Classroom Connection - November 26, 2008
Millbrook High Teacher Honored
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Lindy Poling |
Millbrook High social studies teacher Lindy Poling was recently presented the Kiwanis International Distinguished Service/District Patriotism Award from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of the Kiwanis.
In Poling's Lessons of Vietnam class, she matches students with persons who experienced the Vietnam War. This year, Poling matched or linked student Alicia Baldelli with Ken Delfino, a U.S. veteran. Delfino is a senior officer of Kiwanis International who lives in Colfax, California, and he made a beautiful plaque which congratulates Poling as:
"Educator/Historian/American Patriot in recognition and grateful appreciation of your creation of the Millbrook High Lessons of Vietnam class and Link Program. Your innovative program has been the key to unlocking and opening the door of memories and experiences that have not been recorded and need to be shared. On behalf of our fellow Vietnam Veterans in our District...we thank and salute you!"
Poling's class publishes a newsletter that captures discussions students have in their class and with the people from across the nation with which they are linked. You can find the Bridges newsletter here.
Middle Schools Honored for Sportsmanship
Twelve WCPSS middle schools in five different conferences earned Fall Sports Season Sportsmanship Banners. The banners will be presented to the schools at the Dec. 4 athletic director meeting.
The schools included Holly Ridge and Lufkin Road in Southern (Division 1); Davis Drive, East Cary and Salem in Southern (Division 2); Carnage, Ligon and Martin in Central; Wake Forest-Rolesville and Wendell in Northern (Division 1); and East Millbrook and West Millbrook in Northern (Division 2). East Cary and Salem were tied after a vote of Southern (Division 2) athletic directors. Both schools will display sportsmanship banners during the winter sport season.
WCPSS Athletic Director Bobby Guthrie said he received comments about the sportsmanship winners such as:
- Friendliness of the coaching staff
- Good on-field sportsmanship by players and coaches
- Made visiting teams feel welcome
- Very polite athletes
- Coaches demonstrated sportsmanship, and players followed their example
- Assisting with injured athletes
- Parents cheered for both teams, no booing heard
- Great team spirit
- Students athletes respectful
- Good pregame communication
- Coaches had a genuine concern for not running up the score
1,500 Students Attend Great Xplorations Career Fair
A premier example of the School-to-Career Initiative was held Nov. 21 at the McKimmon Center. More than 1,500 students, grades 8-10, attended the 6th Annual Great Xplorations Career Fair. Students benefitted from face-to-face career discussions with area business leaders.
The unique opportunity gave students a chance to explore career interests with companies representing all the 16 career clusters recognized nationally. Students from middle and high schools arrived at the event prepared to discuss issues such as educational requirements for a specific career, how the company is dependent on the global economy, and the hiring criteria for the company/industry, including evaluating character through background checks.
Mary Phillips High Principal Honored
Fred McNary, principal at Mary Phillips High School, has been elected the new president of the North Carolina Association of Alternative Educators. The mission of the association is to improve the quality of alternative learning and teaching in the schools of North Carolina. Mr. McNary's success at Mary Phillips, and his strength in leadership will make him a valuable leader for this association.
Holly Grove Elementary Student Selected for Elementary Honor Chorus
Andrew Peters, a fifth-grader at Holly Grove Elementary School, was one of 160 elementary students in grades four, five, and six selected from across the state to be part of the 2008 Elementary Honors Chorus.
Andrew was nominated by his music teacher Claudia Dickens for the honor. He submitted an audition tape along with over 2,000 other students. The Elementary Honors Chorus performed at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem as part of the NC Music Educators Conference convention.
Enloe Students Talk to Astronaut in Space
Enloe students talked with Astronaut Mike Fincke who is onboard the International Space Station in a project arranged by NASA and Enloe High teacher Sam Wheeler. The Enloe students were able to ask questions about the space station, the space program, and science issues.
Wheeler worked with NASA and the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society to organize the event for nearly 400 Enloe students. The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society arranged the local end of the contact, and set up an interface so that the audience in the Enloe High auditorium could hear all the conversations.Students Selected to March in U.S. Army All-American Bowl Half-Time Show
Congratulations to Athens Drive High School students Nicole Wright and Kerry Martin and Sanderson student Phillip Knorr for being selected to join the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band.
They will join a group of elite marching musicians selected to perform in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl halftime show on Jan. 3 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band showcases the talents of the nation's top 97 high school senior marching musicians at the largest celebration of high school football in America, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Knorr plays trumpet, Wright plays the clarinet, and Martin is a percussionist.
East Wake High Senior is Semifinalist in Science Competition
East Wake High School senior Giovanni Leon was named a semifinalist in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology. Giovanni attended a six-week science program at N.C. State University where he was able to amass a body of work that he entered into the Siemens Science Competition. His research was weighted against 1,200 other students’ nationwide.
Giovanni was one of 12 North Carolina high school students who made it to the top of the competition. The Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology recognizes remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. Through this competition, students have an opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research projects that they complete in high school. It is administered by The College Board and funded by the Siemens Foundation.High School Students Selected for All-State Honors Orchestra
Several high school students from across Wake County were selected to participate in the North Carolina All-State Honors Orchestra.
- From Broughton High School – William Estes
- From Enloe High School – Nick Johnson, Kirsten Raley, Wesley Shang, Julie Ma, Linda Yang, Angela Ning, and Katie Womble.
- From Green Hope High School – Bobby Lam, Grace Hartman, and Cheryl Schlitter.
- From Cary High School – Bryan Hanson.
- And from Leesville Road High School – Jason Chin.
Rolesville Elementary Featured on Cheerios Boxes
Rolesville Elementary School is featured on the back of Cheerios cereal boxes. They are being recognized as the 2007 winner of the Box Tops for Education Sweepstakes.
The school was presented a check for $50,000 which they used to fund enrichment programs, reference materials and commemorative artwork to honor the school's 80th anniversary. The students, staff and community collected over 500,000 Bonus Box Tops.
Athens Drive Golf Team Wins Championship
Congratulations to the Athens Drive girls golf team for winning the state 4A title. Led by Katherine Perry, Athens Drive overcame a five-shot deficit and took the team title, overtaking first-day leader Greensboro Grimsley. The team's other players include Sydney Shackelford who had the Jaguars' second-lowest score of the tournament, Mande Monchick, and Grace Stallings. The team is coached by Tony Alcon.
Art Auction Supports Knightdale High
The Knightdale High School art department is holding an art auction on Dec. 4 to benefit the arts programs at the school.
The auction of student and teacher work will help the school reach out to the community and raise funds for the program that has been impacted by budget shortfalls. The art will be framed or matted and available for viewing at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 before the performing arts department's latest show, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
The play starts at 7 p.m. Bids will be tallied during the performance and check-out will be held after the play. Ceramic Christmas ornaments made by members the art club also will be auctioned.
Spotlight on Students
Eighteen Wake County students will be recognized as their school's recipient of the Spotlight on Students award during the Wake County Board of Education’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.
Each month, the Board of Education holds a special ceremony to honor selected students for outstanding achievements and accomplishments. By the end of the school year, one student from each participating school will earn the accolade of Spotlight on Students.
The following students will be honored during the Dec. 2 meeting:
MAE TURNEY, fifth grade, Apex Elementary School; ALEAN GRAVES, fifth grade, Barwell Elementary School; JARED HARRISON SPARRELL, third grade, Baucom Elementary School; OSMARA GOMEZ-RODRIGUEZ, fifth grade, Brentwood Elementary School; TUSHAR VARMA, third grade, Brier Creek Elementary School; SANJANA RAO, fifth grade, Cedar Fork Elementary School; JACOB KELSEY, fourth grade, Holly Grove Elementary School, KAYLA TERRY, fifth grade, Jeffrey’s Grove Elementary School; MONTRELL PERRY, fifth grade, Millbrook Elementary School; CORBIN PHILLIPS, fifth grade, Rand Road Elementary School; KEITH MARKOVICH, fifth grade, Swift Creek Elementary School; REBEKAH POUNDS, fifth grade, Timber Drive Elementary School; RACHEL DUTCHER, fifth grade, Zebulon Elementary School; ISAAC WARREN, eighth grade, Reedy Creek Middle School; BRISA ROMERO, eighth grade, Zebulon Middle School; MARIALENA SALAS, 12th grade, Mary Phillips High School; PAULA SUJKOWSKI, 12th grade, Sanderson High School; and DAVIS GREGORY ALLEN, 12th grade, Wake Forest-Rolesville High School.Please share your feedback on WCPSS Classroom Connection!
Your opinion is valuable and will help to improve our content. Please e-mail any story ideas or suggestions that you may have to classroom-connection@wcpss.net. Wake County Public School System educators are also encouraged to submit information about planned events as well as honors and recognitions earned by students, employees or schools. Thank you for subscribing to the Classroom Connection!
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