edu/ohiomilitarykids/2022/12/31/filling-out-the-fafsa/ (note that this is an old article, and the FAFSA has changed since it was published).

Let’s get on with those tips!

 

Apply Early!

The application for the 2024-25 FAFSA is now open! Applying early not only gets it off your checklist, but many states and colleges have limited funding. By applying early, you are eligible for more aid. 

 

Avoid making common mistakes

Between waiting too long to apply or incorrectly reporting income, there are easy mistakes that can be made while applying for FAFSA. Visit the Federal Student Aid’s website to familiarize yourself with common FAFSA mistakes: https://studentaid.gov/articles/10-fafsa-mistakes-to-avoid/ 

 

Use the online application

Although there is a paper option (https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2024-25-fafsa.pdf), the online version of FAFSA is much more comprehensive and easy to use. By using the online application, you will only be asked relevant questions and it will catch common mistakes. Access the online application here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

 

Use the “Help” options

Sometimes, things might be too complicated for you and your family to sort out on your own. Skip the stress, and use FAFSA’s “Help” tool. You can find this on the FAFSA website, as well as at this link: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help 

Good luck throughout the application process! For a more comprehensive help guide, visit the official “tip” page: https://studentaid.gov/articles/category/fafsa-tips/

DIY Winter Decor for Families

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Now that your Christmas and holiday decorations are down, you might want to find ways to keep your house decorated and festive for the winter. Whether you’re home for a snow day or looking for a fun craft to do on the weekends, here is a quick and easy craft for you and your family!

 

Supplies:

12” by 12” paper

Crafting scissors

Optional snowflake templates: https://assets.marthastewart.com/d29/perfect-paper-snowflakes-1015/perfect-paper-snowflakes-1015.pdf?_ga=2.90616730.1692996583.1610948935-22653803.1602503328 

 

Instructions:

Step 1:

Fold your paper in half, bringing the top left corner down to the bottom right corner to create a triangle.

how to make paper snowflakes step one paper

 

Step 2:

Fold the paper in half again, bringing the top right corner down to the bottom left corner. This should allow for the pointed corners to meet and create a smaller triangle.

how to make paper snowflakes step two fold paper diagonally

 

Step 3:

Next, fold your paper into thirds, overlapping the left pointed corner over the triangle.

how to make paper snowflakes step three fold triangle in half

 

Step 4:

 Overlap the right pointed corner over the triangle. Adjust the folds until the sides match up and don’t crease the paper until the folds are aligned.

how to make paper snowflakes step four fold triangle in half

 

Step 5:

Trim off the pointed ends to create a triangle.

how to make paper snowflakes step five fold into thirds

 

Step 6:

Using whatever cutting pattern you prefer, cut out the snowflakes! Use variation to create a diverse range of snowflakes, each of them being unique. You can also incorporate the snowflake templates for a more uniform pattern.

how to make paper snowflakes step six cut bottom with scissors

 

Step 7:

Unfold your snowflakes to reveal the final product! Enjoy your homemade decorations!

how to make paper snowflakes step seven snowflakes

 

If you want to spice things up, use multiple paper colors! If you want to smooth out creases from folding, use an iron on a low heat setting. Additionally, use spray starch to hold the snowflakes in place!

 

Adapted from: https://www.marthastewart.com/266694/decorating-with-paper-snowflakes 

 

If this decor project was a hit in your household, check out more DIY Winter projects here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g34004079/winter-crafts/