AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL
NOTAM 022210
22 February 2010

WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?

Monday
Ballroom Dancing for beginners 3:40–5:00 p.m. in the Gym
Robotics Team Meeting 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. in Room 7

Tuesday
Robotics Study Hall 3:45 -5:00 p.m. in Room 16
Robotics Team meeting 6:00-9:00 p.m. in Room 7

Wednesday
Peer Tutoring (sign-up) 3:35–4:45 p.m. in Room 10
Robotics Study Hall 3:45-5:00 p.m. in Room 16
Robotics Team meeting 6:00-9:00 p.m. in Room 7

Thursday
Clubs during Advisory
Culture Club 3:45–4:45 p.m. in Room 24
Robotics Study Hall 3:45 -5:00 p.m. in Room 16
Robotics Team meeting 6:00-9:00 p.m. in Room 7

Friday
Early Release at 2:00 p.m.
Staff Professional Collaboration time 2:15-3:45 p.m.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL:
With all of the sunny weather we’ve been experiencing lately, it definitely feels more like Spring than Winter! Trees and flowers are blooming, yards are getting spruced up, and people are hopping on their bikes and/or hitting the walking/jogging trails in droves. Alki Beach in West Seattle, close to my home, was buzzing over the weekend as people enjoyed perfect blue skies and the warmth of the sun. I was among them on Sunday and loving every minute of it!

There is no doubt that the feel of spring lifts our hearts as well as our energy level. And, within the Aviation High School learning community, there seems to be an abundance of good energy! Our Skunks are enthusiastically putting the finishing touches on their robot and preparing for the Portland Regional during the first weekend in March. And, if you haven’t yet seen this year’s robot, you’re in for a treat! The design is sophisticated and innovative, and I have a hunch that the Skunks will once again be a sought-after team!

Our Science Olympians are also planning for their next big event, which is Regional competition at Seattle Central Community College this weekend. Our Olympians will test their mettle against teams from around the region, vying for ten spots to qualify for State competition in Eastern Washington later this spring. They have been busy refining their models (bridges that hold over 500 times their own weight, catapults that can land a projectile within one cm of the target from 10 meters away, mousetrap cars that reverse by themselves, etc.), studying college-level cell biology, epidemiology, astronomy, and anatomy, and honing their inquiry skills... and, of course, serving as proud and capable ambassadors for the school.

Our Speech and Debate team is gearing up for National Qualifiers during May 5-7, where, if they do well, they will win a berth to National competition in June. There is a definite spirit of camaraderie, determination, and energy being exhibited by our “sports” teams.

Energy is especially evident among our seniors with many of them feeling the love as letters of acceptance begin to arrive from colleges and universities they wish to attend—including Cornell, California Polytechnic Institute, Texas A&M, & Portland State University to name just a few! There’s also a buzz in classrooms as students design and build wing beams and airplanes, engage in tough and important conversations about race in America in US History classes, develop proposals and structures to best complete the challenge in Flight by Design, and suddenly realize in Advanced Placement (AP) classes that the month of May is near!

Spring is definitely in the air! May each of you continue to feel the energy as your year of learning continues and as you experience new joys in your life.

As I close this week’s message, I also wish to share that there was great joy within the Gilman family this past weekend. My daughter, Chelsea, has dated the same handsome, wonderful guy for close to five years; and for the last year or so, she has hoped that he would pop the question and put an engagement ring on her finger. Well…I guess Spring must have inspired a somewhat confirmed bachelor to do precisely that! He skipped a traditional Valentine’s Day ask and opted instead for a surprise ask a few days later—February 19, to be precise.  Love is, indeed, a beautiful thing to behold! And so…here’s to love and all the sweet anticipation and energy that accompanies it!

Honored to be your principal—Reba

CONGRATULATIONS TO WILLIAM DELASHMUTT
who was selected as Sodo Rotary’s February Student of the Month! William is also being recognized today by the Southcenter Rotary Club as their Student of the Month.

CONGRATULATIONS TO AHS ATHLETES:
The Mighty Mt. Rainier Ram Swimmers did it again……they won Districts!! They were powered by Jason Lemley, Andrew Garrido, Sam McClean, and Quinn Walters. Andrew placed 2nd in the 200 Free Relay. Jason place 3rd in the 100 back, 6th in the 50 Free, 2nd in the 200 Medley Relay, and 2nd in the 400 Free Relay. WAY TO GO, SCHOLAR/ATHLETES!!!!! Now….on to the STATE MEET!!!
Troy Nickleson won the Diving Competition……he competes for Highline High School!!! Cory McNeil also competes for Highline High School!!
Jared Sharp, swimming for Highline, qualified to compete at state with his 400 free style relay team. CONGRATULATIONS, Jared!

A special note about Conrad Nark! This ambitious student swims for W/Seattle High School. He gets up at 5:30am every morning to go to practice. Conrad is dedicated and will be swimming in the District Championships at Mary Waite pool on Mercer Island.

FROM YOUR ASB
Get psyched for this year's "Party on the Moon" MORP (prom backwards; casual-blacklight) on March 27, 2010 from 8:00-11:00 PM. Come and wear white so those blacklights can make you glow in the dark! Prices for singles are $8 w/ASB and $12 w/o ASB and prices for couples are $12 w/ASB and $22 w/o ASB. We will begin selling tickets on March 15th in the cafeteria. Also, if you plan on bringing guests make sure to have your guests passes turned in by March 24th before 3:30 PM. NO EXCEPTIONS! Tune in for further details. Chaperones are needed the night of the dance, so teachers or parents please let Mr. Dezember know ASAP if you would like to go. Can't wait to see you there!

Your Freshmen Class Captains, Tran Tonnu and Conrad Nark

SPRING IS IN THE AIR
Science Olympians head to Regional competition this weekend. At Seattle Central Community College, our Olympians will test their mettle against teams from around the region, vying for ten spots to head to State competition in eastern Washington later this spring. They have been busy refining their models (bridges that hold over 500 times their own weight, catapults that can land a projectile within one cm of the target from 10 meters away, mousetrap cars that reverse by themselves, etc.), studying college-level cell biology, epidemiology, astronomy, and anatomy, and honing their inquiry skills... and, of course, serving as proud and capable ambassadors for the school.

Speech and Debate is gearing up for National Qualifiers during 5-7 May. If they do well there, they will win a berth to National competition in June.

Buzz in classrooms:
Learning from each other in 10th grade humanities, debriefing presentations on the history of Russia and the Soviet Union.
Engaging in tough and important conversations about race in America in US History
Developing proposals and structures to best complete the challenge in Flight by Design.

ATTENTION SENIORS
On Tuesday, February 23rd, please gather during advisory at the back field behind the school for the senior class photo. This will be in the yearbook, so bring your smiles and prepare yourselves to be forever immortalized in ink.

THE 6TH ANNUAL DAN HARTLEY SCHOLARSHIP POTATO DINNER & AUCTION
REVISED DATE is Friday, March 19, 2010, 6:00-8:00 pm at the IAM #751 Union Hall on 15th Place South in Seattle.

We will have great food, entertainment, & auction items!
All proceeds are awarded to AHS students as scholarships.

Stay tuned for information on how to purchase your tickets at a reduced price in advance

Adults $10 & Students $6 in advance. ($12 & $8 at door)
Student volunteers needed for greeting, decorating, serving, & clean up.

GREAT WAY TO GET YOUR SERVICE HOURS IN!

Adult help needed for food/kitchen, promotion/ticket sales, set up/clean up & auction organizer/procurement.

Please sign up in the AHS office or contact Co-Chairs Liz Campisteguy at Campisteguy@gmail.com - phone 425-228-2845 OR Bonnie Gustafson at kbkgus@comcast.net - phone 206-409-6903

MENTORING PROGRAM EXTENDED
YOU ARE INVITED – Bring your lunch to Room 2 on Wednesday, February 24 and learn about a variety of career choices.

Whether you are currently participating in the Mentoring Program or not, you can take advantage of our new “Lunch Time Launch” guest speaker series. We’ve invited some very interesting professionals to share information about their career field. A great variety of aviation/aerospace and STEM-related professions will be represented, and as an extension of our Mentoring Program, the series is designed to reach as many students as possible, grades 9-12. ANY/ALL students are invited to bring their lunch to Room 2 on scheduled “Lunch Time Launch” days; watch for additional information in NOTAM, and sign up in the Counseling/Career Center.

Our first speaker is ARCHITECT Thomas Hanson who works for The Boeing Company.
Mr. Hanson said, “Students-bring your questions!” “What does an architect do for Boeing?”, “Will there be jobs as an architect when I graduate?”, “What is the coolest thing you’ve done as an architect?” “What could I being doing now if I am considering a career in architecture or something similar?” Students- what do you want to know? Come ask Mr. Hanson at our first “Lunch Time Launch” meeting on Wednesday, February 24th during lunch. Mr. Hanson will not only be sharing his expertise and enthusiasm, but is bringing Boeing souvenirs for students as well.

Future plans include impressive speakers: a pilot who is also an electrical engineer and Marine, an Air Traffic Safety Inspector, a physician, and an airline’s marketing vice president.

Questions? Ask Ms. Burr, Ms. Kiser or Ms. Pappas in the Career Center. See you Wednesday, February 24th- and remember to sign up and tell your friends!

Except for the Quote of the Week, the following announcements have been posted in previous editions of the NOTAM. They are still important and posted for your information and action, as appropriate:

AP STUDENTS
All students planning to take AP tests in May should make a down payment by
March 1. The final payment is due on April 1.

The test fee is $86 per test taken. A deposit of $15 per test is due on March 1; the balance is due on April 1, 2010. The deposit and fee for tests are reduced for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. Students should contact Ms. Lefevre, the school bookkeeper, for more information.

Quote of the Week: Love is in the air! So is Spring!