Announcements

American Go Foundation Scholarships

####American Go Foundation Scholarships

http://agfgo.org/pages/scholarships.php#congressscholarship

US Go Congress Youth Scholarships

The US Go Congress is the ultimate Go playing experience, especially for young participants. The Congress features many special activites to attract and engage young players including:

The Youth Team Tournament, just like in Hikaru no Go.  
Daily pro lessons,simuls and special events in a supervised, specially designated "Youth Room."  
The Redmond Cup live onsite championship games, between the top two finalists in the 12 and under and 13-18 categories.  

Young Congress-goers can also play in the US Open, the Self-Paired, Pair Go, Lightning Go and other tournaments while enjoying other lectures and teaching events.

Scholarships are available to any Congress attendee under the age of 18. Most under-18s come with their families, but “singletons” can also attend, as long as someone at the Congress agrees to act in loco parentis.

Recently the AGA lost a major source of financial support for young Congress participants, so the AGF has decided to step up and continue some level of support. We are offering up to twenty scholarships of $200 each. We want to help kids come to the Congress who could not otherwise attend. We do not check for financial need – too intrusive – but you are on your honor not to ask for a scholarship unless you need one.

The scholarship application process is as follows:

Registration: Register for the US Go Congress and identfy the famliy member or designated adult who will act as your guardian at the Congress.  
Application Essay: Write an essay (1+ page, double spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font) about your involvement in Go. Where did you learn? How often do you play? What do you like best about Go? Have you taught your friends or others to play? What do you hope to gain by attending the Congress? What have you done and what are your goals as a player and member of the American Go community? Essays become the property of the AGA/AGF and may be used for promotional purposes. E-mail your essay to mail@agfgo.org, and please include contact information in the e-mail.  
Deadline: May 30. Up to 15 awardees will be selected by June 1. Applications received after the deadline will be placed in a lottery, along with other applicants who were not selected in the first round. The remaining scholarships will be awarded by chance.  

After the Congress, scholarship recipients will be expected to write apost-Congress essay (1+ page, double spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point font) about their positive Congress experiences, learning experiences, and a review of their instructor(s). Essays become the property of the AGA/AGF and may be used for promotional purposes.

We hope that we will be able to meet all the scholarship needs so every child who is truly interested can attend the Congress. It’s important to apply early because scholarship money is limited! Scholarships are funded solely through donations to the American Go Foundation. The AGA and AGF are committed to making the Congress available to all who wish to come.

Welcome

####The San Diego Go Club is enthusiastically anticipating hosting the 2017 U.S. Go Congress in August.

A new feature is that the 33rd Congress will be held at a resort this year. The Town and Country Resort is in the heart of tourist San Diego only a short distance from the international airport, downtown, the harbor with the U.S.S. Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, Petco Baseball Park, miles of beaches, Seaworld, the zoo, Balboa Park with its seventeen museums and several gardens, and Old Town State Park.

The University of California - San Diego, San Diego State University and the University of San Diego are all close by.

The Town and Country Resort is 46-acres and has three swimming pools and a gym. The American Go Association has negotiated special room rates for the Congress which can only be booked through the Congress web site. The special rates are available at the resort three days before and after the Congress for those who want to extend their stay. The on-site convention center will host all of the go activities as well as meals and can be reached from the hotel rooms without crossing a street. Housing options include an 11-story tower that was renovated in the fall of 2016 as well as another tower and garden rooms. It has its own trolley stop connecting it to many of the above attractions. There is an on-site public bus depot, a large shopping mall next-door and a 27-hole golf course right across the street.

Meals will be created by the executive chef and served at the convention center for those with meal plans.

Ted Terpstra & Les Lanphear III Co-Directors, 2017 U.S. Go Congress