WANTED: TEACHERS TO TAKE TRIP TO CHINA

If you are a fifth or sixth grade classroom teacher or if you teach art and you have an interest in oriental culture, a summer trip to China just may be for you. Springboard to Learning, a 40 year-old educational enrichment program, is sponsoring the educational program. Teachers who are interested must complete an application. The trip is from June 18 though July 5 and is valued at 4,000. However, a teacher is only required to pay $1,100 while Springboard to Learning will pick up the remaining cost. “It’s a great opportunity for teachers to explore all facets of China, visit schools and enjoy the tradition of the country,” said project manager Rebecca Larsen. The cost includes airfare, transportation, slide film for camera, a $100 stipend toward the purchasing of classroom artifacts, group tips and other miscellaneous costs. For an application or more information, contact Larsen at 543-4337.


STUDENTS ARE READY TO SHOW OFF THEIR INTELLECT AT THE ACADEMIC OLYMPICS!

Thousands of St. Louis Public Schools students will cheer for their classmates as the district holds its Fifth Annual Academic Olympics competition. The festivities will get under way at 9 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 3633 Lindell Blvd. Interim Superintendent Pamela Randall Hughes will light the academic torch, symbolizing the competition’s beginning. The program, which resembles a game-like competition, aims to elevate the level of academic achievement to the height of popularity of sports among students. Several prominent St. Louisians are serving as judges including Dr. Lynn Beckwith, urban education professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis and former principal Juanita Doggett. Dr. Charlene Jones, associate superintendent for public relations, is proud of what the competition means to students. “It is designed to have our best and brightest compete academically,” Jones said.

DID YOU KNOW?
Six young ladies from Meda P. Washington graduated during the school’s mid year graduation. The graduation was held Feb. 10 at 9:30 a.m. at the school. Carol Daniel, KMOX radio news personality, who mentors the young ladies, was in attendance. Guest speaker was Cherise Mils, M.D., of 4 FLORA Foundation.

REMEMBER… If you teach physical

education and are interested in the PE Teacher of the Year award program, call Dave Cook for an application at 345-4416 or log onto www.slps.org. Be sure to watch the new student news program Spotlight News four times a day, four days a week on SLPS-TV Channel 20. Check the station’s bulletin board for broadcast times.

TWO OAK HILL STUDENTS WIN ART COMPETITION

Oak Hill Elementary School students Eisa Littleton and Adelisa Golubovic are winners in the “Picture the Music” art competition. They were among the top 100 selected out of a thousand entries. Students were asked to listen to classical music and create artwork
based on their interpretation of the music.

“They interpreted music into a graphic creation using color, shape and form,” said art supervisor Yvonne Days. Winners will be recognized at an awards program at 7 p.m., Monday, March 7 at Powell Symphony Hall. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is sponsoring the annual event. All winners will receive awards, certificates and free tickets to a symphony concert.

NEWS CORNER…

Essence Magazine’s best selling author Keisha Ervin will visit students and staff at Roosevelt High School on March 4. Ervin will host a book discussion about her second novel Chyna Black. For more information, call Sandra Roberts at 776-6040, ext. 6205…Mann Elementary School will sponsor a special Black History Month observance at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Commerce Bank Education Center. The evening’s activities include: 5:30-6:30 p.m., dinner; 6:30-7:00 p.m., museum showcase created by Mann’s 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students; 7:00- 8 p.m., hands on science experiments. For more info, call principal Janis Wiley at 772-4545…Simmons-Marshall Elementary will celebrate Black History by welcoming Gedlu Metaferia, from Ethiopia, Africa. He and Simmon’s art teacher Sine Berhanu will show African artifacts and perform a coffee ceremony practiced in their country.

KENNARD STUDENTS LEARN ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS

Carolyn Recke’s third graders are learning how to start their own business. In their communications arts and social studies classes, they decided to open their own business. “They created a business plan and presented it to a banker at U.S. Bank,” she said. They decided to sponsor a bake sale and created business cards, posters and fliers. They sold baked goods on all three lunch periods. When the school hosted a Mardi Gras festival, students set up shop again and sold the remaining items.
A total of $410.27 was raised. Proceeds from the sale were given to the American Red Cross to aid Tsunami victims.

ROOSEVELT STUDENTS ADVANCE TO STATE COMPETITION

Roosevelt High School students Alicia Smith and Lakeysha Miller have advanced to the state competition at the Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference. DECA is a student marketing association that is designed to develop student skills in the areas of marketing, management and merchandising.
The goal is to motivate students to become responsible young men and women in the areas of self-improvement and discipline. The state competition will be held March 20-22 at the Lake of the Ozarks. DECA is the only international organization specifically designed to reinforce the occupational competencies of high school students who desire to pursue a career in marketing, merchandising and management.


Our Black History Month Quote:
“Not to know is bad; not to want to know is
worse.” -The Gambia