School Zone
Points of Pride
Arlington Heights Teacher Selected for MOCA's 2009 Memphis Wood Excellence in Teaching Award
Moises Ramos, an art teacher at Arlington Heights Elementary School, recently received the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Memphis Wood Excellence in Teaching Award.
Ramos has been a teacher at Arlington Heights for several years, and this year was named as his school’s Teacher of the Year.
"Moises is passionate about the art program at Arlington Heights Elementary, and the art work he and his students create proudly adorn our school," said Principal Robert Snyder. "The students love him, and he is highly respected by our faculty."
Aside from being an excellent educator, Ramos makes many contributions to the arts community. Each year, he organizes a community art show with the Arlington Division of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, and delivers bags filled with art supplies to Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The Memphis Wood Excellence in Teaching Award is presented annually to a First Coast educator who demonstrates the value of the visual arts and art education in the classroom. Mr. Ramos received $1,000, a commemorative award and a guided tour of the museum for 30 of his students.
Known as Jacksonville's First Lady of Art, Memphis Wood made an astonishing contribution to art and art education in Jacksonville. As an educator, she taught art at the former Landon High School (now Landon Middle School) for 33 years, and also worked for more than 60 years in Jacksonville as an artist. Memphis Wood was a founding trustee of the original Jacksonville Art Museum, and established MOCA’s endowment fund. Building on Wood’s devotion to art, art education, her community leadership and her conviction that art should be accessible to all, MOCA is proud to offer this annual award in her honor.
Mt. Herman Hosts Annual Exceptional Olympics
Mt. Herman Exceptional Student Center held its annual Exceptional Olympics on March 25 and 26, providing its students with the opportunity to compete in a series of events adapted to their skill levels.
The event kicked off with a banner parade led by the Screaming Eagles Motorcycle Club, one of the school’s business partners.
During the two-day event, students participated in a variety of events, including running, bowling with a ramp, body bowling, wheelchair and tricycle racing, switch activation, walking with assistive equipment, and the competition for the biggest smile.
Although students were competing against their classmates for ribbons, they also spent a lot of time cheering on their peers and enjoying the friendly competition.
DCPS Student Wins State Poetry Contest Two Years in a Row
For the second year in a row, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts student, Monique Henry, has been named the statewide winner in the Poetry Out Loud Recitation Contest.
Monique received $200, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. and $500 worth of poetry books for her school’s library. While in Washington, Monique will be vying for the national title and a chance to win up to $20,000 in scholarships.
“This is quite a prestigious honor for a Duval County student,” said Jackie Cornelius, principal at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. “The Douglas Anderson family is so excited that Monique will have a chance to represent our school and the state of Florida for the second year in a row.”
The contest, hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, provides high school students across the U.S. a chance to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage.
| 
