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IISD
Off Broadway
Students
in the Lamar Drama Club and the advanced theater class at Irving High
took part in an exciting videoconference with Broadway actors, directors
and choreographers this month.
The
videoconference, titled “Brush Up Your Shakespeare,” was conducted
in two parts with an organization called Camp Broadway. In the first
session, students discussed theater, music and other forms of
communication and expression. In the second session, Lamar students
performed scenes from “Kiss Me Kate” and received feedback from
Broadway actors and directors.
“It
was really exciting,” Lamar Instructional Technology Specialist
Stephanie Gelber said. “This is an exciting opportunity for these
students who may never have the chance to travel to New York and speak
to Broadway cast members.”
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Picquet,
Clark Awarded
Irving
ISD teachers Natalie Picquet and Becky Clark were recognized by the
Texas Council of Humanities at the Irving ISD Board Meeting November
19.
Picquet,
gifted and talented humanities teacher at Travis, was named Humanities
Teacher of the Year by the organization. She is one of six teachers in
the state to receive the award. Along with a framed certificate, Picquet
received a $1,000 personal award and Travis received $1,000 to use for
humanities lessons.
Becky
Clark, gifted and talented humanities teacher at Austin, won honorable
mention for the same award.
The
honors were presented by Dr. Thomas Porter, a professor at the
University of Texas at Arlington and representative of the Texas Council
of Humanities.
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Vinson
Named All-American
Irving
High offensive lineman Josiah Vinson was named a 2002 U.S. Army
All-American this month at a ceremony at his school. Vinson, a senior,
was one of 75 players selected from 400 nominees across the nation. He
will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl January 5 in San Antonio.
At
the ceremony, Vinson was given his game helmet and jersey. Vinson, his
family, coaches, and senior class listened to high school coaching
legend Herman Boone speak of courage, football and the promise of
ambitious students like Vinson. Boone is the coach portrayed by Denzel
Washington in the movie, Remember the Titans.
The
U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN2 at noon on
January 5.
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Lamar
Council Hosts State Convention
The
Lamar Student Council served as host for the annual state convention of
the Texas Association of Student Councils in Austin November 16-17. As
the host school, Lamar was responsible for assembling 1,500 goody bags
for delegates and sponsors, serving as guides throughout the event, and
creating a conference banner depicting the theme, “The Thrill of
Leadership.”
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Blue
Ribbon Breakfast
Good
students played host, waitress, cook and cashier at the first Blue
Ribbon Lone Star Café this month. In the school’s
library-turned-restaurant, students served muffins, fruit, coffee and
juices to parents, teachers, school board members, administrators and
business and community leaders.
There
were handmade menus, decorations and souvenirs in the gift shop, all
made and sold by Good students. Much of the food and supplies was
donated by local business and civic organizations – more than 20 of
them.
The
café was open from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. November 12-16. It served more
than 200 guests in its first two days. All told, the café raised $2,300
for the school in the four days it was open.
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Beefing
Up the Honor Roll
Twenty
Houston students enjoyed a free meal at Traildust Steak House in Dallas,
compliments of the restaurant's general manager, Sandy Hall. The
students earned the dinner by making the A/B honor roll in one of Cheryl
Bowden’s eighth grade science classes. Several parents also attended
the dinner, and the students were recognized by the band at Traildust.
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Capital
Geography
Austin
sixth-graders won their third consecutive Irving Sister Cities Geography
Bowl November 3. The event pits two sixth grade teams from each middle
school campus in the district against each other in a single elimination
tournament. For their success, the Austin Maroon Team received a trophy
with their school’s name on it, special T-shirts, ribbons, and a pizza
party.
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Students
Explore the “Magic” of Distance Learning
Fourth
graders from Lee and Lively took part in a magical study recently, using
high-tech distance learning technology to discuss the literature of
America’s most popular childhood wizard, Harry Potter.
Jamie
Jones’ class at Lee and Lisa Molinar’s class at Lively read Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and used videoconferencing equipment
to discuss the book. As a finale to the unit, the classes invited
parents and school officials to watch a distance learning quiz showdown
between the two classes, complete with ghoulish room decorations and
refreshments.
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