Principal Deirdre Holloway with sixth-grade, A-B Honor Roll student Koy Glover.

LAKE OLYMPIA MIDDLE SCHOOL ROLLS OUT THE “RED CARPET” FOR HONOR ROLL STUDENTS

Maintaining a good academic record has its rewards for students at Lake Olympia Middle School. More than 380 students in grades 6-8 were recently honored in the presence of their family and peers for making the Honor Roll this semester.

The students enjoyed a walk down the “red carpet” to receive their awards, live music performed by the school’s Honors Band and Choir, and refreshments served by staff “waiters and waitresses.” Each student also received a “My Principal Believes in Me” ribbon in honor of their academic success.

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Cornerstone students during the 5K race.

CORNERSTONE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS COMPLETE THEIR FIRST GIRLS ON THE RUN 5K RACE

A group of students at Cornerstone Elementary School recently completed the Girls on the Run 5K race. A physical activity-based youth development program, Girls on the Run promotes the social, psychological, and physical competencies in girls. Aside from the obvious health benefits, the program focuses on three components: identity, connectedness and gaining power over one’s own life. By participating in the program, girls develop and improve competence, feel confidence in who they are, develop strength of character, respond to others and oneself with care and compassion, create positive connections with peers and adults, and learn to make a meaningful contribution to community and society.

To prepare for the race component of the program, the Cornerstone girls met twice a week to work on their running, as well as their social or psychological competency. The girls began running 10-12 laps the first week of training, but in the end they ran up to three miles during their training session.

“I learned a lot,” said fourth-grader Saachi Aggarwal, “like how to pace myself when running. I also completed my lap goals and made them higher and higher each week.”

Fourth-grader Katherine Paikkatu also enjoyed the program. She said, “I learned so many great ways to deal with peer pressure and raise my self-confidence.”

“The girls started out unsure of their abilities as runners,” said Coach Pippa Day. “It was amazing to watch their self-confidence bloom and grow. They would get so excited when they met or exceeded their lap goals, and I still hear them use some of the techniques we taught them during the program.”

This was Cornerstone’s first year to participate in the event. One of the coaches, Erika Tinnin, first learned of the program last year and brought the idea to school administrators.

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(Front row, l-r): Syan Elmore, Rebeka Garcia, Taryn Gabriel, Alison Kight, Abiral Gnyawali, Jalena Johnson, Lucy Hailey, Tynan Weber, Mikhail Keasley, and Cade Hoffman; (back row) David Rider, Chief of Police; Stacy Garcia, fourth-grade teacher; and Mike Harvey, Police Sergeant.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT UNITES FBISD POLICE AND MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Fort Bend ISD police officers are known for protecting and serving the school district. They are also known for having a kind and generous spirit, especially when it comes to interacting with students.

Each year, the police officers take part in a writing project that involves a letter exchange between fourth-grade students at Meadows Elementary School. To help reinforce lessons on writing clearly and revising story ideas, fourth-grade teacher Stacy Garcia has students write letters of appreciation to the police officers thanking them for their services. In return, the police officers write responses back to the students. Each student receives a response from an officer, as well as one from the Police Chief David Rider.

“I know the kids love receiving our letters as much as we love receiving theirs,” said Rider. “This project gives officers the perfect opportunity to educate our young students about our role as school police and to show them that we care. They will see our officers throughout their educational careers, and we want them to know that they can trust us. This is the age where they form opinions, and we want their first impression of police to be a positive one.”

Sixty-eight fourth-graders wrote letters to officers this year, which meant that 136 letters of response were delivered to the students, along with small tokens of appreciation such as police department pencils and Crime Stoppers bracelets.

“The students were thrilled to receive the letters,” said Garcia. “We appreciate the officers for stopping by to deliver the letters and talk with our students. The students felt appreciated and valued.”

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Third-grade students create a Unity Chain. (Top row, l-r): Nabeel Bangosh, Justin Mack. (Bottom row): Ryker Morgan, Natasha Kanga.

BRAZOS BEND ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WEAR ORANGE TO STOMP OUT BULLYING

Students at Brazos Bend Elementary participated in several school activities to raise awareness about the harmful effects of bullying during National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month.

During the month of October, students wore orange and created school unity chains to spell out the word “United.” Each student wrote a message in their chain link, explaining what they were doing to prevent bullying at their school.

Lessons varied among grade levels, with kindergarten students giving “heart prints” and doing something kind for another student. In second grade, students learned the difference between harmless teasing with friends and teasing to hurt another person. They also learned to read another student’s body language to determine when the teasing was hurting someone’s feelings. Older students learned that spreading rumors and gossip is hurtful and is considered unacceptable bully behavior.

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(L-R): Peyton Hoover, Josh Peedikayil, Dr. Charles Dupre, Mike Madden, Grayle James, Lauren Bryne and Priya Pai.

THE 2014-2015 FBISD STUDENT LEADERSHIP SEASON OPENS WITH 33 NEW COHORTS

FORT BEND ISD welcomed 33 high school juniors to the 2014-2015 season of the Student Leadership 101 Program. The Board of Trustees-sponsored program gives participants the opportunity to explore their leadership roles in community and school leadership, as well as volunteer service. The cohorts represent each of the 11 FBISD high schools and will take part in seven leadership sessions on such topics as personal leadership skills, youth advocacy, service and volunteerism, local government in action, business, and healthcare.

The 2014-2015 Cohort includes: Austin High School – Lauren Byrne, Kemdi Okafor, Quyn Westfall; Bush High School – Marla Montoya, Julliet Ogu, Cindy Tejada; Clements High School – Raphael Chaumette, Zibaa Pirani, Kylie Ting; Dulles High School – Shruthi Avantsa, Ashley Song, Liang Zhao; Elkins High School – Joyce Chen, Peyton Hoover, Prakul Suresh; Hightower High School – Ziyyan Ali, Ebe Ewere, Josh Peedikayil; Kempner High School – Ann Maria Johnson, Priya Pai, Yalliniyal Sivaprakash; Marshall High School – Jason LeBlanc, David Obitade, Esmeralda Rincon-Rodriguez; Ridge Point High School – Alexandra Alberty, Morgan Cox, R’Riel Smith; Travis High School – Abeer Dhanani, Jesus Fonseca, Mira Sankhavaram; Willowridge High School – Bria Casteel, Geralynn Dumas, Taylor Frazier.

Welcoming the cohorts to the November session on “Building Your Leadership Skills,” were Grayle James, FBISD Board President; Dr. Charles Dupre, Superintendent of Schools; Mike Madden, Program Coordinator; Brandi Brekenridge, Talent Management and Development Consultant; ROPES Course Managers Angela Espinosa, Jim Harton and Lynda Ruther; and the program’s designated bus driver, DC Pickett.

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QVE student Anjolina Jimenez stands next to a poster she designed for “World Leadership Day.”

QUAIL VALLEY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS LEARNING VALUABLE LEADERSHIP SKILLS

In addition to their regular studies, students at Quail Valley Elementary School (QVE) are also gaining important leadership skills and taking responsibility for their actions through lessons and activities inspired by Stephen Covey’s bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Students and teachers in all grade levels – from pre-K to fifth – are focusing on one habit a month and recently shared their experiences with Fort Bend ISD District staff and members of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees during the school’s first ever “World Leadership Day.”

During “World Leadership Day” activities on Nov. 19, a panel that included students, a parent, and a teacher explained how the lessons have impacted the learning experience at QVE. Laura Goodley, a parent of first and second-grade students at the school, told administrators, “I see a huge difference across the gamut. From cleaning their room, doing their homework, and taking more responsibility for the things they are supposed to be doing before watching TV, playing video games, or going outside.”

“This is all new to us, and we are just loving it,” said QVE teacher Ruby Portugal.

QVE Principal Shenique Spears said she previously taught in another school district that implemented 7 Habits into the curriculum and thought Quail Valley educators could build an even stronger program.

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Nancy Brock with Joel Bartsch, President of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

OYSTER CREEK ES TEACHER RECEIVES EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE TEACHING AWARD

Nancy Brock, a fifth-grade science teacher and team leader at Oyster Creek Elementary School, is the recipient of a 2014 Wilhelmina C. Robertson Excellence in Science Teaching Award. Presented by the Houston Museum of Natural Science through the generosity of the Cockrell Foundation, the $2,000 award recognizes the contributions of teachers who demonstrate significant ability and dedication to teaching science. The award is presented to one K-5 grade science teacher and one 6-12 grade science teacher each year.

Brock has found that the key to successful teaching is building a sense of trust among students. She also understands that it is her responsibility to create a productive learning environment from which students can learn and grow. Brock’s ultimate goal is to provide students with an encouraging and positive educational experience that allows her to instill in them a passion for learning.

“When students enter Ms. Brock’s classroom, you can see their eyes widen with excitement and curiosity as they examine the labs, artifacts, specimens and myriad of opportunities provided to them,” said Joy Schwinger, Principal at Oyster Creek Elementary School.

Brock also extends herself beyond the classroom to serve as a campus and District leader, staff development trainer, sponsor of her school’s Energy Club and coordinator of the annual Campus Science Night. She has also initiated a campus garden for students to enjoy.

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Models included (front row, l-r): Georgia Alexio, Karly Alexander, Illian Arguelles (in the winning gown); and (back row) Amber Jung, Ceasar Avila and Kelly Phan.

UNLIKELY MATERIAL ADDS FLAIR TO DESIGNS OF SUGAR LAND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

AS A culminating activity to mark the end of students’ study on Constructive Fashion, Sugar Land Middle School’s Human Services classes hosted a “Trashinista” fashion show that featured unique, student designs crafted from trash bags and duct tape.

The show featured seven models, who were part of a Model and Design team that was responsible for creating the design, arranging the choreography, selecting music and performing other duties needed to ensure a successful runway show.

“The students did an amazing job learning about fashion and demonstrating their creative skills,” said Human Services teacher, Michele Weth.

Team names and members included:

Sasty – Karly Alexander, Sara Vu and Destin Nguyen; Trendzies – Kelly Phan, Lindsey McElvany and Jeffrey Pachikara; KAI – Illian Arguelles, Araceli Perez and Kyra Dillahunty; Fashionistas – Amber Jung, Elodie Chanchak and Brittney Damian; 2 Cool 4 Skool – Tevis MeCaskey, Angel Lam and Vicente Reyes; Sam-Apparel – Ceasar Avila, Destanie Galarza, Nathan Tran and Kelly Liang; The Team – Georgia Alexio, Nhi Tran, Rmit Lakha.

Students Destanie Galarza and Vicente Reyes served as Masters of Ceremony, welcoming guests to the event and introducing the models as they walked the runway.

Art students, parents and other guests were asked to vote for their favorite design by “saying yes to the dress.” In the end, Team KAI was named winner with their “Fairy Wedding Dress” that featured the model in wrap-around Roman sandals.

“What an inspirational and amazing fashion show,” said Linda Creech, Career and Technical Education Coordinator. “The students left me awestruck, and I am definitely placing orders for some of the adorable ensembles.”

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Jillian Ross

CLEMENTS GRADUATE ELECTED TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S SENATE

Jillian Ross, a 2012 graduate of Clements High School and a current Chemical/Biomedical Engineering junior at Columbia University, was elected to the university’s Senate and will serve a two-year term through 2016. She represents the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and is the first African-American female elected Senator in the engineering school’s 150-year history.

Senator is the highest elected position a student can attain on Columbia University’s legislative body. While serving as Senator, Jillian will work directly with the university president and trustees to enact policy on various issues, including educational programs, budget, student conduct, administrative conduct of Deans and Department Chairs, and more.

Jillian formerly served as Freshman Class President and Executive Board Vice President of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering. This past summer, she traveled to Israel and the Middle East as an Ivy League Student Leader and represented the university at the Ivy League Summits in Boston and Washington, D.C.

Jillian is the daughter of longtime Sugar Land residents Dr. and Mrs. Ralph and Phyllis Ross.

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Shown with their ties are Bush High School students (seated from left) William Pamptey, William Andrews, Chris Richard; and (standing) Jonathan Flores, Alberto Nazurio and Rodolfo Garcia.

BUSINESS MENTORS LEAD FBISD MALE STUDENTS THROUGH RITES OF PASSAGE

Preparing male students for life beyond high school was the focus of this year’s Young Men’s Leadership Conference, held Dec. 5 at Minute Maid. Sponsored by Junior Achievement, in conjunction with Fort Bend ISD and Minute Maid, the annual event provided more than 60 male students with a “rites of passage” experience that not only encouraged them to strive for success, but taught them basic life lessons that will help them transition to adulthood.

Among the community and business leaders to address the students on life issues were: Dr. Charles Dupre, FBISD Super­intendent of Schools; Larry Washington and Ouyon Bernard of Junior Achievement, Bruce Flowers of Phillips 66, Jay Barnett of the Me-We Project, and Moriah Chatman of 76.

Dr. Dupre shared his background and spoke of the challenges he faced growing up in an orphanage as a child. “I mention this to let you know where I came from and where I am today,” said Dr. Dupre.

Former NFL player and founder of the Me-We Project Jay Barnett delivered a high-energy presentation that provoked laughter and self-reflection among students. Barnett said, “If you don’t practice and train for life, life will train you.”

In addition to taking part in various presentations, the students also enjoyed a working lunch where they met one-on-one with a mentor to discuss challenges they are facing in school and in moving forward beyond high school.

Bush High School student Rodolfo Garcia commented, “This was the best event. I am motivated to stay focused in school and become a good, young man.”

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Donor Technician Alesia McLemore preps student David Sander.

ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SAVE LIVES THROUGH SEMI-ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE

ELKINS HIGH School hosted its annual Fall Blood Drive on Nov. 13 to benefit hospital patients throughout our community. The school teamed with CHI St. Luke’s Health to sponsor the event that welcomed more than 200 students, staff and community members who signed up to donate blood. For every single donation, three lives can be saved. The school will host another blood drive in the spring.