AVIATION HIGH SCHOOL
05 December 2011
What’s Happening this Week:
Monday: Another extraordinary day of learning!
Tuesday: Robotics Team Meeting 6:00 – 8: PM
Wednesday: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – Flag at half mast
‘Working on Behalf of Kids’ Mtg & Focus Group with Students12:30-2:00
Film Club after school in Mr. Savishinsky’s Room
Youth Venture in Room Six 3:45 – 5:15 PM
Thursday: AHS hosting NSTA Conference Participants 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Culture Club in Room 24 3:45 – 4:45
Robotics Team Meeting 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Friday: Museum of Flight - NASA Future Forum 8:00 – 6:00 PM
Ground School Field Trip - Boeing Field 1:00 – 3:20
Speech and Debate – Riverside High School, Auburn
Saturday: Speech and Debate – Riverside High School, Auburn
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
I’m starting this week’s message with a plea to both students and parents regarding attendance notes. It is very important that a note be brought to the main office and presented to Mrs. Hiranaka after EVERY absence that has not been pre-arranged. State law requires that a written note from the parent be provided upon return to school. Students should report directly to Mrs. Hiranaka after an absence, with note in hand. We very much need the cooperation of students and parents in this matter. Thank you for adhering to this practice.
As we move closer to holiday break, the following is provided as reminder information:
• December 20—Last day of school before break—full day!
• December 21 through January 3—Winter Holiday Break—no school!
• Wednesday, January 4—School resumes!
• Monday, January 16—No school—Martin Luther King’s birthday…and mine, too!
• January 20—End of first semester.
This past Saturday, AHS and the Skunkworks Robotics Team hosted over 200 young students who programmed Lego Robots and did presentations during the 5th Annual FIRST Lego League Des Moines Robotics Regional. According to Coach Steele, “The students, as well as their mentors and parents, had a great time and competed fiercely, trying to do their best. In the end we are sending five of the participants on to the FLL State tournament which takes place in January. We received many nice compliments about how our students were very helpful and friendly. It was a great event and the team did a great job hosting it. The team is gearing up for the kickoff of the FLL season which takes place in just a little over a month.” GO SKUNKS!! We’ll all be cheering you to victory!
Congratulations to freshman Nicholas Young who wrote an essay that reached the final stages of the Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest as an honorable mention recipient. Ms. Ciccone-Cook offered students an opportunity to write the essays and submitted them to NASA for bonus. Nicholas will now receive recognition on the NASA website for this stellar accomplishment! You may read Nick’s essay at: https://sites.google.com/site/freshmenaviationenglish/bonus-opportunities
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is holding its annual conference in the great city of Seattle this week. Several AHS students will be serving as ambassadors at the conference, and science teachers Mr. Joshi, Mr. McComb, Mr. Shiroma, and Mr. Steele will be conference presenters. Special thanks go to Mr. McComb for his leadership over the past year in helping plan and organize this very major event!
We have now presented to all 8th graders in the Highline School District, and applications for the Class of 2016 are coming in each day. After last week’s Information Program for 8th graders and families, we have only one more evening program on January 12, 2012. Many thanks to everyone who has participated in our marketing and recruitment efforts so far! Your ambassadorship makes a very positive difference in the way people perceive our school. Special thanks to the crew that presented at Chinook last Tuesday: Harman Singh, Rya Somasundaram, Jashanpreet Kaur, Hanna Diriye, Ramneet Kaur, Beemnet Workeneh, Austin McHenry, Jacob Wagner, David Hartranft, Jenny Gao, Sydney Miller and Curtis Campisteguy. Great job everyone!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many “dressed up” students on campus as I observed last week! Professionalism was definitely in order as freshmen presented their learning about heat shields to thermal engineers, Aviation Careers students presented their aviation business plans to outside experts, and juniors in Mr. Hoehne’s English classes shared their knowledge and thoughts about banned books. I had the opportunity to hear some of the presentations and also chat with industry experts. I was impressed…and so were our guests! Congratulations to all!
Wishing you a stellar week of learning…and honored to be your principal—Reba G.
NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• PARENTS: Attendance notes are required by state before any absence can be excused. Please send students through the office with their absence note UPON RETURN to school.
• Want to be in or help with the production of the school play? Sophomore Surbhi Ghadia is putting on a parody version of The Cat in the Hat. If you are interested in participating, show up TODAY, Monday 5 December, during lunch in the gymnasium for the first meeting and audition session.
o For participants who are selected to act or who want to volunteer for background preparations - meeting dates for this week are: Wednesday, 7 December and Friday, 9 December. Meetings will be held during lunch in the gym.
• Microsoft Internship: Microsoft has now updated their website announcing summer 2012 internships for juniors and seniors at the time of application, due date March 11, 2012. This very competitive, paid internship is offered to only 20 students from the entire region, and Microsoft is targeting minority and female students who have demonstrated an interest in technology, can use email and word, have a basic grasp of HTML, Visual Basic or another programming language. This is a full time, 8-10 week experience. Insider tip- to stand out, enter a programming competition, www.dreamspark.com or build a WINDOWS application. Application information is at http://careers.microsoft.com/careers/en/us/highschoolintern.aspx Please let Ms. Burr know if you’re applying.
• Upcoming Mentor-Mentee breakfast in the gym 7:30-9:00 AM on Wednesday, December 14th! This will be our 2nd Mentor-Mentee breakfast meeting this year. Mentees- make sure you’ve invited your mentor. All student mentees are invited to attend, even if their mentor is unavailable, just sit at any table and join in the conversation. Staff members are always welcome to attend as well.
• Community Service Project Management Internship Opportunity
Career Readiness Department/Aviation High School - January 9 through May 4
o This unpaid experience will provide a student(s) with valuable lessons in organization, project management, data input, data management, and reporting. Flexible, on-site schedule, approximately 3 hours per week. More detailed information posted on the Career Board outside Room 11. If interested, contact Ms. Pappas.
• Air Force Academy Presentation by Molly Heath on Wednesday, December 15 at 1 PM. Sign up in room 11 if you would like to attend!
• National Honor Society's Sister Schools fundraiser began Monday November 28th. Come buy paper links during lunch in the cafeteria to help raise money to build the wall around the Mukono boarding school in Uganda to protect the children from being kidnapped and killed. Witch doctors believe children's body parts have special spiritual healing and so more and more children are being kidnapped and killed, and people are afraid the schools will be targeted next. That's why we want to help the Sister Schools foundation raise money to build a security wall around the school, while we build our own "security wall" around our school out of paper links. The links will be sold one link for $.50, three links for $1.00. They will be class colors, so the winning class earns spirit points! We will also be keeping track of which advisory you're from when you buy links, so the winning advisory will get a prize as well. Help us raise money for this great cause by buying your links today! We will be selling links November 28th through December 16th.
• Snow. Skis. Snowboards. Winter. Do you find yourself bored on Friday nights in the winter? Looking for a ski/snowboard club? If you are, then you've come to the right place. Snowbound is a ski and snowboard club open to middle and high school students. You won't even miss school! After school on Friday afternoons, you and a bunch of your friends can take a charter bus that comes to Aviation up to Snoqualmie and hit the slopes for almost 6 hours! The best part about it? You don't have to worry about the details. All you have to be concerned with is remembering your season pass, your gear, and some warm clothes. Snowbound starts January 6, 2012 and ends February 10, 2012. The bus will come to Aviation right after school on Fridays and will return to the school about 11PM. Sign up at http://www.skimohan.com/?page=428&category=des-moines. Questions please contact Rebecca Hall at rhall@desmoines.gov or at (206) 870-6582. Come play in the snow!
• From Your ASB:
Tolo has been rescheduled to January. Stay tuned for more details.
Adopt a Family ASB is planning to sponsor a needy family this winter. Stay tuned for more information.
December Advisory Competition--ASB will be hosting a December Advisory Competition on Dec. 14th. Students will be decorating Ginger Bread houses and Doors!
Holiday Spirit Wear--ASB is planning to have another limited edition holiday spirit wear sale. This year it will be a red crew neck with a picture of Seattle and airplanes flying over it.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION FOR AHS SENIORS:
United States JCI Senate Foundation (“the foundation”) awards a $1,000.00 scholarship to graduating high school seniors who plan to continue their education at accredited post-secondary colleges, universities, or vocational school. Applications are available in Ms. Carper’s office. Deadline: January 11, 2012.
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation supports many students all over the world with various scholarship opportunities. For more information about the different scholarships available, visit https://www.coca-colascholars.org/cokeWeb/index.jsp
AXA Achievement Scholarship- The AXA Achievement Scholarship is directed by AXA Equitable and offers more than $1.3 million a year in scholarships. If you are ethnically and economically diverse, have drive and determination, and feel you are able to succeed in college; this is the right scholarship for you! Visit http://www.axa-equitable.com/axa-foundation/about.html for more information.
Abbot and Fenner Business Consultants are offering $1,000 scholarships. Applications are available at www.abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.htm. Deadline: June 15, 2012.
Big Sun is offering an annual scholarship to any young athlete. All students are eligible for this award, it does not matter what sport you are participating in. To learn more visit http://www.bigsunathletics.com. Deadline: June 22, 2012
Continue checking the AHS website or logging on to school computers to get updated information on events and meetings.
Quote of the Week:
“Deliberation is the work of many men. Action, of one alone."
--Charles de Gaulle, French general and statesman
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