SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Voices, led by Noah Palmer, is hosting the 28th vocal scholarship competition for high school seniors in the Capital Region on May 30 in Burnt Hills. 

Two scholarships will be awarded, along with an opportunity to perform in a Saratoga Voices concert. While applicants don’t need to pursue a music career, the scholarships aim to support further singing studies in college. The awards are forwarded as a scholarship to the institutions of higher learning to which the students have been accepted. The first-place prize is $1,500, and second-place is $1,000. 

For more information, visit saratogavoices.org/get-involved/vocal-scholarship-program/.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — High school seniors residing in or attending private or public school within the Saratoga Springs City School District can apply for scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 from the Saratoga Springs Rotary Education Foundation. Last year, scholarships totaling $100,000 were awarded to fifteen students.

Applicants must pursue a degree at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or postsecondary vocational educational institution. Students’ academic performance, extracurricular and work activities, community service, and financial need are all considered when reviewing applications.

The scholarship online application is available now on the foundation’s website, rotaryscholarships.org, and must be submitted by April 1. Finalists will then be invited to interview with the Rotary Club’s scholarship committee.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is currently accepting submissions for its annual student art exhibition. Students in grades 3 through 12 are encouraged to apply.

One piece of artwork from grades 3-7 and one piece of artwork from grades 8-12 will be selected as “Best in Show” and featured on the museum’s website. The two winning students will receive a slate of prizes. Additionally, the 8-12 winner will have the opportunity to present their art to the winner of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course in August.

All artwork must be equine themed and all mediums are accepted.

The submission deadline for grades 3-7 is Feb. 23, and the deadline for grades 8-12 is Mar. 30.

The exhibitions will take place from Mar. 1 through 30 (grades 3-7) and Apr. 5 through May 4 (grades 8-12) in the museum’s Von Stade Gallery.

For more information or to access a submission form, visit www.racingmuseum.org/education/win-place-show-%E2%80%94-annual-student-art-exhibition-sponsored-new-york-state-thoroughbred.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — After President Donald Trump ended a policy that restricted federal agents from making immigration arrests at schools, local districts have been publicly affirming their support for New York State’s official guidance on “Safeguarding the Rights of Immigrant Students.”

The Saratoga Springs City School District stated on its website last week that “recent changes and discussions surrounding immigration policies may cause uncertainty and concern for families within our community. We have provided our administrators and staff with the New York State guidance all school districts received regarding safeguarding the rights of immigrant students.”

The guidance instructs school personnel to only allow local or federal law enforcement to question a student if a law enforcement official has: issued a warrant providing court-authorized access to the student; received consent from a parent or guardian; or if the student is accused of committing a crime on school property and school district personnel invite law enforcement to investigate. If these criteria are not met, guidance says that officers should not be allowed to speak to a student on school property.

“Our district is dedicated to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every student,” the message on the Saratoga School District website said. “If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your child’s school building.”

The Ballston Spa Central School District posted a similar message to its site earlier this week, adding that the district has “shared the advice from our attorneys with all of our principals and administrators about their rights and responsibilities when law enforcement officials, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, come to school seeking to question a student on district property.” 

The Migration Policy Institute estimates that 733,000 school-aged children live in the United States without legal status.

Of the decision to allow law enforcement access to schools, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a statement that “this action empowers the brave men and women in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens—including murders and rapists—who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”

According to NBC News, a White House spokesperson said on Jan. 28 that no ICE raids had occurred in any schools. The spokesperson told NBC that “secondary supervisor approval is also needed before any action can be taken in locations such as a church or school.” The spokesperson added that such situations are expected to be “extremely rare.”

A Siena College poll released on Monday showed that nearly 80% of New York voters supported deporting immigrants living in the country illegally who have also been convicted of a crime. But only 39% supported deporting immigrants living in the country illegally who have not been convicted of a crime.

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa High School Principal Matthew Robinson discussed new potential courses for the 2025-26 school year, as well as the creation of a Literacy Lab, at the district’s January 22 Board of Education meeting.

For English Language Arts (ELA), 10th and 11th graders were surveyed to see what classes they might be interested in. Based on the results of that survey, new courses could include Film as Literature, Horror Genre Study, Exploring Banned Books, and Exploring True Crime. Classes that would be removed from the high school’s ELA program would include Best Sellers, Multicultural Literature, and Today’s Issues: Fiction and Nonfiction.

Robinson said the school would also be starting a Literacy Lab for incoming 9th graders led by teacher Annetta O’Connor. Robinson said the lab would be a two-year pilot designed to evaluate how the course is progressing before finalizing it.

“The goal down the road is it’s a 9-12 program,” Robinson said at the meeting.

The lab would focus on the basics and mechanics of reading and writing, which Robinson said teachers often don’t have enough time to focus on.

The school’s technology department is also expected to add an Intro to Video Production course to the 25-26 school year offerings.