JROTC State, National Success

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teams from Irving ISD have recently earned state and national awards in a variety of activities related to the JROTC program.

Marine JROTC students at Irving High School competed at the American Legion/Coca-Cola National Drill Championships in Montgomery, Alabama February 7. Among all Marine units at the competition, Irving High was named National Champion Marine Corps Team. In various contests, Irving High placed second overall in Armed Regulation Drill and Facsimile Inspection Drill, third overall in Armed Drill, fourth in Color Guard, and fifth in Facsimile Exhibition Drill. Irving High competed against more than 50 high school teams from across the United States.

MacArthur High School Army JROTC students participating as members of the Academic Team were among four first-place teams at the regional Academic Bowl.  The region is separated into two divisions and MacArthur competes against more than 1,300 schools from Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. The competition focused on JROTC-related questions, current events, and SAT/ACT-type questions. MacArthur JROTC Academic Team is among 24 teams from across the United States and overseas that will compete in the Army JROTC Academic Bowl Championship in Washington D.C., June 26-30.

MacArthur High School Army JROTC Academic Team earned first place at the regional contest and will compete at the national Army JROTC Academic Bowl Championship in Washington, D.C., June 26-30.

Nimitz High School Naval JROTC Rifle Team was named Overall Team Champion at the North Texas State Competition at R.L. Turner High School March 7. In the biathlon event, Trenton Endicott won gold and Dalton Endicott won silver. Endicott also won silver in the speed shot event. Hunter Bates won silver in the silhouette shooting event and Jonathan Martinez won bronze. Bates also earned silver in the three-position event and won bronze in the biathlon. David Bartlett and Anthony Hernandez also contributed scores.

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Teams Win at Robotics Meet

Irving ISD students from The Academy of Irving ISD, Lamar Middle School and Britain Elementary School fielded teams that earned recognition at the Area 10 and 11 Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) competition March 7 at Keller High School.

Four teams from the Academy won first, third, fourth and fifth place among high school teams from TCEA Areas 10 and 11. The first place team, comprised of Mauricio Rodriguez, Juan Roque and Danny Reyes, qualified for state TCEA competition at Fairmont Junior High School in Pasadena May 16. Academy team members winning third place are Julio Molina and Jorge Avila, and fourth place winners are Billy Gonzales, Johnny Vazquez, and Edgar Quintalan. Fifth place winners are Facundo Guevara and Eric Hazel.

Mauricio Rodriguez, Juan Roque and Danny Reyes from The Academy of Irving ISD won first place at Area 10 & 11 Texas Computer Education Association robotics competition and qualified for state competition.

Among middle school teams, Lamar won first and second place awards and those two teams qualified for state competition May 16. The first place team from Lamar includes Ricky Rivera, Clark Canto and Saul Rivera. Second place team members are Blaze Stevens, Jonathan Alacantara and Daniel Arana. Taylor Huynh, Jennifer Turcios, Saul Sanchez, Nisha Abraham, Caroline Rico-Aldana, and Joanielee Rogers-Bristo also competed.

Ricky Rivera, Clark Canto and Saul Rivera from Lamar Middle School won first place in the middle school division at Area 10 & 11 Texas Computer Education Association robotics competition and qualified for state competition.

In the elementary school category, students from Britain formed two teams that competed at the area meet. Angel Juarez and Jella Samonte comprised one team and Judge Pritchett, Alec Gubser and Ervin Galvano formed the other.

IISD students prepared for the competition by meeting twice a week beginning in fall 2008, building replicas of the competition arena, and continually working to modify robot design and programming to quickly accomplish assigned tasks.

TCEA Areas 10 and 11 include more than 80 school districts in Dallas County and other counties located north, east and south of Dallas County.

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Middle School Solo & Ensemble Contest

Irving ISD middle school band students competed at Irving ISD Solo & Ensemble auditions at Austin Middle School February 28.

Approximately 118 students participated in the event, which included sixth grade students who, because of their beginning skill level, do not usually have the opportunity to participate in UIL auditions. The district has scheduled another middle school solo and ensemble audition May 9. For a complete list of students who participated in IISD solo and ensemble auditions, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/SoloEnsembleResults-MS.htm.

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Student Councils Recognized

Student councils from Irving High School, MacArthur High School, Nimitz High School, and The Academy of Irving ISD were recognized for their respective accomplishments during the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) District 3 Conference, held at Carroll High School March 8.

Student councils submitted reports to district officials detailing accomplishments achieved throughout the year. Accomplishments were judged in five categories: Energy & Environment, Pride & Patriotism, Community Service, DASH (Drugs, Alcohol, Safety & Health), and Outstanding Student Council. The Irving High Student Council was recognized for community service efforts and was named Outstanding Student Council. MacArthur Student Council was recognized with an award for earning the requisite number of points in all of the five judged categories, and the Academy Student Council won Sweepstakes for its point total from all five categories. In addition to recognition in four of the five categories, the Nimitz Student Council won a first place award for its scrapbook project.

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Foundation Awards March Grants

Irving Schools Foundation has awarded $3,033 in 10 Teacher Enrichment Grants for the month of March 2009.

March grant recipients are: Lori Bierschwale, Houston Middle School; Yvette Brown, Gilbert Middle School; Lisa Cartwright, Crockett Middle School; Cathy Dewitt, Houston; Kim Duren, MacArthur High School; Veronica Gradiz, Gilbert; Oralia Mascorro, Brandenburg Elementary School; Jodie McConnell, Good Elementary School; Rick Orndoff, Keyes Elementary School; and Buffy Wilson, Brown Elementary School.

Teacher Enrichment Grants – awarded for as much as $500 – provide funding for professional development opportunities including attendance at seminars and workshops. Applications from teachers and school administrators are due by the 10th of each month and are distributed September through May. For more information about the Irving Schools Foundation or Teacher Enrichment Grants, please visit www.irvingisd.net/foundation.

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