School Zone
Points of Pride
WrestleMania Reading Challenge Launches at Highlands Middle
Recently, members of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) stopped by
Highlands Middle School to launch the fourth WWE WrestleMania Reading Challenge. The Challenge is a reading incentive program that provides prizes from WWE as a reward.
WWE Superstars The Miz, Kofi Kingston and the Bella Twins appeared at the school and spoke to students about the importance of reading, and how it is important for their future.
To be eligible for prizes through the WWE, students must read 10 books that are not part of a required reading list for class, and should do so in their free time. The grand prize is a trip to WrestleMania 26 in Phoenix in March 2010.
"The WWE stars were an inspiration to our students by encouraging each of them to read," said Dr. Catherine Barnes, principal of Highlands Middle School. "Reading is the most essential component to a good education, and is the foundation on which other academic skills are built.”
Duval County Publics Schools’ Celebrate Red Ribbon Week
Duval County Public Schools' students throughout the district participated in Red Ribbon Week October 19-23, with schools hosting activities that encouraged students to say no to drugs.
The Red Ribbon Campaign began in 1985, following the death of Drug Enforcement Administration agent Kiki Camarena who died at the hands of drug traffickers in Mexico while fighting the battle against illegal drugs. Its mission is to present a unified and visible commitment toward the creation of a drug-free America. The campaign is now the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, each year reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week.
Schools such as
Chaffee Trail Elementary and
Enterprise Learning Academy hosted week-long activities that reinforced being drug free.
"Enterprise Learning Academy participates in Red Ribbon Week as a reminder to students of the importance of making positive choices in all areas with a main focus on saying "NO!" to drugs and alcohol," said organizers Danna Hall and Kayla Stroud, both kindergarten teachers.
Each school planned different events, such as wearing their shirts backwards to "Turn Their Back on Drugs," modeling cool sunglasses as they "Shaded out Drugs," joined the Drug-free Team by wearing their favorite sports uniforms and memorabilia, wore hats to "Put a Cap on Drugs," and decorated their school campuses with red ribbons and door banners.
At Chaffee Trail, students brought in hair brushes and toothbrushes in an effort to "Brush off drugs," and then donated these items to local charities. They also carved "Say No to Drugs" slogans in pumpkins and displayed them in the school's "Drugs Make Me Blue" pumpkin patch.
Chaffee students also had a visit from Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer Keith Jowers (a.k.a. Officer Friendly) who discussed saying no to drugs and alcohol, and also reviewed safety procedures such as always wearing a seatbelt in the car and helmet when bike riding, and not talking to strangers. Jowers has been a Safety Education Officer for 16 years, and provides service to 29 of the district's elementary schools.
One day during the week, Enterprise held a Red Ribbon Rally. Students dressed in red and displayed posters and banners they made to emphasize the importance of saying no to drugs. For a writing lesson, they also came up with their own say no to drugs slogan and wrote about how they would persuade someone to not use drugs.
Enterprise students also were "Raisin Cain Against Drugs" during a school-wide science experiment. For their lesson, students were given raisins (donated by Sun-Maid in California) and tried to determine why carbonated beverages made the raisins float.
For more pictures from Red Ribbon Week, visit the
DCPS' flickr Photostream.
Homecoming Hits the Halls at Baldwin Middle-Senior High
This year's homecoming theme at
Baldwin
Middle-Senior High was Survivor, and students came to school ready to celebrate!
Students wore their class colors one day, and also during the week came to school dressed as pirates and princesses, and predators and prey. Thursday was heroes vs. villains day, and Friday all students displayed their school spirit by wearing red.
At the end of day on Friday, Baldwin hosted their famous Homecoming Parade. All of the clubs, organizations and teams made a float. The band, the floats and many cars carrying Baldwin's elite made their way around the town, waving at all of the onlookers. All of the students from the high school, middle school and even the elementary school came outside to watch and wave.
Homecoming 2009 ended with the game, and the Baldwin Indians beat the Rams – a wonderful way to end the week!
In other Baldwin news...
Baldwin recently welcomed 38 students into the district’s Accelerated Advanced Placement (AP) Honors program during a special induction ceremony.
The AP Honors program is a rigorous academic program where students take at least nine AP courses between grades nine and 12. Students must complete a minimum of the following AP courses: World History, U.S. History, Macro or Micro Economics, U.S. Government and Politics, English Literature, English Language, one AP science, one AP mathematics course, and one elective AP course.
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