Classroom Connection - May 12, 2009
Athens Drive Students Win FCCLA State Trophy
Athens Drive High School students, Jarin Tasnim, Mehr Sher-Kahn, and Aurora Bravo earned a gold medal and a state trophy at the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Meeting held last month in Greensboro.In their project titled, “Pollution Revolution”, they highlighted their efforts with campus clean-up events they organized this year for their school. By winning the state competition, they will compete in the Chapter Service Project Event at Nationals, July 12-16 in Nashville, TN.
Wakefield Elementary Student Sets Record in Speed Stacking
Wakefield Elementary first-grader Daniel Hong set two world records and won all events for his age group at the World Speed Stacking Competition in Denver, CO, on April 19. Speed stacking is a timed competition where students use specially designed plastic cups to build pyramids of various patterns in a specific sequence.
Enloe Students Receive Theater Honors
Enloe High School drama students Laura Levine, Will Sarratt, Logan Sutton and Dana Marcus received superior ratings at the recent NC State Thespian Festival on their monologue presentations. Enloe also won all three places in the statewide playwriting contest.
1st place – Will Sarratt
2nd place – Nick Johnson
3rd place – Laura Levine
Athens Drive Students Win Congressional Art Show Awards
Congratulations to the following Athens Drive High students who won awards at the Congressional Art Show held on May 3 at the NC Museum of Art:
Allison Spencer – 2nd place. Her work will travel to Washington, DC, where it will be displayed in Representative Brad Miller’s office for one year.
Rose Isadore – Judges Special Merit award.
Lydia Neal, Amy Millard and Olivia Kline – Honorable Mention.
Congressman Price Visits Lufkin Road Middle
On May 1, Congressman David Price visited Lufkin Road Middle School. He toured the school, visiting with teachers and administrators. He also spoke to a group of eighth-graders about his role in government. Congressman Price told the students, “At the end of the day, politics is all about making the community better, and we all ought to care about that.”
Sanderson Students Receive Recognition at NC TSA
Four students from Sanderson High School earned first place trophies at the North Carolina Technology Student Association (TSA) State Conference on March 22 -24 in Greensboro. Adam Hanchette, Jacob Mouw and Sven Soltman took 1st place in Systems Control. Katie McMillan earned 1st place in Architectural Model. These students have qualified to represent North Carolina at the National TSA Conference in Denver, CO, June 28-July 2.
Martin Honors Chorus Receives Award of Merit
The Martin Middle School Honors Chorus, an auditioned group of seventh- and eighth-grade students, recently received the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy Award of Merit. This is the runner-up award to the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy Award. A surprise presentation was made during the Honors Chorus class on Wednesday, April 22 from the founder of this award, Carol Robbins, and two committee members. The Honors Chorus received a trophy that will be housed at Martin for a year and were presented Triangle Youth Chorus Award T-Shirts for all Honors Chorus students. The choir will also receive the opportunity to do a Master Class with Dr. Al Sturgis from the NC Master Chorale and will have a professional recording session. The Martin Middle School Honors Chorus is directed by Mrs. Ramona Jenner.Established in 2004, the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy is presented each spring to a school choir in Wake, Durham, Orange, or Chatham County. The purpose is to encourage and promote choral singing in the public schools, and to recognize the achievements of local youth ensembles and music educators.
An Advisory Board of educators, conductors, reviewers, singers and choral enthusiasts evaluates an application package and performances to select the winner. Focus is placed on musical excellence and other accomplishments, such as the choir's development, and its impact on members, the school and the community.
Previous winners of the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy Award include high school choirs from Durham School of the Arts, Sanderson High School, Enloe High School, Jordan High School, and Leesville High School with a middle school choir from Durham School of the Arts named as winner this year. Previous winners of the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy Award of Merit include Enloe High School and Leesville High School. More information about the Triangle Youth Chorus Trophy and Triangle Sings is available at www.trianglesings.org.
East Wake High School Blood Drive Breaks Record
On April 30, the students and staff of East Wake High School came together to support the Red Cross in a big way by donating 227 units of blood in their annual blood drive. This blood drive broke the current record of 169 units in the 14 counties serviced by the Durham Red Cross. It also set a new record for the largest blood drive in the Wake County Public Schools, greatly surpassing the previous record of 151 units.
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Ligon Teacher Provides Professional Development for Teachers
Middle school teacher Edris Ryan has taught children for more than 20 years, but this summer will be her first time teaching a room full of adults as a Lifelong Learning Instructor. A special programs teacher at Ligon Middle School, Ryan works as an in-class resource to teachers supporting students with disabilities in the regular classroom. The class she plans to offer this summer addresses a critical needs area that Ryan says most of her colleagues rarely get training for. Starting May 20, Ryan will teach a weekly class called Understanding Special Education and the Role of the Classroom Teacher through Lifelong Learning with Community Schools program. The class is designed for general education teachers, beginning special education teachers, and teacher assistants to help provide some answers about how inclusive education can be accomplished. Teachers enrolled and completing the 9-weeks will earn 2.0 CEUs toward their licensure renewal.For more information, contact Natasha Baldwin-Garcia at 850-1830, email nbaldwin-garcia@wcpss.net, or find the course in the full Expand catalog (click link to right).