Art by Mount Tabor and North Forsyth Students Win Awards at Piedmont Federal's Artizens Gala

Nicholas Milligan & Wilbert Alvarez

At the 2013 Artizens gala on April 18, Nicholas Milligan of Mount Tabor High School was awarded first place for his picture Featherz. First place came with $500.

Wilbert Alvarez, a student at North Forsyth High School, received an honorable mention for his picture Sweet Spirit. He received $300.

Artizens is sponsored by Piedmont Federal Savings Bank, and the winners were chosen from among 80 pictures that had been on display in Piedmont Federal’s eight branches in Forsyth County. The judges were John Blackburn, Clare Fader and Susan Morris. After looking at all 80 pictures, Fader said, “I was stunned by the caliber of the work.” 

She said that she was impressed by the students’ attention to detail, innovation and unique vision. “Just a breath of fresh air, really,” she said. 

Matt Fussell, the school system’s lead art teacher for visual arts, works really hard coordinating everything with the art teachers at the schools, said Wanda Merschel, a Piedmont Federal senior vice president. “Matt has been a wonderful liaison.”

At the gala, he was recognized for his efforts.

Matt Fussell

While the art was on display at the branches, people were invited to vote on the art for a People’s Choice award. At the branch level, each artist who had a work displayed received $25 and the People Choice winner received $150.

The art department at every participating high school received $350 with the art department that had the first-place winner receiving an additional $500 and the department with the honorable-mention winner receiving an additional $300. 

This is the third year that Artizens has included all the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high schools and high schools in surrounding counties where Piedmont federal has branches. Artizens started about six years ago as an exhibition of student art at the Peace Haven branch of Piedmont Federal.

“We recognized that there was a real thirst on the part of teachers and students to have on outlet for students’ work,” Merschel said.

Since the program began, Piedmont Federal has given about $30,000 to students and high school art departments.

To see all of the Artizen pictures, go to  Artizens

Meadowlark Middle Represents School System in Regional Battle of the Books Competition

Meadowlark Middle School Battle of Books team after winning district competition

The Battle of the Books team from Meadowlark Middle School placed fifth out of 14 schools at the Region 5 Battle of the Books competition, which was held on Friday April 19 in the school system's Education Building.

Only five points separated third place from fifth place. Archdale Trinity Middle School, which was representing Randolph County, won the competition.

For the story about the district competition go to Battle of Books

Students Participate in Annual Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Visually Impaired Field Day

Briannah Hamilton & Isaiah Anderson of Cash Elementary School

In the Thursday, April 25, edition of the Winston-Salem Journal, reporter Wesley Young writes about the 22nd Annual Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Visually Impaired Field Day at BB&T Field.

About 175 students - most in elementary school - from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and other schools in central North Carolina took part in the field day events.

Ellen Loomis, who teaches hearing-impaired children in the school system, served as the coordinator of the field day for most of its history. She was there on Wednesday as one of the volunteers.

“We started this 22 years ago because the deaf kids don’t participate in the Special Olympics,” Loomis told Young. “We wanted to do something for all the kids in North Carolina who have hearing impairments.”

Christine Smits, the current coordinator of the field day and a teacher at Reynolds High School, told Young that the field day gives children a chance to socialize and have fun outside the classroom. The field day is sponsored by the school system and Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind.

Sam Dempsey, the school system’s Division Director for Exceptional Children Programs told Young that he remembers well the time that a child came to the field day from a school where she was the only student with a hearing impairment.

“Her mouth fell open when she got here,” he said. “All she kept saying was ‘Like me! Like me!’ ”

Photographer David Rolfe took the pictures. For the complete story, go to Winston-Salem Journal

Newspaper at Reynolds High School Adds Online Edition

Steve Hanf

In the Thursday, April 25, edition of the Winston-Salem Journal, reporter Arika Herron writes about some of the ways in which Steve Hanf, an English teacher at Reynolds High School who serves as the advisor for the school newspaper, has worked with students to make the newspaper more exciting.

Pine Whispers — the school’s 89-year-old newspaper — now has an online edition and is starting to digitally archive earlier editions.

“On a computer screen in Room 210 at Reynolds High School is a page from the latest edition of Pine Whispers,” Herron writes. “The computer next to it is displaying PineWhispers.com the newspaper’s online presence. On the whiteboard at the front of the room are the numbers 332, 270 and 916.

“They mark the number of Twitter followers, Facebook likes and the website’s single-day traffic record, respectively.

“I knew I wanted to do a website,” Hanf told Herron. The Twitter account and Facebook page followed.

Photographer David Rolfe took the photos. For the complete story go to Winston-Salem Journal

2013-14 Classified Employee of the Year and Other Nominees for the Honor Recognized at a Reception



Damian Anderson with finalists Marion Tuttle, Elaine Sapp and Brian Smith as well as Superintendent Don Martin and Ken Leak, the chairman of the Classified Advisory Council Executive Team 

Yesterday, the 2013-14 Classified Employee of the Year - Damian Anderson - and others nominated for the honor were recognized at a reception at the school system’s Education Building.

More than 150 employees were nominated and all of them were invited to the event. Among those present were the other three finalists for the honor – Marion Tuttle, Elaine Sapp and Marion Tuttle. The other semi-finalists for the honor were Ann Niten, Ann Epperson, Melinda Evans, Norma Jean Ford, Sharon Landreth and Lou Ann Spell. Several of them were also present, along with the 2012-13 Classified Employee of the Year, Denise McCoy.

The Reagan High School Jazz Band, under the direction of band director Andrew Craft performed, with junior Sarah Smith being featured on alto saxophone.

After Superintendent Don Martin spoke about Anderson, Anderson came to the podium and talked for a few minutes about the importance of giving every student an equal opportunity for a solid education no matter what his ZIP code and about making character development an integral part of the educational process.

For a story about Anderson written after he was named Classified Employee of the Year, go to Damian Anderson

For a story about all four finalists, go to Finalists



Reagan High School Jazz Band



Damian Anderson

Damian Anderson and Denise McCoy

Petree Elementary Students Plant Garden as Part of Campaign to Encourage Healthy Food Choices

In the Wednesday, April 24, issue of the Winston-Salem Journal, reporter Wesley Young writes about a program with a connection to Petree Elementary School.

As part of Novant Health’s campaign to fight obesity, Mayor Allen Joines went over to Petree on Tuesday to help students plant a garden. The idea is to encourage students to make healthy food choices.

The campaign, which has a purple theme, is called “Turn the Town Purple.” With that in mind, the students donned purple T-shirts and included plants with purple in them in their garden. Photographer Lauren Carroll took the pictures. For the complete story go to Winston-Salem Journal   

Students at North Forsyth Starting Greeting Card Business



Jasimen Crockett & Erika Wilson

Two seniors at North Forsyth High School - Erika Wilson and Jasimen Crockett – are participating in the start-up of the new business enterprise for the Occupational Course of Study Pathway – selling greeting cards. On Wednesday morning, they dropped by the school system’s administrative offices to see whether anyone wanted to buy some cards.

Boy, did they! Their first customer - Connie Adams, the receptionist at the administrative offices – bought 10 cards. When Wilson and Crockett moved on to Human Resources, people bought many more. The original plan had called for visiting all three floors in the building but, after their second stop on the first floor -  Financial Services - they were sold out.

Connie Adams with the cards she bought

“Within the Occupational Course of Study, each high school is required to come up with a business enterprise that offers OCS students ‘hands on experience,’” said Johnnie Lovell, the Occupational Course of Study teacher at North.

Lovell said that with the North Forsyth Greeting Cards Enterprise, she and Debbie Doub, a School Transition Job Coach, are working to find partnerships with such corporations as American Greeting Cards and Hallmark.  “In addition, Mrs. Doub helps and supervises the two students while selling the cards at the Central Office,” Lovell said. “In this way, North Forsyth OCS teachers and staff have been instrumental in the success of the business enterprise. Next year, there are plans to collaborate with North Forsyth’s Art Department - Mrs. Barbara Steele - to create ‘Thank You Cards.’”

The purpose of the school business is not only to provide school-based training hours that students need to graduation but also to pay for clothing, such as pants, shoes, and shirts, that OCS students need for job interviews and special events and to work off-campus to obtain their Community Based Vocational Training hours.

“North Forsyth OCS wants to help make the students’ school experience a positive one and make graduation a reality. The North Forsyth OCS Greeting Cards Enterprise will return to Central Office May 8, 2013,” Lovell said. “We sincerely appreciate all the support and positive response to our school’s enterprise.”  

Crockett and Wilson visit Human Resources

     

 

Jazz Festival at Reagan High School on Saturday

In the Wednesday, April 17 edition of Journal West, which is part of the Winston-Salem Journal, reporter Lisa O’Donnell writes about Andrew Craft's Jazz I class at Reagan High School and the school’s seventh annual City of the Arts Jazz Festival.

Being held at Reagan on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., it will feature bands from area middle schools, high schools and colleges as well as a headlining performance from the Camel City Jazz Orchestra. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students.

“It's pretty unique,” Craft, the school's director of bands told O’Donnell. “We're the only school jazz festival I know about in the area.”

“It's a long day and hectic,” junior Sarah Smith told O’Donnell, “but it's a lot of fun.”

Photographer Lauren Carroll took the photos. For the full story, more photos and a video, go to Journal West

Free Jazz Concert on Thursday, April 18, at Hanes Magnet School

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, Hanes Magnet School and North Forsyth High School will perform a joint concert featuring jazz trumpeter, band leader, and composer Michael Sailors. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert will feature original works by Dr. Sailors, along with traditional jazz standards by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Chuck Mangione. Student performers will also participate in clinics and master classes with Dr. Sailors during the day in preparation for the concert.

"We are thrilled that our students get to work and perform with an accomplished New York City jazz musician and composer, with the pedigree of Dr. Sailors," said Kenneth Tysor, Jazz Band Director at Hanes Magnet School. “Jazz is America’s art form, and the opportunity to perform works by and with a living composer is a great honor and learning opportunity for our students.”

Dr. Sailors has an undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a graduate degree in jazz performance/composition from Michigan State University, and a Doctoral Degree in jazz performance/composition from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Sailors is the founder of jazzcharts.net and has published works for beginning through professional jazz ensembles.

Hanes is at 2900 Indiana Avenue. For more information, call the school at 703-4171. 

Ashley IB Pre-Kindergarten Students Hop on Bikes and Trikes to Raise Money for Children's Hosptital

When Angie Williard heard about the trike-a-thons that some schools organize to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, she thought that would fit right in with what she and the 15 students in her pre-kindergarten program at Ashley IB Magnet School were working on.

An important part of the overall International Baccalaureate program at Ashley is coming to understand the importance of caring and empathy. Helping children who are ill would certainly support that goal. And, as part of their unit on transportation, they could learn all about trike and bike safety.

Students started raising money, and Williard and her assistant, Anne Phillips, set a date for the event – Friday, April 12. The original idea was to ride in the parking lot. But, after a night of rain turned into a rainy morning, they figured that it would be best to move everything inside – to the music room, to be precise.

Joining school staff members and the four- and five-year-olds were assorted parents, grandparents and siblings – both older and younger. Kamice Gilbeaux’s older sister, Kadia, was there, and Presley Wilkinson’s team included four-month-old Skye and their mother, Becky Wilkinson. Cameron White's grandparents, Lewis and Marlene Jackson, were there, too.

First, Williard had all the students sit in a circle and refresh their minds on such pertinent points as why they were raising money for St. Jude’s – “so they can buy more tools and more medicine,” piped up one student – and why you wear a helmet on your head – “because your brain is in there,” said another.

After they all agreed that there would be no passing slower riders and that they would say, “Sorry,” should they accidentally bump into someone, they headed to their low-slung big wheels or little bikes (many with training wheels). Willard broke them up into smaller groups of riders so that the track – a circle established by inner and outer circles of miniature plastic traffic cones – wouldn’t get overcrowded.

Janice Sayre, the school’s physical-education teacher, was there to help with such important details as strapping on helmets. Sayre said that she really enjoys working with the pre-K students.

“They are so sweet,” she said. “They make you laugh and enjoy life. They are full of life.”

The students looked good. Emmanuel Wade Watkins was wearing a helmet with red spikes that Santa Claus had brought him. His mother, Kellie Watkins, is the school’s curriculum coordinator.

After donning their helmets, the students hit the track while family members looked on, snapping photos or taking videos. Leon Witherspoon said that his son, Miles, had learned a lot about bike safety in the process of preparing for the trike-a-thon and that he had been coming home talking about the importance of wearing a helmet and not riding in the street.

Jon and Amanda Brasfield – Amanda Brasfield is the media coordinator at Ashley – were there supporting their son, Jude, who had donated $5 of his own money in addition to the money he had raised from family members. That had gone well, Jon Brasfield said. “He is an only grandchild on both sides.”