Stars Shine at Scholarship Breakfast

Irving Schools Foundation (ISF) awarded a total of $135,000 in scholarships to 86 IISD students and two teachers at the annual Nissan Breakfast with the Stars at the Four Seasons Resort & Club April 13.

As part of the breakfast program, three ISF Fellows and one Sustainer were endowed. Fellows, a $1000 contribution designated for the general endowment fund, were named in honor of Chuck Kirk, Sharon Requinton Pfaff, and former IISD Superintendent Jack Singley. The Sustainer contribution was made by Christina Gears in honor of her husband, Irving Mayor Herbert Gears.

Four new scholarships were also awarded including: Barbara Cardwell Future of Education Scholarship, Betty & Ben Carpenter Scholarship, Inelda Alaniz Scholarship, and Kenneth Yancey Memorial Scholarship. Nissan North America, the title sponsor for the event, also awarded two scholarships to students: Nissan North America Scholarship and Nissan-Irving Professional Firefighters 9-11 Memorial.

Nimitz High School seniors Leslie Solis (left center) and Ivette Aguilar (right center) are congratulated by their mothers, Maria Solis (left) and Ida Aguilar, for being awarded Joy & Ralph Ellis Scholarships during Breakfast with the Stars April 13.

ISF officials estimate the event grossed more than $100,000 in funds for the foundation including proceeds from donations, ticket sales, auctions and raffles.

Student scholarships were limited to those who had not received a full scholarship from other sources. Recipients were selected by independent committees on the basis of grade point average, leadership and community/social service.

Irving Schools Foundation (ISF) Executive Director Mandy Hamilton (left) and ISF President Phil Sims (right) thank WFAA-Channel 8 Anchor John McCaa for serving as emcee for Breakfast with the Stars April 13.

More information regarding the Irving Schools Foundation, student scholarships, and Breakfast with the Stars, can be accessed on the web at www.irvingisd.net/foundation.

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Academy HOSA, SkillsUSA Students Win at State

Students from The Academy of Irving ISD who participate in Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and SkillsUSA won top awards at the state level April 1-6.

The Academy senior HOSA chapter was awarded outstanding chapter at the organization’s state leadership conference in McAllen April 2-6. Eleven of the Academy’s 19 club members qualified for national competition in various events related to the healthcare field. Students won five individual and team medals and Anthony Anosike qualified to take the Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Issues Exam. Academy HOSA students qualifying for national competition will attend the national leadership conference in Nashville, Tennessee June 24-27.

SkillsUSA participants from the Academy, and one from Ratteree Career Development Center, attended state competition in Corpus Christi April 1-4. The eighteen students won several first and second place awards in advertising design, hospitality & culinary arts, advanced technology, and auto collision repair. Superior excellence certificates were also presented to students in several categories.

(from left) Sarahi Ruiz, Cynthia Osborn, Jerry Aceves, Fabiola Montes, and Ashleigh Hakes won top awards at the SkillsUSA state competition in McAllen April 2-6.

For a complete list of HOSA and SkillsUSA students who won awards at state competition, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/Academy2009.htm.

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Students Succeed in UIL Academics

MacArthur High School placed second overall in District 7-5A UIL Academic Competition at Grand Prairie High School April 3.

Irving High School, MacArthur and Nimitz High School were among seven schools competing in UIL District 7-5A. MacArthur won team awards in debate, calculator applications, literary criticism, mathematics, number sense, spelling & vocabulary, and theater. Team awards won by Irving High were in the categories of Science and Computer Science, and Nimitz students won several top individual awards.

IISD students qualifying for the regional contest will compete at Texas Tech University April 24-25. For a complete list of students advancing to UIL regional competition, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/UIL2009.htm.

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MacArthur Troupe Continues to Regional

Theater arts students from MacArthur High School won the Area UIL One-Act Play competition at Coppell High School April 11, and will advance to regional competition at Texas Tech University April 25.

Performing The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, MacArthur won five of 18 individual awards at the area contest: Heather Quinn and Donald Bennett, honorable mention all-star cast; Kenneth Black and Jason Douglass, all-star cast; and Gemma Garcia, best actress. MacArthur’s trip to regional competition marks the first time a school from Irving ISD has advanced past area opponents in the One-Act Play contest.

Southlake-Carroll High School will also advance to Regional UIL One-Act Competition, to be held at Allen Theatre in the student union building at Texas Tech April 25.

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Spring Teacher, Campus Grants Awarded

Irving Schools Foundation (ISF) has announced the awarding of four Grants to Teachers for Spring 2009 totaling $3,447, and one Campus Site Grant for Austin Middle School for $3,500.

Teachers and programs receiving grants are: Kassie Price, Theresa Spencer, and Julia Brown, Hands on Grammar, Austin Middle School; Dawn Bizzell, A Collection of Works – Humanities Through the Years, Travis Middle School; Andrea Keller and Shannon Brown, The Wilmote Project, Stipes Elementary School; and Terri Buckerfield, Water Operators Obtain Licences, Union Bower Center for Learning. Additionally, Austin received a grant for eighth grade students to visit University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Capitol.

ISF Grants to Teachers are awarded three times during the school year to teachers who propose innovative and creative projects that pilot a program, test a theory, enhance learning, and are measurable in terms of results with students’ learning performance. For IISD teachers interested in more information regarding applying for grants to teachers, access www.irvingisd.net/foundation/teachoverview.html.

David Saenz, principal at Austin Middle School, receives a Campus Site Grant from Irving Schools Foundation for the eighth grade to visit the state capitol and University of Texas at Austin.

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Retirees Reminded to Respond

IISD employees intending to retire following the 2008-2009 school year are encouraged to participate in the Retiree Awards Banquet May 21.

Employees who have declared their intended retirement should have received a packet including an invitation to the event, RSVP card, and profile information sheet. Retirees are encouraged to complete and return the profile sheet and RSVP card to the Public Information Department no later than May 1.

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