PTSA Scholarship Program Enables Students to Attend Community College

In the fall of 2015, the Chapel Hill High School PTSA received a grant for approximately $7,000. During the conversations that followed, the PTSA Executive Board explored a variety of school initiatives that could be developed with that funding. Current president Kirsten Barker said that over the past several years, “The CHHS PTSA has been trying to highlight that we are an organization that supports ALL CHHS students, parents and staff. We felt that a good way to put those words into action would be to focus on students who were continuing to community college, so we could continue to provide support that they would be leaving behind when they left the safety net of high school.”
   
The first scholarships were awarded in the spring of 2016 to five students, to four students in 2017 and four more this spring. To hear the stories and ambitions from the students who have benefited from the fund is to understand how wide and deep the impact has already been.
   
Monicah Atwater, a recipient from the first class of 2016, will receive her Associate in Applied Science degree in Medical Assisting Technology from Alamance Community College on June 8. She has long held the ambition to work in an allied health field. Through her grandmother’s long illness, Atwater learned as much as she could to strengthen her support skills. During that experience, she became committed to further education in medicine, and she has loved the courses at ACC. “Without the scholarship to get started, it would have been completely different,” Atwater said.
   
DohSay Sein received the scholarship as a 2017 CHHS graduate, and his year at Durham Tech has allowed him to focus and define his educational path, well beyond any plans he had considered a year ago. “I would like to say thank you very much for the scholarship that I got from the PTSA. It has really helped me a lot with my school tuition and move forward with my education. I will be able to buy the books and other supplies that I need in each class.”
   
During his first semester, DohSay said he kept changing his mind about what he wants to study, but now he is confident that he would like to earn an Associate in Science degree to prepare for transfer to a four year college. He hopes to pursue a career in Network Security. “The teachers at Durham Tech are very, very nice,” DohSay said. “Every time when I need help with the subject, I can always contact them and make an appointment with them to help me with the subjects that I don’t understand. Overall, I really enjoy learning at Durham Tech, and what I have learned now and in the past, has made a big difference in my life.”
   
Kimberlee Spores is the current chair of the CHHS PTSA Scholarship Program.  She is the "face" of the program now and has developed new ideas to make the work of the committee more professional. Each fall, Spores, Barker and other Executive Board members meet with the most recent class of recipients to check in and hear how they are navigating their first semesters - and to provide guidance and cheerleading, if necessary.
   
The selection process has been fine-tuned by the Scholarship Committee, in consultation with Assistant Principal Anna Hipps and the counseling team at CHHS. Since counselors know which of the seniors hope to attend community college, they have been able to ensure that eligible students not only learn about the scholarships, but that they can provide direction and support to complete the application and secure teacher recommendations.
   
“We pay $500 directly to the school for fall tuition and then a follow-on of another $500 if they re-enroll for spring classes,” Barker said. “We also stay in touch with them and ‘mother hen’ them a bit to make sure they are registering, staying on track, etc…”
   
Linda Cervantes, another of the 2016 recipients, said that the “mother henning” part of the process was invaluable for her. As a first generation college student, she said that nearly every part of enrolling in her first semester at Alamance Community College was challenging, since she had no one to help her understand the process. “It was such a relief to start out in college, not worrying about how to pay for every little thing.”
   
Cervantes hopes to complete her Associates in Arts certificate this summer, so that she will be ready to enroll at Guilford College in August. In the university transfer track, she has met the general education requirements, except for a final course in biology. Her career ambition is to become a social worker, and she feels very optimistic about the kind of preparation she’ll receive at the private Quaker college. “They’re a school that talks a lot about social justice and community. I know I want to contribute and give back.”
   
Four 2018 scholarship recipients were recognized at the May 30 senior awards ceremony at CHHS. Among this year’s winners: a student who has been studying automotive technology through dual enrollment at Durham Tech, where he will enroll full time in the fall; one who has a passion for photography and will also attend Durham Tech; a student who hopes to study sonography and another student who will also enroll in general education courses at Durham Tech.
 
Barker and Spores are deeply committed to continuing the scholarship fund to provide multiple grants each year. “Our traditional fundraising activities now support the scholarship program in addition to our other initiatives like teacher discretionary funds, teacher supplies, student club support and mental health initiatives,” said Barker.
   
Although approximately ten percent of CHCCS seniors choose to attend community college, few are commended for that choice. “We felt that lots of kids get recognized for athletic signing and four-year college scholarships, but not much is said about or done for our kids who go on to community college,” Barker said. “We want the ultimate message to be that the path to success doesn’t only tie to UNC acceptances.”

Click here to learn more about the scholarships or to make a contribution.
 

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Culbreth Greenhouse Becomes a Classroom

Mohammad tended to the plants with the quiet, serene focus of a natural gardener, while Arnaud claimed, “All you need to say is it puts a smile on my face to be in the greenhouse.” They are two of the six 8th grade students in Billy Giblin’s reading class at Culbreth Middle School who have participated in an informal pilot experience that could be titled, “Learning in the Greenhouse.” Once or twice a week, they leave their traditional classroom and enter a zone of plants and light.

     

The building was installed at Culbreth in 2014 as part of the Alice Gordon Science Wing, a 14,700 square foot addition which included Solatube skylights and bamboo flooring in classrooms. The new greenhouse was advertised as being available to all Culbreth staff, but there have been relatively few teachers who have used the space since it opened.

Giblin noted that many of his students learn more efficiently and enthusiastically if they are not asked to “sit, sit, sit all the time.” The greenhouse became a focus of his re-direction toward more hands-on learning, even though, he said, “I didn’t know how to grow anything.” But the vision took shape for Giblin, and he, like his students, has learned as a novice, week by week.

     

CHCCS Sustainability Director, Dan Schnitzer, agreed to pitch in to develop ideas for greenhouse instruction, though he claimed to know little more than Giblin, who said, “Having Dan collaborate...there’s always strength in numbers.” 

He admitted that he kept asking himself, "What if nothing grows?" Fortunately, he was inspired by Superintendent Baldwin’s Convocation challenge to staff to take risks and have fun in their work with students.

     

Giblin explored various options for funding; his proposal for greenhouse learning won a competitive Whole Kids grant for $2,000. As the class jumped into gardening last fall, planting a range of greens and other vegetables, Giblin and Schnitzer chose creative additions, like an aeroponic Tower Garden, which holds up to 20 different plants in less than three square feet of space. 

     

The instructional goals covered both reading and math. Students researched and chose what plants to grow; they studied manuals to understand how equipment worked, and they calculated and measured nutrients for hydroponic and soil plantings skills. “They read seed packets,” Schnitzer said. “They read about how to price their packs of seedlings. A big goal - and I think success - was having them learn and read while doing something new, fun and productive.” 

The spring yield provided enough tomato, herb and marigold seedlings that the class was able to sell the "fruits of their labor" to staff at Lincoln Center, earning over $300. 

     

Perhaps more exciting to the Culbreth gardeners was the end-of-year opportunity to divide up seedlings and larger plants among themselves. Briana said that her mother kept asking for more cilantro, and Mohammad said that his father already gardens near their home, so he’s looking forward to integrating his own raised-from-seed vegetable plants into the family plot.

     

These 8th grade students will move on to Carrboro and Chapel Hill High next year, but Giblin already has new ideas for expanding his use of greenhouse learning, and hopefully, more students will catch the “gardening bug.”

 

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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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Chapel Hill High and the National Spanish Exams

CHAPEL HILL HIGH SPANISH STUDENTS SCORE WELL

Congratulations to the many, many Spanish students from Chapel Hill High who attained national recognition for excellent performance on the 2018 National Spanish Examinations.

In all, 378 students took the exams, which assesses reading, listening, vocabulary and grammar comprehension. Students from Chapel Hill High earned a total of 20 gold, 40 silver and 33 bronze medals along with 110 honorable mentions.

Exams across the nation are given and then compared. Students who scored in the 95th percentile and above are gold, 85-94% are silver, 75-84% are bronze and 50-74% are honorable mention.

“Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Examinations is very prestigious,” said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, National Director of the Exams, “because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with over 150,000 students participating in 2018.” 

Students from Chapel Hill High have a long history of high achievement on these exams, and were taught by Spanish teachers David Boyle, Susan Stites, Braden Walsh, Maite Lamberri, and Thomas Soth. 

The National Spanish Examinations are administered each year in grades 6 through 12, and are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

More information about the exams can be found at:

https://www.nationalspanishexam.org/index.php/about-us/what-is-nse

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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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Smith Mathcounts Team - State Champions!

On Friday, March 23, the Smith Middle School MathCounts Team traveled to the NC School of Science and Math in Durham for the MathCounts State Finals.  The Cyclones team came in as one of the favorites - having finished in the top three for seven straight years now, but knowing it was going to be very competitive this year.

Smith won thanks to a very strong Team Round in which they were the only school to get eight of the 10 problems correct.

Student team members include Leo DeJong, Ben Li, Bo Chi, and Michael Dai, and the team is coached by Smith math teachers, Boyd Blackburn and Rachel Haber.

In addition, Ben Li was the individual winner of the Countdown Round which is a fast-paced event in which you try to be the first to buzz in with the correct answer.

In addition, Leo DeJong finished 3rd individually which means he will be one of the four students representing North Carolina at the National MathCounts competition (live-streamed on ESPN) in Washington, DC in May.  Dr. Blackburn will coach the North Carolina team.

Smith's arch-rival, Carnage Middle School in Raleigh, finished second. Phillips Middle School also had a good day, finishing seventh in the state. The Phillips team is coached by Angela Short.

Congratulations to all of our Smith and Phillips MathCounts competitors.

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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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Smith and Phillips Middle Schools Qualify for MathCounts State Finals

On Friday, February 16, the Smith Middle School MathCounts Team competed against 20 other schools and 160 students in the Orange-Durham Chapter MathCounts Competition. The event was held at the Carolina Student Union and hosted by the UNC Department of Mathematics.

Smith won the overall competition, taking eight of the top 10 spots. All 10 Smith students finished in the top 18. Ben Li was named the individual champion. The team qualified for the MathCounts State Finals held in one month at the NC School of Science and Math.

Phillips Middle School came in second place as a team, and Jeffrey Zhu of Phillips came in second place individually. The Phillips team also qualified for the State Finals.

Please join us congratulating the following students:

(Perfect score is 46)

Ben Li - 45 
Jeffrey Zhu - 44
Leo DeJong - 43
Michael Dai - 43
Bo Chi - 42
Kevin Ji - 40
Amanda Zhang - 39
Sophia Benjamin - 39
Thomas Shundi - 38
Tyler Yang - 38
Ben Knight - 37
Kevin Li - 37
Rama Varanasi - 36
Jiwon Kim - 35
Luke Chen - 35
Tyler Tan - 34 

The Smith team is coached by Boyd Blackburn and Rachel Haber. The Phillips team is coached by Angela Short. 

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Glenwood Hosts African-American Read-In

History Month by hosting a Read-In with guest readers, who all shared storybooks, poems and biographies of and by African-Americans. Glenwood’s event took place February 8th and 9th in classrooms and the media center. Nearly every student, K-5th, experienced the gifts offered by more than two dozen readers who included Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin, CHCCS district staff members, School Board members, UNC athletes and a variety of Orange County commissioners and others.

"I always enjoy my time reading with our students," said Board Member James Barrett. "Their natural curiosity and passion for learning is inspiring." Board Vice-Chair Margaret Samuels and Board Member Amy Fowler also took their turns in the reader’s seat.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners was also well represented in the slate of readers. Chair Mark Dorosin shared a quote that really inspired the 5th graders: "The struggle is the victory." That simple statement prompted much circle discussion among the 5th grade students. They shared their own struggles and talked about how working through struggles is a victory in itself.

Commissioner Renee Price first spoke about her educational background, as well as her professional journey. She mentioned that, as a graduate student, she had spent most of a weekend accompanying Rosa Parks to events. Students were fascinated by that revelation, and they had plenty of questions for Price. She then read a number of Langston Hughes poems to 4th grade students, and she sought their responses and interpretations.

“The readers inspired students to learn more about African-American history, leaders, and authors, as well as inspiring them to continue working hard in their educational paths,” said Katherine Whittington, Glenwood, Principal Intern and co-organizer of the read-in.

A small group of 5th grade female students enjoyed a Lunch-and-Listen when their guest readers appeared in the classroom. JoJo Jones, a UNC freshman basketball player, and Ru Mucherera, a soccer player, took turns reading, asking the girls questions and sharing their own thoughts about education, stories, and sports. 

Jones read Despite the Height, a book by former UNC star point guard, Ivory Latta; the picture book captures the WNBA player’s experience learning to play basketball against her older, bigger brothers. Both women encouraged the girls to remember how important it is to focus on academics, even when sports are a primary passion. “Do the best you can in school,” Jones said. “Just because you play the sport well doesn’t mean you automatically get to go to any school you want.” She went on to say that she’d like to play professional ball, but not for long; she hopes to return to law school and become a sports lawyer. Jones provided an off-the-cuff, brief overview of Title IX, and she urged them to think about why it matters in so many areas of women’s lives.

“Discussions about the books, authors, and lives of those that they read about continued to be discussed throughout the week,” Whittington said. “We loved seeing our young scholars interact with community volunteers who inspire them and challenge them.”

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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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AIG Partnership with Elon University

A collaboration was born last summer that promises to deliver gifts to both Elon University and especially the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. As a pilot outreach, Elon’s School of Education Project LAUNCH (Leveraging All Unique Needs - Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools) is offering the full 12-credit AIG licensure to a group of 20 district teachers. Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin was instrumental in orchestrating this tuition-free partnership from its inception. Even the textbooks will be offered to participants, free of charge.

These teachers will be learning as a cohort over a period of 18 months. Instruction will be delivered by two Elon professors, Dr. Stephen Byrd and Dr. Glenda Crawford, and most of the class sessions will be taught at Morris Grove Elementary School, so that the participating teachers can minimize their travel to the Elon campus.

Because 30% of CHCCS students are identified as AIG, gifted education is one of the district’s primary areas of focus. Few, if any, public school districts in the state have such a high percentage of identified gifted students. Administrators and the school board are always seeking strategies to reach more of these students in their classrooms, across the grade levels. As the Gifted Education website for our district states, “Our mission is to promote habits of mind that grow creative problem solvers, passionate leaders, and lifetime learners - Growing Greatness.”  

In the current district AIG Plan (2016-2019), one of the key goals is to place “AIG students in general education classrooms with teachers who have earned an AIG add-on license from an Institute of Higher Education (IHE) or who have met the LEA’s professional development requirements for that position.” The impact of Project LAUNCH will do just that-- increase the number of AIG-licensed teachers by 20, with a much wider impact than in their own classrooms, through the sharing of information in Professional Learning Communities and other site- and district-based opportunities.    

Several high school teachers are part of the LAUNCH cohort, including English teacher Pierre Lourens at Carrboro High. “I am excited about the AIG partnership between Elon and CHCCS, because it provides me the chance to pursue mastery of instructional approaches and curriculum design. In my role as an English teacher, I encourage my students to think of “mastery” of our standards as an endless and active pursuit rather than a single achievable goal. To that end, I know that I can always grow, and I look forward to adding to my skillset - a skillset which benefits all students.” Lourens added that he was encouraged by the first reading assignment because it emphasized how much the broader use of strategies for AIG instruction will raise the bar for all students.      

Board Chair Rani Dasi said, “CHCCS is focused on optimizing resources to address the needs of all of our students. While the state does not provide adequate resources to serve our district's gifted population, we are pursuing a partnership with Elon to certify local teachers in gifted instruction. We are fortunate to have professionals on staff who are willing to put in the time and effort toward this initiative. The project also highlights the importance of community partnerships, as Elon is playing an important role in providing training and support for our teaching community."      

The 20 teachers met in late October for an orientation, but the first official class and coursework will begin on February 6. In the recent welcome letter sent to teachers, the Elon team wrote, “Our vision of the program is of a vibrant, challenging education community that fulfills the experienced teachers' desire to explore, to grow, and to actively engage in their love of teaching and learning.”     

The first of four courses is “Curriculum and Instructional Design in Gifted Education.” Other courses will include “Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Students” and a final course called “Consultation and Collaboration” that will involve an internship designing, administering, and evaluating a summer learning enrichment experience for our students.  The courses will be taught integrating face-to-face sessions at Morris Grove, online coursework, and some sessions on campus at Elon University.      

Kelly Fox, a social studies teacher at Phillips Middle School, reflected pure excitement as she talked about this new learning experience. After 14 years as a classroom teacher, and in her third year at CHCCS, Fox noted that the range of giftedness she observes in her sixth grade classes is unlike any other level of exceptionality she has experienced as a teacher. “I’m excited for this opportunity to better meet the needs of all our children,” she said. “I already differentiate all of the time, but I look forward to having a new, expanded toolbox.”    

The operative word for all the partners seems to be “excited.” Dr. Byrd of Elon wrote to participants, “We are excited that you are taking this next, important step in your professional career. Really, it is a step of leadership. We look forward to partnering with you to promote your future success.” 

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North Carolina School Report Cards

Earlier this week, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released school report cards for all public schools in the state. Data for 2016-17 can be found at NC School Report Cards, a completely redesigned (and more user-friendly) website.

North Carolina’s school report cards are an important resource for parents, educators, state leaders, researchers, and others, providing information about school- and district-level data in a number of areas. These include student performance and academic growth, school and student characteristics, and many other details.

The new website allows for side-by-side school comparisons. However, since schools are structured differently from one another in terms of size, grade levels, student populations, and programs offered, the report cards should not be used to rank schools.

Researchers and others who want more detailed data may visit the school report card analytical site at https://ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/landing.html. Data downloads are available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src/researchers/. 

The North Carolina School Report Cards have been produced annually since 2001 to provide information about local schools, districts and overall state data. More information, including answers to frequently asked questions about the report cards, is available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/src/.

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