Humanities Class Makes Pitch to White House

Students in Vanessa Vega’s humanities class at Irving High School have focused their classroom studies in a practical direction, creating a recommendation of local artists’ work to be added to the White House in Washington, D.C.

In early October 2009, Vega’s students began a study of the White House, both historically and contemporarily. Students looked at the building’s construction, architectural elements, and the art contained in the building’s permanent collection. Students learned that President Barak Obama had plans to change the focus of the art hanging in the White House, and they decided to recommend the art hanging there.

As a first step, Vega contacted Marci Inman, director of exhibitions and educational programs at Irving Arts Center, who visited the class to speak about local artists, painters and sculptors. Inman helped students understand more about the pieces they chose to recommend.

Students chose “I am a City” by Ross Von Rosenberg and “The Road Less Taken” by Niki Gulley. Rosenberg, an Austin native and Texas Tech graduate, works as a graphic designer for a Dallas advertising agency. Gulley, originally from Glenview, Illinois, is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and also resides in Dallas.

The class then sent a letter to President Obama and to William Allman, curator of the White House permanent collection December 5. The proposal, containing the class’s formal letter and an 8”x10” reproduction of Rosenberg’s and Gulley’s work, was also sent to Irving Mayor Herbert Gears and both local congressional representatives. Vega and her class are waiting to hear a response from the White House.

According to the class’s letter to President Obama, their ultimate purpose is for the president to reserve one wall in the living quarters to act as a “rotating wall”. The wall would feature works from artists all over the United States, selected by students from their local community and exchanged regularly for a new piece.

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iFair to Remember

Irving ISD will host the 2009-2010 Technology Media Fair from 6‑7:30 p.m. January 28 at Jack E. Singley Academy, located at 4601 N. MacArthur in Irving.

IISD students produced projects in nine categories focused on the theme “iFair to Remember”. Contest categories include the following: Animation, Desktop Publishing, Digital Audio, Digital Video, Multimedia, Photography, Original Illustrated Art, Product Design, and Website Design.

All categories were open for students in grades prekindergarten through 12, and district employees including teachers and staff were open to submit work as well. Student first-place winners from all categories will be submitted for state-level competition.

The IISD media fair is based on a state-level competition sponsored by the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) and entries followed the same rubric by which projects are judged at the state level.

Students have worked on their projects since last fall and the deadline to submit entries to individual school media fairs was December 10. The district deadline was December 17 and approximately 2,600 entries were submitted. District winners will be highlighted at the fair.

For more information about the media fair, outlines of contest rules, and past winners, access www.irvingisd.net/mediafair.

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Recruiting Seminar Scheduled

The IISD Athletic Department has scheduled a free recruiting seminar for 7 p.m. January 20 in the cafeteria at Irving High School.

The seminar will feature recruitment expert Jack Renkens. Renkins is a former high school coach, teacher, administrator and college athletic director. Open to all IISD students and parents, the seminar is designed to address prevalent myths in college recruiting and provide parents with facts to help their students find the right college athletic program.

Irving High is located at 900 O’Connor Road. For more information, call 972-600-5215 or access www.irvingisd.net/ppage/recruitingrealities.htm.

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Athletes of the Month

Kassandra Sosa, junior at Irving High School, and Rickey Scott, senior at MacArthur High School, are IISD Athletes of the Month for January.

Kassandra Sosa

Rickey Scott

Sosa, a captain on the Irving High Girls’ Swim Team, has improved her time in her selected events at every swim meet throughout the year. She is also a member of the IISD water polo team. In the classroom, Sosa is enrolled in a full schedule of advanced placement and honors classes.

Scott averages 22 points per game, seven rebounds, and five assists per game in the first 14 games of the season. He was named a Dallas Morning News Athlete of the Week in the first week of January, and is a member of Peer Assistance & Leadership and the MacArthur Advanced Health Club. Scott has committed to attend the University of Arkansas in the fall and play basketball.

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January 18 will be a District Holiday

Irving ISD schools and offices will be closed January 18 in observance of a district holiday for students, teachers and staff in Irving ISD.  January 19 is a student holiday and a campus work day for faculty and staff. Classes will resume January 20.

For the complete IISD calendar, access www.irvingisd.net/Calendars/highlights.htm

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