Dyce-Brown is National Achievement Scholar

Lyncoln Dyce-Brown, senior at MacArthur High School, has been named a winner in the 2010 National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Dyce-Brown, who said he hopes to study business and finance in college, is recipient of a $2,500 scholarship. He is one of approximately 800 students to be honored in the National Achievement program established to specifically honor scholastically talented African-American youth. Dyce-Brown was named finalist in the program last fall as a result of high scores earned on the 2008 Preliminary SAT (PSAT). In addition to test scores, he had to demonstrate a record of consistently high academic performance, receive a recommendation from a MacArthur administrator, earn SAT scores confirming PSAT performance, and submit an essay.

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IISD Students Win in UIL Academics

Students from Irving ISD competed at district UIL Academics contest at Grand Prairie High School March 27, with MacArthur High School winning second place overall.

Students competed in events including Accounting, Calculator Applications, Current Issues, Computer Applications, Feature Writing, Headline Writing, Informative Speaking, Literary Criticism, Mathematics, Number Sense, Persuasive Speaking, Physics, Ready Writing, Biology, Science, Social Studies, and Spelling & Vocabulary. Irving High School, MacArthur and Nimitz High School were among seven schools competing in UIL District 7-5A.

In addition to winning second place overall, MacArthur won team awards in Accounting, Calculator Applications, Literary Criticism, Mathematics, Number Sense, Social Studies, and Spelling & Vocabulary. Team awards won by Irving High were in the categories of Computer Applications, Literary Criticism, and Science. In the category of Current Issues, Nimitz won first place.

IISD students qualifying for the regional contest will compete at Texas Tech University April 23-24. For a complete list of students competing at district and advancing to UIL regional competition, access www.irvingisd.net/articles/uil2010.htm

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SkillsUSA Members Prepare for Nationals

Three SkillsUSA students from Singley Academy won first place in their respective state contests and will advance to national competition in Kansas City in June.

National competitors are Gabriela Sosa, Advertising Design; Ashleigh Hakes, Pin Design; and Emily Guzman, Geographical Information Systems.

SkillsUSA students from Singley Academy and Cardwell Career Preparatory Center celebrate winning awards in their respective events at state competition in Corpus Christi March 25-27.

Advertising Design students Andrew Guerrero, Nick Pena and Chris Graves won a Best in Show award for their project. Additionally, 8 Singley Academy and Cardwell Career Preparatory Center students placed in their respective contests. Ruben Ramirez, second place, T-shirt  Design; Shelbyrae and Sunnyrae Hunt, second place, Promotional Bulletin Board; and Amy Preston, third place, Food & Beverage Service. Technical test competitors included Rebeka Rodriguez, first place, and Yarelhdi Jaimes, second place, Advertising Design Test; Fabiola Montes, first place, Food & Beverage Service Test; Deanna Johnson, first place, Commercial Baking Test; Jose Salmeron, first place, Collision Repair Test.

SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference will be in Kansas City, Missouri, at H. Roe Bartle Hall and Municipal Auditorium June 20-25. For more information about SkillsUSA, access www.skillsusa.org.

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Schepf Recognized as Outstanding Teacher

Gary Schepf, career and technology education teacher at Singley Academy, was recognized April 5 with as a finalist for Excellence in Education Awards from H-E-B grocery company.

Representatives from H-E-B surprised Schepf with a $1,000 award for his use, and an additional $1,000 for the school. Schepf is among 40 finalists statewide who are invited to compete in May against other educators to win additional prizes ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

Gary Schepf (center), teacher at Singley Academy, was recognized April 5 as a finalist in the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program by Singley Academy Principal David Saenz and H-E-B Public Affairs Manager Jill Reynolds.

H-E-B began the awards program in 2002 in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators as a positive way to support public education in Texas. Throughout the year, the company has sought nominations from customers, employees and the community for favorite teachers, administrators and districts.

Nominees were then sent an application packet and asked to share professional experiences, educational philosophies and achievements. Packets were reviewed by a team of judges who narrowed the field to 223 semifinalists. From that pool, five regional judging panels selected the 40 statewide finalists who will be invited to Houston April 30-May 2 to compete.

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Irving High Singers Make State

Seventeen choir students from Irving High School performed at Region V Vocal University Interscholastic League (UIL) Solo & Ensemble Contest February 20, with three earning superior ratings to advance to state.

Students earning superior ratings are: Maggie Anderson, T.J. Cook, and Vanessa Ventura. Students earning excellent ratings are: German Board, Shelby Brown, Enrique Cisneros, Mary Cooper, Jennifer Flores, Paula Garner, Triana Henderson, Paulses Kollie, Cassidy Lane, Morgan Linton, Paola Maldonado, Bobby Moore, Joshua Soberanis, and Rosie Van Dyke.

State UIL Solo & Ensemble Competition will be May 30 and June 1 at University of Texas at Austin and is open to the public.  For more information regarding state solo and ensemble, access www.uil.utexas.edu/music.

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Annual Academy Expo Scheduled

Singley Academy will host their second annual Academy Expo from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 24.

The event includes a car and truck show, craft fair, public service exhibits, entertainment and food. The event is designed to provide information about clubs and organizations from schools and the community in a safe and entertaining environment.

For more information, call 972.600.5300 or access www.irvingisd.net/academy/expo/default.asp.

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PTA Council to Host Vendor Fair, Workshops

The Irving ISD Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) will host the organization’s first vendor fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 24 in the library at Nimitz High School.

Cost for booths is $100 for a single space and $150 for a double. Electricity will be available for an additional cost of $25, and lunch is provided for all participating vendors. Vendors interested in participating at the fair are encouraged to call 469-867-2268 or email to j-stiggy@msn.com. School PTAs and district personnel are invited to attend.

Also included in the day’s activities will be an area meeting and training conducted by the PTA beginning at 9:30 a.m. Workshops will be offered for the positions of president, treasurer, secretary, membership chair, and parliamentarian. All elected school PTA board members are required to complete the training.

For more information regarding leadership training, registration fees and workshop activities, call 972-253-1383 or email to pta.steward@yahoo.com.

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