Science Students Win Top Awards

The Science Olympiad Team from The Academy of Irving ISD competed at Texas A&M University April 24-25, with team members winning five top-ten awards in state competition.

The Science Olympiad Team from The Academy of Irving ISD won 16th place of 31 teams competing in state competition at Texas A&M University April 24-25.

Fahim Choudhury and George Thomas won first place for “Our Changing Climate”, and David Phan and Linh Vo won third place for an elevated bridge they constructed out of balsa wood. Sean Diaz and Sana Ahmed earned sixth place awards for “Write It/Do It”, Parth Shah and Fahim Choudhury earned eighth place in “We’ve Got Your Number”, and Linh Vo and Tin Phan won ninth place in forensics.

The Academy team won first place in regional competition March 28, and placed 16^th of 31 teams competing at state. The various Science Olympiad events follow the format of popular board games, television game shows, and athletic games. Events are focused on science and engineering disciplines in biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, computers and technology. For more information about Science Olympiad, access www.soinc.org.

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Family Health Night at Lively

On Thursday, April 23, Lively Elementary School hosted their first Family Health & Fitness Night to help families understand how easy fitness can be, and to provide families with information about health and nutrition.

The event was designed by physical education teachers Maresa Pittman and Amanda Walsh and included student demonstrations, food samples, interactive games, and handouts of information from various health and fitness related agencies. A chef from the North Texas Food Bank showed families healthy alternatives to meals, and IISD Food Service Department provided healthy food samples to attendees.

Health and fitness information was distributed, as well as games and activities for families to play at home. Computers were set up to explore through various health and family fitness websites, and representatives from YMCA played interactive games with students. Phoenicia Eilert, Lively school nurse, helped students listen to their heart beats and provided information about health and wellness.

(from left) Doug Fox, Irving YMCA director, two Lively Elementary School parents, and Ann Crowley, Lively library assistant, dance during the Family Health & Fitness Night April 23.

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TAKS Academy Provides Extra Help

During the course of nine Saturdays beginning January 24, de Zavala Middle School has hosted a morning interactive TAKS academy, offering tutoring and mentoring sessions for students.

Sessions were designed to help students master Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) in math, reading, and math and science vocabulary. The three study areas provided students extra exposure to the TEKS that are tested each year on the TAKS test. As a result of the Saturday studies, eighth grade students’ scores on the first round of TAKS tests increased four percentage points in reading and increased nine percentage points in math. The added percentage points brought de Zavala eighth graders to 93 percent passing reading and 75 percent passing math. The final Saturday, April 25, advanced placement Spanish preparation was added to the rotations.

Breakfast was provided for students at 7:45 a.m., and classes were from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The first Saturday, approximately 147 students attended class and on the final Saturday, 215 students attended.

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Fields Picked for National Team

MacArthur High School senior Breanna Fields has been selected to join the Texas National All-Star Gymnastics Team, and will compete at Senior All-Star Gymnastics Championships in Chicago May 22-23.

Fields anchored the MacArthur women’s gymnastics team that won seventh place at the 43rd Texas State Gymnastics Championships in Garland April 24-25. In individual events, she won eighth place in vault, ninth in uneven bars, seventh in balance beam, and fifth place all-around. Fields returned to gymnastics practice May 4 following a down week for TAKS testing and cheerleading squad tryouts May 2 at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, where she was awarded a spot on the squad.

MacArthur High School senior Breanna Fields, who was named to the Texas National All-Star Gymnastics Team, practices on the balance beam at Irving Gymnastics Center at Irving High School in preparation for national competition May 22-23.

Fields has attended school in Irving since kindergarten at Johnston Elementary School, then she attended Houston Middle School. She has participated in organized gymnastics since age six and participated in club gymnastics until entering high school. Though undecided in a college field of study, Fields said she’s interested in a career in marketing or broadcasting.

Fields will be accompanied to the national meet by MacArthur gymnastics coach Janet Cochran, who is also one of the co-lead coaches for the Texas national women’s team. Fields said Cochran and gymnastics coach Mark Ragar set high expectations for the team, but have contributed to her success because they have made gymnastics fun. Fields will spend the summer working as a camp instructor with Universal Cheerleaders Association.

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Kindergarteners at Barton Elementary School hosted a visit from Snoopy and employees from MetLife who shared stories about safety.

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Kellie Knoerr (right), certified flight registered nurse at CareFlite, delivers a presentation about the company and various career fields the company employs to students from Union Bower Center for Learning on April 23.

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