AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL
26 September 2011
What’s Happening this Week:
Monday: 9:00 – 3:00 p.m. Blood Drive in the gym--Come help out the National Honor Society and help save lives by donating! Must be 16 years or older and weigh over 110 pounds
6:30 p.m. Search for Superintendent Public Meeting at Bow Lake Elementary
Tuesday: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Robotics Team Meeting
6:30 p.m. Search for Superintendent Public Meeting at White Center Heights Elementary
Wednesday: 3:30 p.m. Film Committee leadership meeting after school in Mr. Savishinsky's room
Thursday: Clubs during Advisory!
3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Culture Club every Thursday. Culture Club is open to anyone and everyone. No need to sign up, just come! Room 24
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Robotics Team Meeting
Friday: 12:00-2:00—VIPs on campus—Pathfinder recipients, ERAU reps, Mr. Peter
Morton, Museum of Flight CEO Doug King & Other aerospace leaders!
Saturday: 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. Scoop on Cool Careers. See posted flyers for details!
4:00 – 9:30 p.m. 30th Annual Pathfinders Gala at The Museum of Flight!
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
We’re back to our own reality today after being in the company of President Obama yesterday! I hope that yesterday’s experience will be one that you will forever remember, recognizing that you were sitting in seats that other students and schools would have given anything to occupy!
While I know that it was disappointing not to hear our school mentioned during the President’s speech, I hope that any disappointment you may have felt yesterday is replaced with joy in knowing that it was truly an honor to have been invited! I imagine that for most of us it may represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Our school already hit a home run in being the ONLY school selected to attend based on a track record of exemplary student achievement and serving as a Lighthouse Model of STEM Excellence. And after all, about a half million people watched the story on KING TV that aired last Thursday, featuring AHS students Benton Coblentz, Austin McHenry, Katie McConville, Paula Cieszkiewicz, Emory Eng, Gabby Ramirez, Serena Simkus, and Jonah Graves. These scholars handled themselves like pros, and I was immensely proud of all of them!
Political speeches ultimately come down to the amount of time the speaker has to deliver what he believes is most politically astute to say to the people who are supporting him. Yesterday’s program ran late…the crowd was eager to hear him speak…and he was scheduled for another event in California that evening.
We all witnessed politics in action! Now it is time to reflect on what you experienced. What were the highlights for you? What are your wonderings and wishes? What will be different for you as a result of this experience? Your teachers will be facilitating conversations with you this week, and most likely throughout the entire school year, about the various aspects of yesterday’s experience. I am interested in hearing your feedback, too, so I’ll be stopping by classes and conversing with you in hallways and during lunchtime.
My congratulations to each and every one of you in the AHS learning community! You are stars! Our local community, the State of Washington, and the Federal government have all embraced Aviation High School in a huge way because of YOU and your commitment to making a positive difference in the world! You have much to be proud of along with unlimited opportunities to realize your goals and dreams!
On a different note, our entire freshman class is at the Museum of Flight today to familiarize themselves with the amazing resources that are available there. Their visit will include tours of the Space Gallery, Red Barn, Personal Courage Wing, Great Gallery, AirPark, and Library/Archives. They will not have time to experience every aspect of the Museum and its programs today, but the good news is that they can revisit the Museum on their own time (with no admission fee) because their Aviation HS ASB card also serves as a membership card. The same is true for every other student at AHS, so I encourage you all to make frequent weekend trips to the Museum. There is much to explore!
Congratulations to Jenny Gao and Davis Yoshida Davis who have been selected as National Merit Semifinalists. Both were selected based on their achievement on the PSAT. Those selected as semifinalists represent less than one percent of each state’s high school seniors! Jenny and Davis are now contenders for a National Merit Scholarship Award, which could be up to $20,000. This is an outstanding honor for both scholars, so please congratulate them when you see them.
Thank you to Mrs. Lisa Fischer (mother of freshman Austin Fischer) for facilitating Etiquette Training last week for the 106 students who will be attending Pathfinder this Saturday evening. This is a record number of AHS students who have been selected, thanks to the generosity of various sponsors, including our PTSA. It will be a grand evening! Attendees: Reminder that the ERAU Career Fair starts at 4:00 PM in the Allen Theater, and parents are encouraged to attend with you. Meet your chaperone in front of the gift shop at 5:15 p.m. please for a group photo. We will then proceed to the Great Gallery for the reception, which will be followed by dinner and the Pathfinder interviews. . Parents should plan to pick you up between 9:15-9:30 p.m. If you have any questions about Pathfinder, please check in with me this week. Remember to write your thank-you card or letter on Sunday to turn in to Mrs. Hiranaka on Monday! I look forward to spending the evening with you.
My best for an inspiring week of learning, accompanied by deep reflection on Sunday’s visit with the President! I am honored to be your principal! ~Reba
NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Clubs officially begin this Thursday! On Wednesday in Advisory you will learn which club you will be participating in. Enjoy!
• For those who have been coming to Culture Club, there is no need to remind you how fun it has been! For those who haven’t joined us, Culture Club is open to anyone and everyone, no need to sign up, just come! Room 24, 3:45-4:45 every Thursday. This week we will have an all-club kickball game, and everyone is encouraged to join in. On Thursday, October 6, we will be having a large potluck get-together in which we all share our favorite family food. We hope to see you all there! Culture-It’s who we are! Acceptance- It’s what we do!
• Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12
at 9 A.M. The PSAT is a practice assessment and prediction tool for the higher stakes testing that occurs in the spring of junior year and throughout the senior year. When taken in the junior year, students may qualify for National Merit Scholarships. National Merit Scholarships are $2500.00 awards given to the highest scoring entrants in each state. Student guides will be distributed in advisory this week. If you are a freshman interested in taking the PSAT, please see Ms. Carper.
• Parents, teachers and staff as well as community supporters of STEM and Aviation High School may want to consider becoming a mentor to a high school student interested in aviation/aerospace. A “New Mentor Orientation” is scheduled for October 4th, 2011 from 5:00-6:30 PM in Room 2 at AHS. All are welcome, both new mentors, continuing mentors and those considering becoming a mentor. Commitment is a minimum of one year, with breakfast meetings scheduled for 10/19/11, 12/14/11, 2/5/12, 4/8/12 and 5/16/12. These events are scheduled to facilitate meetings between mentors/mentees but are not mandatory and schedules for meetings can be developed between the student and professional. For more information, attend the orientation, or contact Julie Burr at Julie.burr@highlineschools.org.
• The following colleges are visiting AHS this fall! Sign up in room 11 if you are interested in attending!
Worcester Polytechnic Institute: October 5 at 1 PM
Oberlin: 9:30 AM October 10
Smith College: October 17 at 9 AM
UW Bothell: 1 PM October 19
Harvey Mudd College: October 19 at 1 PM
Seattle Pacific University: November 2 at 1 PM
Montana Tech of the University of Montana: November 28 at 1 PM
• Continue checking the AHS website or logging on to school computers to get updated information on events and meetings.
Quote of the Week:
“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
~Gandhi
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