New Principals Named for Three Schools: McDougle Elementary, Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education approved the hiring of three new principals earlier this evening.

Aisha Howard has been named principal of McDougle Elementary. Ms. Howard is an experienced principal who joins us from Durham Public Schools, where she has served as principal of Oak Grove Elementary since 2011. Prior to that, she was principal of North Elementary in Person County Schools. Ms. Howard spent three years as an assistant principal in Durham and seven years teaching in Durham and Guilford County Schools. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from UNC-Greensboro, and her Master of School Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Charles Blanchard is the new principal of Chapel Hill High. He is currently the executive director of Career and Technical Education for Guilford County Schools. Mr. Blanchard is a long-time high school principal who has previously led Grimsley High in Guilford, James B. Hunt High in Wilson, Southeast Guilford High and the Early College at Guilford. He also served as principal of Fuquay-Varina Middle in Wake County. Mr. Blanchard was an assistant principal at Garner High, and a teacher/coach at Ralph L. Fike High in Wilson County. He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Educational Administration at East Carolina University, where he was a Teaching Fellow and later a Principal Fellow.

Kenneth Proulx was hired as principal of East Chapel Hill High. He comes to us from Wake County Public Schools where he has served as principal of Holly Grove Middle School since it opened in 2010. Mr. Proulx has experience as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels. He came to North Carolina from New York, where he served as principal of Beaver River Middle/High and West Carthage Elementary. Mr. Proulx also served as Wake County’s Executive Director of Organizational Development and Support. Prior to school administration, he was a middle and high school Social Studies teacher. Mr. Proulx earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He also earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration from the State University of New York at Oswego.

From left to right: Charles Blanchard, Chapel Hill High Principal;
Aisha Howard, McDougle Elementary Principal; Kenneth Proulx, East Chapel Hill High Principal

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TSA Chapters Excel in STEM

Leaders of the Technology Student Association (TSA) chapters at five of our schools recently took nearly 80 students to Greensboro for two days to participate in the 39th annual NCTSA State Conference. They engaged in STEM- (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and leadership-based competitions, and learned much in the process. They did an amazing job of representing our district's Career and Technical Education (CTE) department.

TSA chapters take the study of STEM beyond the classroom and give students the chance to pursue academic challenges among friends with similar goals and interests. 

CTE teachers serve as chapter advisors, but the student members govern the organization through chapter, state and national level officers. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' TSA students hold a legacy of leadership with 12 students holding an NCTSA state officer positions since 2003, with four of those as state presidents. 

Along with incubating the leaders of tomorrow, TSA is nurturing tomorrow's scientists, engineers, journalists, trades people and educators. This is evident when one looks at the awards our TSA chapters brought home from the conference. Below you will find a section for each of the five chapters in our district. Students from four of the schools are already making plans to attend the National TSA Conference in Atlanta, June 22-26, and will no doubt continue to represent our district with their talent, integrity and STEM skills on full display. 

In fact, both McDougle Middle and East Chapel Hill High TSAs will receive the Chapter Excellence Award in NCTSA for their respective school levels. The awards will be announced and received at the upcoming National TSA Conference. The advisors for both schools are extremely proud of all of their chapter members. 
_____ 

Culbreth Middle School TSA - Mike Sharp, Advisor

The Culbreth TSA chapter was new this year, and the level of involvement was amazing. They had 30 members join the team, and 13 were able to compete at the state conference. Under the guidance and leadership of officers, Yash Gupta, Xavier Van Raay, and Sebastian Malhotra, students performed at their personal best and succeeded in bringing home a total of 5 trophies.

The following students won trophies in their events:

1st place in Coding: Sebastian Malhotra and Ben Shoenbill
2nd place in Community Service Video: Sarah Stephens and Xavier Van Raay
2nd place in Promotional Marketing: Daniel Estevez
3rd place in STEM Animation: Daniel Estevez, Miles Prenda, and Yuta Tsuboi
3rd place in Tech Bowl: Xavier Van Raay, Yash Gupta, and Srinivas Iyengar
_____

Phillips Middle School TSA - Ryan Barnes, Advisor

Phillips Middle School TSA placed in a number of events and represented their school, district and chapter in outstanding fashion.

1st Place Structural Engineering: Kabir Grewal, Raymond Zhao
2nd Place Microcontroller Design: Ethan Bartlett, Kabir Grewal, Hanqi Xiao, Jake Boggs, Graham Troy
2nd Place Website Design: Jake Boggs, Anna Finklestein, Meilin Weathington
3nd Place Electrical Applications: Ethan Bartlett
_____ 

McDougle Middle School TSA - Redmond Grigg and Kate Major, Advisors

These young men and women worked hard, smart ,and with so much heart this year as they prepared for competition. The trophies they earned are but symbols of their consistent and forthright efforts. They resurrected and helped beautify their school's outdoor classroom. They also ran a successful campaign to raise over $1,000 for the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life at UNC. What an amazing feat for a group that only had three returning members. 

1st Place Community Service Video: Amelia Brinson, Lula Caress, Lucas Gutierrez-Arnold, Mateo La Serna, Vincent Paquet, Sophie Ussery Intintolo
1st Place Junior Solar Sprint: Nivas Kolli, Alexis Mead
1st Place Mechanical Engineering: Nora Daley, Nivas Kolli, Katie Randolph, Noah Wegner
1st Place American Cancer Society Fundraising: Raised $1,095 through Relay For Life
2nd Place Essays on Technology: Erin Gottschalk
2nd Place Flight: Ani Yu
2nd Place Inventions & Innovations: Lars Kahn, Gabo Ochoa Samoff, Noah Wegner
2nd Place Leadership Strategies: Amelia Brinson, Lucas Gutierrez-Arnold, Lars Kahn
2nd Place Problem Solving: Diogo Gomes, Noah Wegner
3rd Place Biotechnology: Ryan Atack, Alexis Mead, Gabo Ochoa Samoff, Guillermo Vizuette
3rd Place Career Prep: Nora Daley
3rd Place Forensic Technology: Amelia Brinson, Katie Randolph
3rd Place Technical Design: Daniel Furberg, Ani Yu
_____ 

Chapel Hill High School TSA - Redmond Grigg, Advisor

While no Chapel Hill High student placed in their competitive events at the state conference, they still did an incredible job representing their chapter, school and district. All of the state officers from our district were Chapel Hill High students, including the previously mentioned four state presidents.

Kyle Halstater first joined TSA as a 6th grader at McDougle Middle School. This was Kyle's third year holding a state office as he just finished his tenure as the 2017-2018 NCTSA State President. 

Angel Koshy will carry on the tradition of leadership as the 2018-2019 NCTSA State Reporter. She's held chapter officer positions during middle and high school, frequently serving as a mentor to younger newer members. 

Jillian Breithaupt served two years as a state officer, and as the 2016-2017 NCTSA State President, she helped to revive the NCTSA Fall Leadership Rally as a means of cultivating future state officers and leaders in TSA. 
_____ 

East Chapel Hill High School TSA - Pat Pudlo, Advisor

East Chapel Hill's TSA had semifinalists (top 12) in 13 events, and for the first time in this chapter's history, two students, Gabe Valera and Mike Pudlo, ran for state officer positions.

2nd Place Coding: Andy Farkas, Ravi Pitelka, Joseph Ahrendsen
2nd Place CAD 3D: Tarun Goyal
3rd Place Video Game Design: Andy Farkas, Ravi Pitelka
_____ 

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools TSA wishes to thank CTE DIrector Kathi Breweur for her staunch and unwavering support for TSA in our district! Our TSA chapters grow and flourish as a direct result of Kathi's support and guidance for CTE teachers and students alike. Kathi's belief in the power and opportunities student organizations like TSA provide CTE students, makes her an exemplary leader.

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East Chapel Hill High Names Brian Nunn Head Football Coach

The Wildcats have a new head football coach. Brian Nunn comes to East Chapel Hill High from Covington, Georgia where he most recently served as wide receiver coach, head JV coach and head track and field coach. He also has experience as an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Additionally, Nunn was a middle school head football coach for ten years.

"Coach Nunn brings excitement and experience to our program," said Athletic Director Randy Trumbower. "He will be a great teacher and mentor for our student-athletes."

Nunn played football at Virginia State University. He will also serve the school as an exceptional education teacher.

Please join us in welcoming Coach Nunn.

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Signing Day

Student-Athletes at East Chapel Hill High made their college intentions known on Monday, May 14 at their signing day. The list below shows the name of each student, the college s/he will attend and the sport in which the student will participate.

Basketball
Justin Tucker - Swathmore College in Pennsylvania

Lacrosse
Maya Levin - Mary Washington
Kyndra Miller-Greene-  Transylvania University

Baseball
Jeb Byerley - Roanoke College
Justin Wernoski - Denison University
Ryan Fajack - Erskine College 

Softball
Katie Agatucci - College of Wooster (Ohio)

Swimming 
Chris Chao - Davison college

Tennis
Isabel Green - Grinnell College (Iowa)
Victoria Jones - Oxford College of Emory

Volleyball
Caroline Baldwin - Haverford College

Track & Field 
Kayla Carson - Appalachian State
Sykai Tolbert - Mount Olive

__________ 

Chapel Hill High had its signing day on May 22. Here are their student-athletes, college choices and sports.

Basketball
Aniya Taylor - Catawba Valley Community College

Lacrosse
Anne Crabill - Duke University
Shannon Wulff - Wofford College
Katherine DeHart - US Coast Guard Academy

Baseball
Jake Smith - UNC-Wilmington
Ryan Lonegan - Sewanee

Soccer
Austin Shuping - Appalachian State University

Golf
Gina Kim - Duke University

Cross Country/Track & Field
Katherine Dokholyan - Brown University
Madeleine Mount-Cors - Pomona College
Nat Romaine - East Carolina University
Anna Stouffer - John Hopkins University
Grace Tate - John Hopkins University
Dylan Blankenship - Appalachian State University
Julia McAfee - UNC-Asheville
Greta Travaglia - Oberlin College


Swimming 
Thomas Bretzman - University of North Carolina
Beau Brauer - Occidental College
Jordan Ren - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Field Hockey
Ines Yofre - Appalachian State University
Bryn Davis - Wake Forest University

Volleyball
Bailey Rose - Belmont Abbey


The following student-athletes are from Carrboro High.


Soccer
Gabby Adams - Carlow University

Volleyball
Destiny Cox - UNC-Chapel Hill
Penny Newall - Bryn Mawr University

Softball
Jadin Dewith - Florida Southern

Wrestling
Quincy Monday - Princeton University

Golf
Jacob Steinert - Lewis University

Congratulations to all of our student-athletes!

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CHCCS High Schools Earn High Rankings

U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2018 edition of Best High Schools. The rankings evaluate more than 20,500 public high schools nationwide to identify schools that best serve all of their students – including historically underserved populations – and assess the degree to which students are prepared for college-level coursework.

East Chapel Hill High, Chapel Hill High and Carrboro High finished as the top three traditional high schools in North Carolina. Of the 582 North Carolina high schools that were eligible, only 17 were awarded gold medals. Our three schools each earned a gold medal.

"Top-ranked schools succeed in three main areas: exceeding expectations on state proficiency tests, offering challenging coursework and graduating their students," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News.

The Best High Schools rankings feature data on a number of factors, including enrollment, graduation rates, diversity, participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs and the results of state assessments, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test data.

“I'm proud of our students and our team of educators,” said Superintendent Pam Baldwin. “They are committed to ensuring every child has an excellent school experience. It is a privilege to work with them as we pursue this goal together. "

U.S. News worked with RTI International, a global research firm, to implement the comprehensive rankings methodology.

To see the full list of North Carolina High Schools, click here.

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AVID Reaches Higher at UNC Celebration

A new tradition for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students was born on April 24, in a tradition-steeped room of the Morehead Foundation on the UNC campus. The graduating seniors joined other AVID students, their teachers, Director of Equity Leadership and AVID, Dr. Sheldon Lanier and Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin as they formally declared their college intentions by signing their names to a document. The wood paneled walls and glittering chandeliers set the stage for a memorable occasion, but the formal event was followed by a Chick-Fil-A lunch in the adjoining sun room, with plenty of relaxed smiles all around.
   
“College signing day was an awesome event. As a senior, I really enjoyed the recognition of my accomplishments,” said Jimias Best, East Chapel Hill High senior.
   
The idea for the campus Commitment Day celebration was developed by a freshman Morehead-Cain Scholar, Mina Yakubu, who partnered with Missy Julian Fox, Director of First Look at UNC, to create a graduation ceremony that aligned with the national Reach Higher Initiative. In 2014, Michelle Obama held her first College Signing Day rally in Texas with 2,000 graduating high school students, as she announced the creation of Reach Higher. In four years, it has become a nationwide movement with participating schools in all fifty states.
     
Yakubu and Fox share similar visions and goals for expanding college access to underrepresented populations in this community. “Mina asked me to be the advisor and I happily agreed,” said Fox. “With my work and passion for getting kids to pursue a college degree, AVID is the perfect match. It is essential for institutions of higher education to play their role and create a pipeline to our public schools.”
       
Yakubu is one of 17 students serving on the advisory board of Obama’s Better Make Room/Reach Higher. Last year those students were invited to the White House to receive the First Lady’s message first hand: Go back to your schools and figure out how to get more of your peers thinking about college.
     
Yakubu said, “I planned this event because I want to further the mission of the organization to create a college-going, college-persisting culture in the community. In our first-year, I wanted to continue planning Commitment Day/College Signing Day events in Chapel Hill. I contacted Missy after learning about First Look. We met with Dr. Lanier to coordinate for the event. I am delighted with the outcome of months of planning, emailing for donations and finalizing details.”
     
“I had a wonderful time and I think it should continue to happen every year,” said Ingri Cruz Martinez from East. “One thing that I did love the most was the motivational videos they showed and that we were able to ask the college students questions about college.”
   
The AVID students heard from a panel of Yakubu and three other UNC freshmen and sophomores, all students of color, who spoke to the challenges of making their voices heard in predominantly-white institutions. Chris Suggs, co-chair of the Black Student Movement’s first year council, said that his college choice came down to UNC and Howard University. “I found it’s important to stay true to yourself and get involved on campus. Right away.” He said it’s helpful to find a team, an organization on campus, as soon as students make their college choices. “Follow their social media, get to know the members.” He said that UNC students reached out to him before he even arrived in Chapel Hill, asking how they could help him settle in.
   
Marcella Pansini, another Morehead-Cain freshman, described how much she worried about campus social life, having come from a school where “I grew up with the same 100 people.” She said she wasn’t prepared for how big the UNC campus is, but she soon joined the Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Outreach Board, and signed on to be a First Look tour guide, providing campus experiences for middle school students.
   
All of the panelists urged the AVID students to pay attention to self-care during that crucial first year in college - and to seek out mentors early, both on faculty and older students. “Use your professor’s office hours,” was a message repeated by several.
   
Superintendent Baldwin congratulated the graduates, and Dr. Lanier spoke briefly to the seniors, saying, “AVID Scholars, congratulations to all of you. I’ve seen you grow since I came to the district when you were in 9th grade.”
     
“The AVID college signing day was a great experience for me,” said Tara Thompson of East. “Being a Junior and watching that really inspired me because I know next next year I'm going to be in that same seat, signing to the college that I'll be at in the prime years of my life. I really enjoyed being able to see other seniors in AVID programs in surrounding schools as well, and see just how important and helpful AVID can be for other students.”
   
The underclassmen spoke later about the value of attending the event. “I learned a lot from the panel,” said one student. “They explained how we shouldn’t procrastinate - that college is not a joke - you just keep your head up.”
   
Dr. Lanier noted later, “I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and the young adults they have grown to become. They are a true testament to the power of AVID.”

Click here to view Michelle Obama’s message for 2018 College Signing Day.

https://www.bettermakeroom.org/our-story/

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Smith Middle Comes Up Big at Science Olympiad

Smith Middle School's Science Olympiad Team had a very successful showing at the recent state competition held at North Carolina State University, taking home a 5th place trophy. The competition included 53 teams made up of hundreds of students from across the state. The Smith Team brought home 17 individual metals, including four 1st place finishes.

The team is coached by Regina Baratta and Lori Clark.

"This team has been a real pleasure to coach because they are motivated, cooperative, and creative," said Baratta. 

Team members include:
                                   
Harper Baer                                               

Smith Middle School Science Olympiad Team

Sophia Benjamin                                           
Eve Bryner                                                     
Laura Cai                                                     
Caroline Chen                                           
Eli Elk                                                       
Calvin Hinkle                                                   
Kevin Ji 
Justin Joo                                                   
Achyuta Kannan                                               
Max Kuhlman                                                 
Benjamin Li                                           
Avery Loeb                                               
Erin Mansfield 
Clara Merry                                                     
Noah Siekierski                                                 
Kiana Taylor                                               
Kelly Wang 

Phillips Middle School finished in 10th place. East Chapel Hill came in 9th place in the high school division.

East Chapel Hill High Science Olympiad Team

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Ingri Cruz-Martinez...Continuing the AVID legacy at East

Congratulations to East Chapel Hill High's Ingri Cruz-Martinez, recipient of the 2018 Felicia Brewer Scholarship. The cash award for the scholarship is $80,000. Ingri is continuing the AVID legacy of academic excellence at East.

The purpose of the Felicia Brewer Scholarship is to create a life-transforming opportunity for immigrant or first generation students who have overcome significant adversity, giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams and improve their lives through education or training.

"The Felicia Brewer scholarship has changed my life. This scholarship will allow me to be the first in my family to go to a university," said Ingri. "It will allow me to change the pathway to the younger generation of my family."

Ingri has decided to attend Fayetteville State University, where she will pursue nursing.

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Cisco Networking Academy Offers Opportunity

If you ask most parents and students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools about the Cisco Networking Academy courses for high school students, unfortunately you’ll hear, “Cisco What?” But if Jennifer Walker and her colleagues at Chapel Hill High have their way, the pathways within the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) will soon be recognized throughout the district - and beyond. Walker is both passionate and tireless in her work with Cisco NetAcad, and to hear her talk about current and future projects is to recognize she’s barely gotten started as a mentor and teacher.
   
Within a couple years, labor analysts in the U.S. predict there’ll be over one million more tech jobs than qualified applicants to fill them. And the salary for many of these tech jobs? Often in the $80,000 to $110,000 range. It’s surprising that more high school students aren’t standing in line to enroll in these information technology (IT) pathways.
   
How are Chapel Hill High’s AOIT and Cisco Networking Academy courses laying foundations for students to join the ranks of the “quickly employed” tech workers? Students can now choose two Cisco course pathways, either CET (computer engineering technology) or NET (network engineering technology). Upon completion of the specialized courses in either pathway, students can sit for rigorous and prestigious industry certifications before graduating from high school. The district will even pay for one certification exam voucher for each student.     
     
The AOIT is housed at Chapel Hill High, but it’s open to all CHCCS high school students who can travel from their home schools to take the academy classes. The Cisco Networking Academy is an international training program accessible through universities, community colleges, and some high schools. It provides the curriculum and hands-on lab experiences for students, as well as resources to deliver and extend IT training for instructors.  From this framework, Walker provides students with an ever-growing range of activities, information about opportunities to apply skills outside the classroom, and she works with AOIT to provide internships. Cisco's IT Essentials in the Computer Engineering courses provides training in hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills, while preparing students for CompTIA A+ certification. Cisco's CCNA (Certified Cisco Network Associate) Routing and Switching curriculum is used in the Network Engineering courses, training students in the process of data transmission, network design, device configuration, and troubleshooting, while preparing students for the Cisco CCENT (Certified Cisco Entry Networking Technician) and CCNA certifications.
     
Walker teaches all of the Computer Engineering and Network Engineering courses at Chapel Hill High, and her enthusiasm about the Cisco curriculum and its enduring benefits to students is apparent in the first few minutes of conversation. She’s a true believer, based on more than fifteen years in the IT field, as well as ten years in previous instructional positions. The keyword for her is “Opportunity,” and she loves to reel off the many opportunities students can pursue to sharpen their networking and engineering skill sets.
     
Earning one or both of the “certs” by graduation is the crown jewel of Cisco NetAcad participation, but all of the students who complete one of the pathways are well-qualified to work in IT, right out of high school. In this district, as Walker notes, most students will continue to a four year university, but some NetAcad graduates pursue classes at community colleges, or take their skills into the military. “Even without the certs, by completing these courses, students can transfer their skill sets into any profession,” said Walker.
     
“Cisco Networking Academy is a very useful program that teaches you a lot about computer engineering and networking,” said Dhruv Patel, who’s currently taking both Computer Engineering 2 and Networking Engineering 1. “Paired with the lab work Ms.Walker sets up, it prepares you for the CompTIA A+ and the CCENT certifications and gives you skills for practical use, at home and on the job.”
     
Walker’s students frequently take advantage of service-learning opportunities, both in-district and in the community. “I say to them all the time, Use your skills for good.”
     
This year, she and Darren Bell, manager of the CHCCS Community Connection Program, have collaborated to create the Tiger Tech Squad with more than 35 of Walker’s students. The Squad will soon operate as a Chromebook service depot, beginning with tech support for the Career and Technical Education staff at Chapel Hill High, but they will expand that support in the future.
     
Walker encourages her students to earn service-learning hours - plus invaluable Real World experience - at events like Volunteer Night at the Kramden Institute in the Research Triangle Park. Students provide assistance to local residents through Kramden, performing tasks like desktop refurbishing and monitor testing.
     
“It’s great for these students to see their skill set has value. In three hours, you can give people something that can change their lives,” said Walker. “Students say, 'But it’s so easy to swap out a hard drive,' and I say - to you it is!”
     
Beyond the service opportunities touted by Walker, she is constantly sharing news about internships and scholarships for summer study. Her Twitter feed @LearnITWalker is a goldmine for students in search of (there’s that word again) opportunities: cybersecurity workshops, Virtual Reality instruction and UNC’s Imagine Lab are just a few of the recent links or posts shared.
     
Walker also brings in a regular slate of tech speakers from Lenovo, Cisco and other industry giants in the area, as well as creates informative field trips for students to observe and experience a range of IT professionals in action.
     
Liz Anderton is a sophomore in Computer Engineering Technology 1, and she described how fortunate she feels to have landed in the NetAcad, even as one of the few young women in Walker’s classes. “It can be a little intimidating being the only female in a class, but it’s interesting because sometimes they (her male classmates) just think differently.” Anderton said that she’s very shy and has tended to dislike group work in previous classes, but she thrives in the team-learning format of Walker’s class. “This experience has helped me be more open in general. Everyone is really encouraging, and it’s been amazing.”
     
Anderton moved to Chapel Hill from Tennessee before ninth grade. “There was never anything like this where I lived before,” she said. “Kids don’t realize how lucky they are to have these programs. And if more people sign up for NetAcad, we can grow and do even more things.”


The Cisco Networking Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. According to its website “since 2005, more than 1.6 million students who have completed advanced courses have gotten new jobs thanks to Cisco Networking Academy. In the United States, 30 percent of enrolled students are underrepresented minorities (African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaska Native), and numerous academies specifically serve military service members, veterans, and their families. Additionally, Cisco Networking Academy has made a commitment to benefit 10,000 people living with disabilities within the next five years.

https://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1894689

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CHCCS Women Divers Shine in State Championships

The popularity of Women’s High School Diving has quietly been rising in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and in many regions across the country. Senior Alyssa Wang, state 3A diving champion for 2018, said that she was one of only two divers at East Chapel Hill High when she began competing as a freshman. Now she is mentoring and cheering on a group of younger divers who are already making a splash in North Carolina and at national events. In early February, Carrboro High sophomore Claire McDaniels placed as runner-up in the NCHSAA championship (1A/2A). Wang placed first in 3A, with Chapel Hill High sophomore Clara Tate placing as runner-up. All three competing CHCCS high schools brought home first or second place finishes among women divers.

In conversations with five of the top district divers, certain personal stories and histories overlapped, and each young woman spoke of her excitement to be among the state’s most successful divers. They all spoke about the intense combination of fun and challenges that makes the long hours of practice more than worthwhile.

Wang will be diving next year for Indiana University, one of the top college programs in the country, which traditionally draws current and future Olympians. She can’t wait to be mentored and inspired by so many star divers as she transitions to the next level. “I did a whole list of sports when I was younger,” she said. “Skating, gymnastics, ballet and soccer. But then I quit them all to commit to diving. It’s just really fun.”

Carrboro High School’s Claire McDaniels comes from a swimming and diving family; her older sister Emily McDaniels excelled as a swimmer at CHS before continuing a successful career at Vassar College, and her mother Meg McDaniels was a diver for the University of Alabama. Although Claire began as a swimmer, she became enamored of diving as she watched her older brother practice. As she said in a 2017 News & Observer profile, “I like the thrill of throwing myself off a board more than the blocks.” Now she dives weekdays before school starts, again in the afternoon for three to six hours and almost non-stop on weekends - and then there’s time in the weight room. Last year as a freshman she took first place in the state 1A/2A championships, and then went on to compete in USA Nationals, along with Wang. McDaniels grins when she says, “That’s most of the reason I’m going to college. To dive.”       

Many casual observers of the sport only watch divers compete during summer Olympics, after which there is always an uptick in children and young teens signing up to train. The Triangle is blessed with two strong programs, Duke Diving Club, where many of these high school women train, and North Carolina Diving at UNC, which also draws serious youth divers. All of the top divers in the district train year-round and compete on the USA Diving circuit, in addition to the regional and state meets with NCHSAA. Last year at the 2017 USA National Championships, Wang placed third in the 3-meter prelims as well as finishing strong in the finals; McDaniels also made it to the Nationals and finished 16th on platform overall.

Many young divers start out as gymnasts, and others first compete as swimmers. East Chapel Hill High sophomore Zooey Mehen trained as a gymnast for seven years before breaking her elbow and deciding to try out diving. She has been competing for less than two years, yet she placed fourth in the the 3A state meet last month. Mehen said she loves trying out new dives and she admits one of the reasons she enjoys diving so much is that “it just looks really cool.”

Indeed it does. All of the top divers maintain YouTube presences with brief clips of their performances in competitions. To the untrained eye, the dives of these CHCCS women look perfect - crisp, flawless lines with little splash as they hit the water. Every one of the 11 dives they execute in competition is the result of thousands of practice dives, and at each new step of development, there is often accompanying fear.

Clara Tate, a sophomore at Chapel Hill High, finished second behind Wang in last month’s 3A championships. She said that she always had a fear of heights, and the fear sometimes returns as she’s practicing her platform dives. As with most competitive divers, she’s suffered her share of injuries: a concussion, torn ligaments and a stress fracture in her back. When divers enter the water from the 10-meter platform, they are often moving at 40 mph, yet Tate notes that diving takes less physical toll on the body than competing in gymnastics at the same level. And as her fellow divers echoed over and over, “It’s just so much fun,” Tate said. “To be up there, flipping through the air.”

McDaniels said that her lifelong fearlessness is one of the most important ingredients to her success. “It’s more mental than physical - before you leave the board, it’s telling yourself it’s time to go.” Now, she said, her appetite for practice and competition is limitless. “I’m thinking, Let me try this, and this, and this.”

Cloris Huan of Chapel Hill High, yet another sophomore diver, competed last month and came away with a ninth place finish, even though she was battling an injury that took her out of practice for a number of weeks. "Diving is both a mentally and physically challenging sport that requires extreme bravery, persistence and precision,” she said. “Diving has taught me so many life lessons, like being a hard worker and being resilient, even when time are difficult.”

Meg McDaniels, Claire’s mother, stepped in to fill a coaching vacancy after winter break, and she worked with all of the CHCCS girls who competed in the regional and state championships. As an assistant coach with Duke Diving, McDaniels understands what it takes to succeed at the high school level. “They train so hard and rarely get the recognition they deserve.  I guess they don't mind because they love what they're doing, and it's been such a great foundation for them for the rest of their lives.” She added proudly, “They are very self-motivated young women!”

3A State Meet: Alyssa Wang (left), Clara Tate (2nd on left), Zoey Mehen, (4th on left)

1A State Meet: Claire McDaniels

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Counselors Visit Firefighting Training Center

The day started unlike any previous Friday for several Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools counselors as they checked into the firefighting lab at Chapel Hill High and received their “gear” for the morning: overalls, jackets, helmets, gloves and goggles - along with light refreshments. The inaugural class of eight firefighting cadets helped oversee the suiting up of those somewhat bewildered counselors, showing them how to loop their suspenders and fix their masks and oxygen tanks. Kathi Breweur, Director of Career and Technical Education, joined the guests and suited up as well. Public Safety Academies instructor Perry Hall guided everyone out into the sunshine, and then the well-padded group piled into an activity bus and set out for the Chapel Hill Fire Department Training Center on Weaver Dairy Road.
     
At the center, the group was welcomed by a large contingent from the fire department, including Fire Chief Keith Porterfield. Penny Rich, Orange County Commissioner, also spent the morning with the district team, and she energetically embraced the full experience like a new recruit. The fire academy cadets have already spent numerous sessions at the center, and they often took the lead in helping the guests learn the ropes (and the hoses). Commissioner Rich said, “I was pleasantly surprised, after I put on my fire gear, to see that the class was going to be led by some of the students who have already gone through some training. They were enthusiastic and eager to teach me what they have learned…and they did an awesome job!" 
     
The participants were divided into three groups, and during the next two hours, they learned the correct use of fire extinguishers, how to operate the fire hoses and then haul the hoses through the burn building (it’s not lightweight!) With academy cadets as their scouts and teachers, the guests crawled up, down and through the pitch dark of the brick tower maze, even as they wrestled with all of the extra pounds and bulk of their gear. Ken Lathan, school counselor and football coach at Carrboro High, said, “I was really impressed by the students’ knowledge of the course, and I have a newfound respect for the hard work that our firefighters and EMT workers endure on a daily basis.”
     
Clearly, one of the of the most enjoyable activities was learning to control and maneuver the biggest hoses, which often required two people to hold on from the sheer velocity and power of the water. On a very warm, sunny day, it appeared that a few of the guests could have happily spent the rest of the morning, practicing their “extinguishing moves” as the fine spray cooled them off.
      
“After participating in some of the exercises with the students, I now have a renewed respect for firefighters and first responders,” said Julia Royal, school counselor at Chapel Hill High. “I was impressed with our EMT and firefighting students. They were confident, helpful and knowledgeable.”
     
The session at the center wrapped up with an examination of the 110 pound dummy that’s used in rescue trainings. Lathan was the only counselor who undertook the exercise of learning correct carry of dead weight. The student cadets called out encouragement as the CHS football coach grappled with the dummy, and one of them called out, “You should try the one that’s 185 pounds!” 
     
When the students and counselors returned to the fire lab at CHHS, there was still time for the EMT students to present a skills demonstration. They showed different ways to clear a victim’s airways, as well as how to apply a tourniquet to stop bleeding.
      
“The public safety academies at Chapel Hill High School are amazing!” said Keneisha Jones, counselor at McDougle Middle School. “It was incredible to see young adults fully engaged with hands on life skills that translate far beyond the classroom. These programs provide incredible career options for students who are ready to engage in life, and want to use their skills to serve our community!  The reality of students graduating from high school with the potential to automatically earn $35,000 a year with vast promotional opportunities is inspirational, especially for students who may not be fully interested in the more traditional four-year college route. These programs provide students with opportunities to find their niche and capitalize on them.”
     
Director Breweur expressed her gratitude to everyone who dedicated the morning to the training experience. “A big thank you to Chief Porterfield and his staff, as well as our Public Safety teacher, Perry Hall and his students for putting together a GREAT morning of hands-on activities for us on Friday. Thanks to our brave counselors and county commissioner, Penny Rich, for participating and learning more about the firefighting and EMT programs offered at CHHS.”

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CHCCS Announces 17 Candidates for U.S. Presidential Scholars

Last month the candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program were announced, and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools can claim 16 students in the general category, as well as Nadiya Farrington as the only CTE (Career and Technical Education) Scholars candidate for a total of 17 students. In 2017, the district produced six candidates, and in 2016, nine candidates progressed to the semi-final round, with Jay Pande from East Chapel Hill High winning one of the two North Carolina awards that year. This year, only Wake County has more candidates in the running from our state.

      

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program of the Department of Education was established by executive order of the President in 1964, with a mission of honoring some of the country’s highest achieving high school seniors. The program expanded in 1979 to include a category for students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the arts, and in 2015, a further expansion recognized students who demonstrate strong ability and accomplishment in CTE fields. As many as 161 students are named Presidential Scholars each year.

       

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

        

The candidates from Carrboro High are:

        

Jackson Asaro

        Benjamin Gerhardt

        Andre Javan

        Jonathan Moul

        Arjun Shankar

        

From Chapel Hill High, the candidates are:

        Anne Crabill

        Douglas Heine

        Jerry Ji

        Maggie Weber

        Nadiya Farrington (CTE)

        

And East Chapel Hill High’s candidates are:

        Natalie Troy

        Mian Qin

        Yixuan Cao

        Matthew Dai

        Vincent Du

        Martin Hito

        Alexander Hito

          

The 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

           

For the general category of the program, candidates must score exceptionally well on either the SAT or the ACT, based on tests taken between September, 2015 through October, 2017. All candidates are nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or by one of the Department of Education’s partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship. Application for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only.

          

Semi-finalists will be announced in late March, with Scholars announced in April. In June, the Presidential Scholars will be invited to Washington D.C. for recognition ceremonies, including a probable visit to the White House.

          

Good luck to all CHCCS candidates-- and congratulations!

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East Chapel Hill High Senior Named Regeneron Scholar

Rohan Deshpande, an East Chapel Hill High senior, was named

one of the top 300 Scholars in the 2018 Regeneron Science Talent Search competition. The Regeneron Science Talent Search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors. The 300 scholars were selected from over 1,800 applicants. Each of the scholars and their schools will be awarded $2,000. Congratulations Rohan!

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District High School Students Excel in Learning Through Languages Symposium

The pairing of UNC and Duke in conversation often brings to mind the sports rivalry, but the frequency with which the universities collaborate in academic and research initiatives deserves more of a spotlight. A group of CHCCS high school students and teachers benefited from one of those collaborations recently by participating in the Learning through Languages Symposium. Produced by the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UNC and Duke, the event took place on December 13 at the FedEx Global building on the UNC campus.

    

Now in its third year, the Symposium seeks to challenge advanced language students with a competition that demands excellence in both written and oral research skills. Deliver an off the cuff analysis on the impact of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, speaking only in French? No problem for these students. Or answer a range of questions from judges in Japanese about the Western influences on current Israeli politics? Piece of cake. This is what these students prepared for in teams of two or three, and the rigorous expectations seemed to delight them all.

    

Of the 34 teams competing from across the state, 11 were from CHCCS, sponsored by seven world languages teachers of Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Of the 18 prizes awarded this year, eight went to our teams. East Chapel Hill High student Makenna Meyer said, “The symposium helped me improve my Spanish in so many different ways. Through our research, I learned words that wouldn't ordinarily be on a vocabulary list. Through the formal paper, I was able to practice my writing. Through the oral presentation and question/answer period, I was able to practice my speaking and listening skills. However, the symposium experience is very valuable to me not only because it improved my Spanish, but I was also able to learn about other cultures and languages.” Meyer’s team, sponsored by Spanish teacher Justin Seifts, tied for two honorable mention awards for their research on the Rohingya crisis.

Spanish IV students at Carrboro High, Julia Connor and Dani Kaufman-Sedano, won an honorable mention in Best Scholarship for their project, also on the Rohingya crisis. Their teacher, Amy Olsen said, “We're extremely proud of them at Carrboro for representing the district's stellar World Language program, and also for winning an award the first time their school was selected for competition in the Symposium!”

    

The guidelines for the competition required students to use APA style instead of the more familiar MLA. Each project had three components: the written paper, the oral presentation, and the project visual. Students chose their topics from one of four strands: Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, Europe or Middle East and North Africa. The contest design promotes research methodology, technology literacy, and critical thinking, and it addresses the Department of Public Instruction’s Essential Standards for the study of World Languages.

    

Judges for the competition were professors or graduate students from UNC and Duke. One of the judges for the French presentations was Dr. Deb Reisinger from the Practice of Romance Studies at Duke; she also happens to be a CHCCS parent. “I work closely with AP curriculum and development, and so I was eager to meet the students who were taking AP courses in World Languages. What an impressive group! Our AP French students were simply outstanding. Not only had they produced written analyses that reflected critical thinking and strong research skills, but they were able to talk about their research on refugees and migration with me in French. What stood out most was that these students were clearly passionate about learning, and able to articulate the importance of learning about the world from multiple perspectives. I am thrilled that my child will have the opportunity to participate in CHCCS' excellent AP program.”

    

One of those French students from Chapel Hill High, Daniel Zaretsky, was on the team that won Best Use of Written and Oral Language (across all languages). He said, “The Research Symposium was definitely a very enriching and important experience as a language learner. Of course, we couldn't have done it without Mme. (Christen) Campbell. The processes of researching and writing the paper, and preparing the presentation, were definitely eye-opening, and I encountered many interesting and shocking facts while exploring the details of the refugee crisis in the Middle East and its effects on Lebanon.”

     

Congratulations to all of the award winning teams from CHCCS, as well as all the participants who put so much effort into their scholarship and presentations!

          

Learn more about the Symposium at http://areastudies.unc.edu/ltl/

Below are the award winners:                        

Best Overall Research Project on Contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Julia Cummer, Meenakshi Kaundinya and Daniela Martínez Leal of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Valerie Huet, for “L’Ouragan Maria Révèle La Négligence Envers Porto Rico” (“Hurricane Maria Reveals Negligence towards Puerto Rico”)

Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Alec Caruana, Robin Huang, and Daniel Zaretsky of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Une investigation de la présence des réfugiés syriens au Liban” (“An Investigation of the Presence of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon”)

Honorable Mention of Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Justin Holly, Emmy Soll, and Nikita Zaretsky, of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Les effets du Printemps arabe sur la traite des humains en Tunisie” (“The Effects of the Arab Spring on Human Rights in Tunisia”)

Honorable Mention of Best Scholarship (tie):

• Julia Connor and Danielle Kaufman-Sedano of Carrboro High School, teacher Amy Olsen, for “Examinando la crisis rohingya como limpieza étnica” (“Examining the Rohingya Crisis as Ethnic Cleansing”)

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Best Visual Presentation (tie):

• Rebecca Guo, Jane Hwang, and MeiXuan Zhu of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “中国、日本、インド、ベトナムの 勢力拡大による国境紛争”  (“China, Japan, India, and Vietnam’s Increasing Power and the Resulting Border Conflicts”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Asia:

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Middle East and North Africa:

• Jillian Breithaupt, Ethan San Pedro, and Haruna Tsukiyama of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “イスラエルの政治への欧米の影響” (“Western Influence on Israel’s Politics)

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