School Zone
Points of Pride
Special
Teachers
Three DCPS Teachers Win
Gladys Prior Awards
The Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence
are presented to teachers every year and are among the
most generous teacher awards in the nation. The winning
teachers receive $12,000 each to spend as they wish.
Gilchrist Berg established the awards in 1998 to honor
the late Gladys Prior, his fourth grade teacher at
Ortega Elementary School.
Congratulations to our
winning teachers:
- Cindy Fitch—5th
Grade Teacher—John Stockton Elementary
- Mai Keisling—Art
Teacher—Paxon School for Advanced Studies
- Ben MacKay—History
Teacher—Stanton College Preparatory
2007 DEMC
Mathematics Educator of the Year
Richard Pinchot,
a 2nd and 3rd grade math teacher and 4th grade homeroom
teacher at Chets Creek Elementary, won the title of 2007
Duval Elementary Mathematics Council’s (DEMC)
Mathematics Educator of the Year. Out of approximately
40 nominees, Pinchot won the title and a $250 gift
certificate. In 2006, he served as a third grade math
coach at Chets Creek. Under his tutelage, 94 percent of
his third grade students achieved a level three or
higher on the mathematics portion of the FCAT. Suzanne
Shall, a math coach at Chets Creek, describes Pinchot’s
mathematics teaching abilities as “legendary.” He has
participated in the America’s Choice National Model
School program as a math and science coach overseeing
math and science instruction, safety nets, and
professional development. Pinchot is a national and
district consultant for standards-based implementation,
and he has trained over 200 teachers in the
Investigations in Number, Data, and Space curriculum in
Florida and Georgia. Congratulations!
Congratulations also are
extended to the two finalists for the 2007 Mathematics
Educator of the Year Award—Jeffery Braden from
Henry F. Kite Elementary and Angela Phillips from
Chets Creek Elementary!
Tribute to
Teachers Award Winner
Arlington Middle School
Teacher Stacey Thompson was one of 25 winners of
the Tribute to Teachers Awards Program sponsored by RBC
Centura Bank and the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Thompson was chosen from more than 1,800 applicants.
She will receive $500 in “classroom cash” to purchase
supplies and learning tools for her classroom.
Congratulations!
Principal
Featured in Florida International
Magazine
Congratulations to Stanton
College Preparatory School Principal Debra Lynch
who was featured in a list of Floridians who are making
a difference in their communities in the April 2007
issue of Florida International Magazine. Lynch’s
photograph accompanied a description which boasted
Stanton’s fifth place ranking in Newsweek’s 2006
list of America’s Best High Schools. The listing also
provided insight into Jacksonville-native Lynch’s
background. Congratulations on gaining state-wide
acclaim!
Teacher
Earns Boeing SOAR Project Award
Kirby-Smith Middle School
Challenger Center Senior Flight Director Sheree
Kearns won a Boeing SOAR Project award for an earth
science Jeopardy lesson she created. In addition to a
$250 honorarium, Kearns’ lesson plan will be published
on the TaskStream web site.
TaskStream is a company which delivers on-demand tools
and support services for standards-based instruction,
competency assessment and electronic portfolios.
Special
Students
2007 American Youth
Character Awards
Eighteen Duval County Public
Schools’ students won an American Youth Character Award
for their community-minded philosophies and caring and
compassionate spirits. The students were nominated by
teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and
members of the community. The awards are co-sponsored
by Character Counts! in Jacksonville and Duval County
Public Schools. Congratulations to each of the
following students whose short life stories are already
filled with numerous acts of generosity!
High School Winners:
- Daniel Gorelov—Terry
Parker High
- Emily
Padgett—Fletcher High
- Trehanna Strange—Ed
White High
- Ashanti Taylor—A.
Philip Randolph Academies of Technology
- Julie Vonn—Fletcher
High
Middle School Winners:
- Elizabeth Alcantara—Fletcher
Middle
- Julian Cano—Southside
Middle
- Bryan Matthews—Mayport
Middle
- Terrica Sapp—Mandarin
Middle
- Avery Scott—Mandarin
Middle
- Leslie Voss—Twin
Lakes Middle
Elementary School Winners:
- Dairo Guerro—Kings
Trail Elementary
- Darius Jackson—Lola
Culver Elementary
- Kiley Kneynsberg—Love
Grove Elementary
- Donald Lowe—Whitehouse
Elementary
- Maggie Prescott—Loretto
Elementary
- Kelci Schnoor—Loretto
Elementary
National
Merit Scholarship Winners
Five Duval County Public
Schools’ high school students won National Merit
Scholarships. Lisa Fox, a senior at Stanton
College Preparatory School, won the National Merit
American Standard Inc. Scholarship. Louis Frezza,
a senior at Stanton College Preparatory School, won a
National Merit Bellsouth Scholarship. These
corporate-sponsored scholarships provide either an
annual stipend that ranges from $500 to $10,000 per
year, or a single payment of $2,500 to $5,000 to help
fund their college education.
Alexander Chern,
a senior at Paxon School for Advanced Studies; Bing
Han, a senior at Stanton College Preparatory School;
and Katherine Saunders, a senior at Stanton
College Preparatory School, each won a National Merit
$2,500 Scholarship. National Merit $2,500 Scholarship
winners were chosen from approximately 15,000 finalists
and are judged based upon their scholastic
accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in
rigorous college studies.
The National Merit
Scholarship Corporation chooses and funds the National
Merit Scholarship program. Established in 1955, this
not-for-profit was created to honor scholastically
talented youth and to enhance their educational
opportunities. This year’s program provided more than
$34 million in college scholarships.
Congratulations to each of
our outstanding students!
DCPS
Student Earns Nestle USA’s Very Best in Youth Award
Tyrone Cody Floyd,
a student at Jean Ribault Senior High School, was
selected as one of Nestle USA’s 27 Nestle Very Best in
Youth.
Honoring young people between
the ages of 10 and 18, the Nestle Very Best in Youth
award program pays tribute to young people who are
committed to academic excellence and also are devoted to
leading a generation of positive change within their
communities. They have set the standard for excellence.
Tyrone formed a community
service group with his friends, Gamma Rho Omega, called
B.R.A.T.S. (Brilliant, Responsible, Alert, Talented
Scholars). The group has volunteered countless hours as
peer counselors at a summer camp for inner city
children, adopted a local homeless shelter, collected
books for its library, and assisted the blind at a
convention held in Jacksonville. A certified lifeguard,
Tyrone also provides free swimming lessons to
underprivileged children. Tyrone is an honor student
and takes college courses.
“What Tyrone and each of the
Nestle Very Best in Youth have achieved at such a young
age is commendable, and they deserve to be recognized,”
said Ken Bentley, vice president of community
affairs/educational programs at Nestle USA. “These kids
have, and are forever changing the lives of those
surrounding them, as well as the lives of people they
may never meet. Each embodies the characteristics of
what it truly means to be a Nestle Very Best in Youth,
and I look forward to the successes they will have
in the future.”
Joining the ranks of more
than 150 past award recipients, Tyrone and the other 26
honorees will each receive an all-expenses paid,
five-day trip to Los Angeles for an awards ceremony in
July 2007, and $1,000 to donate to a charity of their
choice. The winners also will be featured in the 2007
Nestle Very Best in Youth book, which will be
available in the summer of 2007. Complimentary copies
will be distributed to schools and libraries nationwide.
Promoted through a nationwide
network of teachers, parents and community volunteers,
the Nestle Very Best in Youth program was initiated in
1997 to support and recognize outstanding leadership
among today’s youth. To date, five Nestle Very Best in
Youth books have been published with winners’ stories
and more than $600,000 has been donated to support
winners’ charities.
Congratulations, Tyrone!
Thank you for serving as such an inspiration to us all!
Top
African-American Students Honored
The Gamma Beta Boulé chapter
of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, in partnership with
Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) honored the top
African-American students in Jacksonville at the High
Potential Youth Recognition Awards (HPYRA) program.
This is the 23rd year of the
Youth Recognition Program, which also is co-sponsored by
the University of North Florida (UNF) and The Dalton
Agency, a local public relations agency. The Youth
Recognition Program was initiated in 1986 under the
leadership of Dr. Charles H. Cline, retired DCPS
associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction;
Dr. Alvin G. White, retired CEO of DCPS; and Dr. Wendell
P. Holmes, former chairman of the Duval County School
Board and Founding Sire Archon (President) of Gamma Beta
Boulé.
The HPYRA program recognizes
African-American students in grades 10-12 who score in
the 90th percentile or higher on a national standardized
test and score at achievement level four or higher in
reading and/or mathematics on the Florida Comprehensive
Assessment Test (FCAT). There were nearly 680 students
who qualified for the awards program this year.
“Recognizing the academic
achievements of our African-American youth is
particularly important as we work to meet the Duval
County School Board’s commitment to eliminate the
achievement gap in our district,” said Dr. Jim Williams,
DCPS’ chief officer of community engagement and
organizational advancement.
The top seven students were
featured in a video vignette during the ceremony and
also were entered into competition for the coveted Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Achievement Award
and scholarship.
Congratulations to the
following students:
-
Darren Harvey—Paxon
School for Advanced Studies
-
Dan Iya—Paxon
School for Advanced Studies
-
Jaleesa Jackson—Stanton
College Preparatory School
-
Sean Johnson—Stanton
College Preparatory School
-
James Lee—Stanton
College Preparatory School
-
Breon Page—Sandalwood
High
-
Velencia Witherspoon—Stanton
College Preparatory School
For additional information on
the 2007 HPYRA program, contact Karen Hanson at
390.2335.
Students
Honored for Arts Excellence
The Florida Alliance for Arts
Education (FAAE) and former First Lady Columba Bush have
recognized 24 high school students from Florida with a
scholarship of excellence for achievement in the arts.
Five of the scholarship recipients are Duval County
Public Schools’ students. The students and their
families, teachers, and school administrators will be
honored during a luncheon hosted by former Governor Jeb
Bush and First Lady Columba Bush on June 29 in Miami.
Each year, the FAAE and the
former First Lady, through the Arts Recognition Program,
recognize high school seniors representing various arts
disciplines for their artistic merit and academic
excellence. Students in dance, music, theatre, and
visual art are eligible for $1,000 scholarships to be
used for their continued pursuit of the arts in higher
education.
More than 150 outstanding
high school seniors applied for the prestigious award
this year. Following strict guidelines, students were
required to submit a sample of their work and an essay
on, “how the arts influenced my life” and “the role of
the arts in my future.” Independent judges, experts in
their respective arts’ fields, reviewed each application
to select the scholarship winners.
Congratulations to each of
the Duval County Public Schools winners:
Music Category:
Douglas Anderson School
of the Arts
Teacher: Vera Watson
Douglas Anderson School
of the Arts
Teacher: Brian Griffin
Theatre Category:
Douglas Anderson School
of the Arts
Teacher: Lee Berger
Visual Arts Category:
Douglas Anderson School
of the Arts
Teacher: Hillary Hogue
Douglas Anderson School
of the Arts
Teacher: Hillary Hogue
DASOTA
Student Goes to Washington
Student Chris Robinson
won first place in the Poetry Out Loud National
Recitation Contest state finals. In addition to an
all-expenses paid trip to Washington for the national
competition, Robinson received a $200 cash prize, and
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts received $500 for
the purchase of poetry books for its media center.
DASOTA
Student Goes to New York City
Douglas Anderson School of
the Arts (DASOTA) hosted the Regional Academic,
Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO)
Competition, and DASOTA students won 19 out of 31
awards, including original essay, poetry, dance,
dramatics, instrumental classical, instrumental
contemporary, vocal classical, vocal contemporary,
oratory, painting, photography, sculpture, drawing and
entrepreneurship. There were seven first place winners
who will compete in the national competition.
Student Kelsey Berkley
won a Gold Key Award from the Alliance for Young Artists
& Writers, Inc. and will be recognized at a national
ceremony at Carnegie Hall. ACT-SO is a major youth
initiative of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Founded in 1978
by renowned author and journalist Vernon Jarrett, ACT-SO
provides a forum through which African-American youth
can demonstrate academic, artistic and scientific
prowess and expertise, thereby gaining the same
recognition often only reserved for entertainers and
athletes.
Congratulations!
Florida
History Fair State Winners
Eight Duval County Public
Schools’ students participated and placed in the Florida
History Fair, sponsored by the Museum of Florida
History. The Florida History Fair was
created to enhance history teaching and
learning at elementary and secondary levels.
More than 700 students from 24 counties competed.
The 2006/2007 theme was "Triumph
and Tragedy in History." After analyzing and
interpreting the information the students gathered, they
were encouraged to express their findings in a paper,
exhibit, performance, or documentary.
State winners from thirteen
counties will participate in the National History Day
competition in June at the University of Maryland.
Congratulations to the
following Duval County Public Schools’ students who
placed in the contest:
1st Place
Ryan Brown, Jordan Herriff, Patrick Rickert
James Weldon Johnson Middle School
Teacher: Robert Perry
Topic: Henri Landwirth
1st Place
Joseph Bolling, Christopher Cruise, Andrew Galler
James Weldon Johnson Middle School
Teacher: Sylvia Murray
Topic: EYAM: Yesterday’s
Tragedy, Today’s Triumph
2nd Place
Brooke Robinson and Morgan Metz
James Weldon Johnson Middle School
Teacher: Wayne Fortuna
Topic: Marie Curie: Her Passion Had a Price
Students’
Poems Make it to Print
Eighth grade students at
Southside Middle School participated in a poetry
contest, in which the winning student poems would be
published in an anthology of poetry. The anthology is
called A Celebration of Young Poets, and it is
sponsored by Creative Communications. Twenty-nine
Southside Middle students will have their poems
published in the anthology. Congratulations to the
following students:
- Sonia Aguliar
- Rozhin Arif
- Zach Bowman
- Julian Cano
- Kierra Cooper
- Sergio Corrales
- Roland Davis
- Michaela Donohue
- Faylecia Fulmore
- Caitlyn Gorrie
- Amanda Gutzwiller
- Philip Harville
- Brionna Lamar
- Stephanie Lucas
- Belma Mehmedovic
- Deborah Murray
- Sanela Music
- Timothy Nguon
- Aleksa Racunica
- Scott Roberts
- Emily Simpson
- Joel Skarpness
- Emma Tran
- Julie Tran
- Febe Tulaio
- Ashley Wilson
- Anthony Woods
- Victoria Yates
- Albert Zymberi
Stanton Student Wins Big in National Contest
Stanton College Preparatory School Senior
Co’Relous Bryant
participated in and won the American Legion National
High School Oratorical Contest. Bryant traveled to
Indianapolis to compete against students from all 50
states. He will receive a $23,000 prize. Bryant is the
first student from Florida to win this contest since
1948. Congratulations on this momentous achievement!
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