Fertman, Wiley students put the Arts into STEAM

Sculptor Eric Fertman has been working with Wiley Middle art students this week as part of SECCA’s Intersections project.

Students balance their sculpture

The New York-based artist has been working with four eighth-grade art classes and one sixth-grade art class making sculptures based on scholar’s rocks, small naturally occurring rocks traditionally appreciated by Chinese Scholars (Wikipedia).

The students have used objects found on a walk early in the week to create sculptures emerging from bases they created to look like scholar’s rocks.

Patrick Hairston

“We went out to the woods and we walked around,” said eighth-grader Patrick Hairston. “We picked up things that looked natural.”

Back in the classroom, students in teacher Kristen Jones’ classes worked the objects into their sculptures.

Teacher Kristen Jones (r) helps a student

“I love the fact that they get to work with an artist from the art world in New York,” Jones said. “It brings the real world into the class.”

Fertman has an exhibition showing at SECCA called “A Comic Turn” through June 30.

“It’s been amazing,” Fertman said. “I was worried everyone would be staring at me playing cool. It's been really fun.”

Fertman works with a student

Fertman’s time at Wiley will conclude Friday afternoon when the students install their sculptures outside the school.

Meet Kenneth Simington, Wendy Brewington and Ronnie Christian

MAY 30, 2014 - Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the consolidation of the city and county school systems. As part of that, we’re recognizing people who are a product of the school system who now work for the school system

.

Kenneth Simington is the Assistant Superintendent for Instructional and Student Services. He graduated from East Forsyth High School in 1979. He also attended North Elementary, Ibraham, Walkertown Junior High and Carver.  He became a school counselor in 1988 and came to Central Office in 1999.

Kenneth Simington now

Kenneth Simington then

Wendy Brewington is the principal at Ward Elementary School. She graduated from Mount Tabor High School in 1990. She joined the school system in 1998. She taught fifth grade at Old Town Elementary School, served as assistant principal at Rural Hall and North Hills elementary schools and became the principal at Ward in 2006.

“I love working with all the different kinds of students and teachers,” Brewington said. “They are all different and unique. I also love working for this school system because everyone works together to help each other, always keeping the best interest of the students in mind.” 

Wendy Brewington then

Ronnie Christian is an assistant principal at the Career Center. He graduated from Parkland in 1985. He started school at Griffith, went on to Diggs, then Griffith again, and then on to Anderson and Parkland.

Ronnie Christian

If you graduated from high school here and now work for the school system, we’re inviting you to send us photo of you, if possible, holding your yearbook or diploma or wearing your letter jacket (if you can still fit in it). Anything else that connects you to those days works just fine, too. And, if you have a picture of one of your classes in elementary school, by all means, send that, too. 

Be sure to let us know when you graduated from what high school and what your job title is these days.

Meet Ron Pannell, Sara Gentle and Crystal Evans

Ron Pannell now

Ron Pannell then

Ron Pannell, who is the safety manager for the school system, graduated from North Forsyth High School in 1973. He started school at Kimberley Park and went on to Paisley. As you can see by his jacket, he played football for North Forsyth.

Sara Gentle now

Sara Gentle then

Sara Gentle, who is administrative assistant to the directors of Career Technical Education (CTE), graduated from Reynolds High School in 1983. She went to Sherwood Forest, Brunson, Jefferson and Paisley. Carter High School is named after her father, Doug Carter, who established many of the programs for gifted students and Exceptional Children (EC) and founded the Summer Enrichment Program.

Crystal Evans now

Crystal Evans then

Crystal Evans, who works in Student Records in Central Office, graduated from Glenn High School in 1997. She also attended Cash and Lewisville elementary schools. Next month, she will have been working for the school system for 10 years. For, the first nine years, she was the data manager at Mineral Springs Elementary School. She liked being able to see students every day. “I miss my babies at Mineral Springs,” she said.

If you graduated from high school here and now work for the school system, we’re inviting you to send us photo of you, if possible, holding your yearbook or diploma or wearing your letter jacket (if you can still fit in it). Anything else that connects you to those days works just fine, too. And, if you have a picture of one of your classes in elementary school, by all means, send that, too. 

Be sure to let us know when you graduated from what high school and what your job title is these days.

Members of Running Club at Kimmel Farm Elementary Participate in 5K

Early this semester, Allyn Helsabeck, a speech/language pathologist at Kimmel Farm Elementary School, started the GO FAR 5K training and running club.

“We had over 60 students participate in a twice weekly training program that promoted fitness, character education building and healthy eating habits,” Helsabeck said. “On Saturday, May 3 our team along with staff and parents (over 70) participated in the 5K held in High Point and every participant crossed the finish line!”

Helsabeck said that she had the support of the school’s PTA, plus teacher and parent volunteers. “With generous donations from family, friends and local sponsors we were able to provide healthy snacks for each training session, character education lessons, guest speakers from Wake Forest University and additional personal trainers.

“We also raised enough to cover the majority of each student's registration fee! The event day was incredible with over 2,400 children from surrounding counties and schools all running together!” 

Helsabeck with student

Each student who ran in the race received a race day T-shirt, a medal and a sling sack. Our team also was awarded weekly with character education team awards as well as individual awards of foot tokens that they kept on a chain as the program progressed!

On Friday, May 30, the team will gather one last time to celebrate everyone’s dedication and perseverance.

“It will be our day to shine,” Helsabeck said, “with awards, certificates and a slideshow to celebrate our accomplishments from the first day we began practice back in February to the completion of our first annual GO FAR Running Club at Kimmel Farm!” 

Meet Paula Wilkins, Mike McDowell and Daniel Bryant

Paula Wilkins now

Paula Wilkins then

MAY 28, 2014 - Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the consolidation of the city and county school systems. As part of that, we’re recognizing people who are a product of the school system who now work for the school system.

Paula Wilkins is the school system’s Program Specialist for Gifted Programs (AG/HAG) & Advanced Learning (AP/IB). She started school at Walkertown Elementary, went on to Walkertown Middle and graduated from Carver High School in 1998.

Mike McDowell

Mike McDowell, who teaches science at Jefferson Middle School, graduated from Parkland High School in 1991. He remembers having a mullet at the time. He also attended Moore and Philo.

Daniel Bryant

Daniel Bryant, who is the assistant principal at Jefferson Middle School, graduated from West Forsyth High School in 2001.

It's Off to the Career Center for Students at Lowrance Middle School

Two days last week, students from Lowrance Middle School visited the Career Center.

“Students were all smiles on Monday and Thursday as they had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and tours provided by the Cosmetology, Carpentry and Collision Body Repair students and teachers at the Career Center,” said Gina Sides, one of the school system's three Special Populations Coordinators for Career Technical Education. “The cosmetology students provided manicures, pedicures, haircuts including shampoo & style, hair braiding and face painting. 

“Students enjoyed touring a house built by carpentry students and seeing the collision body repair shop where cars were being repaired and painted. Hats off to Career Center students and teachers (Ms. Linville, Ms. Shepherd-Reid, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Hall) for making these fun and exciting activities possible for Lowrance students!!”

After spending the morning in the Career Technical Education (CTE) departments at the Career Center, they had lunch at John F. Kennedy High School.

Meet Sherry Davis and Karla Plyler

Sherry Davis now

Sherry Davis then

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the consolidation of the city and county school systems. As part of that, we’re recognizing people who are a product of the school system who now work for the school system.

Sherry Davis, who graduated from Parkland High School in 1976, is an administrative assistant in the Title I department at Central Office. She also went to Forest Park, Hill and Philo. Before going to Central Office in 2012, she worked at Bolton, Old Town and Cash elementary schools.

When she was a student at Parkland, the school had “open campus.” “You could leave and go to McDonald’s or Burger King.” She was in the Cooperative Office Occupations program, and, her senior year, she went to school in the morning and worked at Quality Oil Co. in the afternoon. 

Karla Plyler now

Karla Plyler then

Karla Plyler, who is an administrative assistant in the Operations Department, graduated from West Forsyth High School in 1981. She started school at Lewisville and went to Southwest and Kennedy. She joined the school system in 2004.

If you graduated from high school here and now work for the school system, we’re inviting you to send us photo of you, if possible, holding your yearbook or diploma or wearing your letter jacket (if you can still fit in it). Anything else that connects you to those days works just fine, too. And, if you have a picture of one of your classes in elementary school, by all means, send that, too. 

Be sure to let us know when you graduated from what high school and what your job title is these days. You may reach Kim Underwood at rkunderwood@wsfcs.k12.nc.us

Many Members of the Staff at Old Richmond Are Graduates of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Brian Brookshire

Brians Brookshire at in the Mount Tabor yearbook

At Old Richmond Elementary School, a number of people who graduated from local schools now work there. One is Principal Brian Brookshire, who graduated from Mount Tabor High School in 1986. He can still put on his letter jacket.

"I have such fond memories of attending elementary,  junior high and senior high schools in Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools (Kimberley Park, Jefferson, Paisley, Mount Tabor)," Brookshire said. "I am extremely proud to say to I am a product of the school district because I know of the commitment and dedication of our all employees in the district. We all make a difference in the education of all students.

Andrea Bostic

Teacher Andrea Bostic’s students were amazed to learn that, when she was their ages, she was a student at Old Richmond. Bostic went on to graduate from North Forsyth High School in 1987. In those days, her last name was Jeffords.

Andrea Bostic in North Forsyth yearbook

Others at Old Richmond who went to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools include Carolyn Billings Brown (North Forsyth 1983),       Dianne Jones Moser (Mount Tabor 1968), Penny Fulk Boles (North Forsyth 1976), Penny Craft Lynch (West Forsyth 1975), Angela Cannon Tuttle (Reynolds 1983), Tawanda Treadwell (North Forsyth 1973) Cathy Parker Comer (North Forsyth 1983), Mary Puryear (North Forsyth 1970), and Randy Davis (North Forsyth 1979). 

Mary Puryear

Career Center hosts 6th annual Go Green Go-Kart competition

The Career Center hosted the 6th annual Go Green Go-Kart competition during its carnival Tuesday, as teams from several middle and high schools designed go-karts that run on alternative fuels.

The competition is sponsored by the Career Center's Alternative Fuels-Environmental Club. Go-karts were powered by electricity, ethanol, biodiesel and waste vegetable oil. 

The winners, along with special category winners, are listed below. Special thanks to the teachers and sponsors who made the contest run so smoothly. 

Morning Winners

Electric - Career Center - Scott Binkley, sponsor

Alcohol - Carter HS - Scott Farmer, sponsor

Biodiesel - Career Center - Travis Stewart, sponsor

Fuel Efficiency - Atkins - Roan Moats, sponsor

Afternoon winners

Electric - Glenn HS - Angela Miller, sponsor

Alcohol - Carter HS - Scott Farmer, sponsor

Biodiesel - Career Center - Travis Stewart, sponsor

Fuel Efficiency - Career Center - Chuck Wooten, sponsor

Best Aesthetics - Career Center - John Morrison, sponsor

Most Creative Design - Career Center - John Morrison, sponsor

Best Overall Build - Carter HS - Scott Farmer, sponsor

Most Resourceful - Career Center - Scott Binkley, sponsor

Most Innovative Safety Feature - Atkins - Ron Moats, sponsor

Best Team Spirit - Glenn - Angela Miller, sponsor

Girls Only! Club at Griffith Elementary Holds End-of-Year Celebration

On Thursday May 15 the Girls Only! Club at Griffith Elementary School had an end-of-the-year celebration.

“What a beautiful Griffith GO! Club end-of-year celebration we had!” said media coordinator Cynthia Needham. “We started the program by reciting "Words to Live By," an acrostic poem created especially for the Griffith GO! Club this year by a woman from our community who spent some time with us this year.

“After enjoying a delicious BBQ lunch catered by Texas Roadhouse, GO! Club members were presented with Certificates of Completion.

“Mrs. Hampton, Griffith's School Principal, went on to acknowledge staff members who served as GO! Club mentors with an unwavering commitment this year. Hampton then presented the Griffith GO! Club Staff Advisers with beautiful pink roses and heartfelt words of gratitude and praise for a job well done providing enrichment and empowerment for the 30 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade girls who participated in the first ever Griffith GO! Club this year!

Here is the text of “Words to Live By”:

G-be GRACIOUS

O-OPEN UP your mind

G-GO for it

R-READ

I-use your IMAGINATION

F-have "FUN"

F-FINISH what you begin

I-be INTERESTED & INTERESTING

T-be TEACHABLE

H-stay HEALTHY & practice good HYGIENE

G-have loyal GIRLFRIENDS

I-INSPIRE Others

R-be RESPONSIBLE

L-LISTEN

S-SMILE

C-be COMPASSIONATE

L-LEARN everyday

U-be UNDERSTANDING

B-BELIEVE in yourself

“This truly was a rewarding and transformative year for all involved in the Griffith GO! Club!” Needham said. “And, the best news is...there will be resources available to continue to offer (and possibly expand) this enrichment program for our 3rd through 5th grade girls next year!” 

Cash 4th-grader writes top letter in North Carolina in Letters about Literature contest

Anaiya Rice, a fourth-grader at Cash Elementary, was recently selected as the state winner in the Library of Congress’ Letters about Literature contest.

In the contest, students were asked to write a letter to an author and explain how the books changed their view of the world or themselves. Anaiya, a student in Cindy Eubanks’ class, wrote to Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, the authors of Florence Robinson: the Store of a Jazz Age Girl. Anaiya told the Hooblers that the book made her think more about segregation and how unfairly African Americans have been treated.

Anaiya will now compete with the state winners in fourth through sixth grades to be the national winner. 

Dear Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler,

            My life couldn’t be any more different than yours or your characters in Florence Robinson: the Story of A Jazz Age Girl. Your book as made me think more about the history of segregation. It has also made me realize the world around me and how unfairly African Americans were treated at one time, and that racism is still here today. This book has made me interested in African American history and learning more about my ancestry.

            I just can’t imagine being called a Negro, being a slave, or not getting treated fairly just because of my skin color. Sometimes I want to cry when I think about it. I now understand why my dad wants me to learn about African American history. In school, we have not learned about African Americans much. However, because of you, I have decided to research some inspirational African Americans that have impacted the world.

            Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like today if African Americans were treated like they were in the past. Would I ever be happy or looking forward to the next day? Your book has made me think of this and made me not take every day for granted, and to be thankful for what I have.

            After finishing your book, I looked back and thought to myself about the challenging parts in it and how some African Americans really did have to go through things like that. When I was little, I didn’t understand what people meant by racism, slavery, or segregation, but after reading and comprehending your book, I can feel a level of maturity in myself.

            I remember finding your book and thinking this is the book for me. It’s amazing what is in this world, but at the end of the day segregation, slavery, and racism don’t matter. From reading this book I have a better understanding on not just African Americans, but on the world. No matter what you look like we are all human. This book has been truly a miracle.

Sincerely,

Anaiya Rice

Jefferson 6th-grader finishes second in national essay contest

Sophie Vaughn, a sixth-grader at Jefferson Middle School, won second place in a national essay contest sponsored by the Elks USA. 

Vaughn had to write an essay about what Veterans Day means to her. Essays were limited to 250 words and to students in fifth through eighth grades.

What Veterans Day Means to Me

By Sophie Vaughn

I was born in Vietnam and came to the U.S. when I was 4 years old.  Because my American parents adopted me, I became a citizen when I first planted my feet on U.S. soil.  I know I’m lucky because in the U.S. we have more freedoms than in most countries.  We have these because of veterans.  They risked their lives fighting for our country to protect these freedoms.  As Americans, we can go wherever we want, get a good education, live without a curfew, choose our own home, have freedom of speech, wear whatever and choose our own careers.

            When I meet a veteran, I stand a little taller because I know they’re hard workers.  Serving their country, they had an important job to do and soldiers have to depend on each other.  It doesn’t matter if you look different from the soldier standing next to you.  It doesn’t matter if you have different religions or skin color or if you’re wealthy or not.  Veterans are all Americans fighting for the same rights and freedoms.

            If I had stayed in Vietnam, I wouldn’t have the choices I have now.  Veteran’s Day represents why I have those opportunities and how veterans were willing to risk their lives so I could live mine.  I’m glad there’s a day to say thanks because without it, I might forget to salute veterans and the very positive impact they’ve had on my life.