ROOSEVELT’S FIRST YEAR TEACHER SHOWS STUDENTS HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS

Jacob Babcock is a first year special education business teacher at Roosevelt High School. His approach to teaching is fresh and nontraditional. Babcock’s passion is to make sure students learn the fundamentals of business in a creative way. His students created their own music production company called VeltSide Records and are in the process of recording their first CD at Clayton Studios.

Babcock’s mission is to teach students more responsibility, practical skills and the importance of running their own businesses.
Not only is the project teaching them life skills, the proceeds from the sales will go toward improving Roosevelt’s athletic facilities by installing lights on the football field. “Our goal is to raise $30,000,” he said.

Other partners involved in the project are Marshall Faulk Foundation and Nelly’s Foundation, 4Sho4 Kids. The organizations have committed to assisting with recording costs, final production and distribution. For more information, call Jacob Babcock at 776-6040.

VASHON’S AUTHOR JAMELLA BROWN BREAKS INTO LITERARY WORLD

When it comes to poetry and her career, Vashon High School senior Jamella Brown is confident about her future.

In addition to being president of the National Honor Society, Jamella is the author of the book, “Gazing on the Black Horizon”, a collection of poems depicting the black experience. She is valedictorian of the class of 2005 and plans to attend Columbia College in Chicago, IL where she will major in Journalism and English.

Jamella wants to educate people about the problems and promises of her generation. “ I hope the book encourages the reader because it is my personal perspective about my generation,” she said. A book signing was held May 7 at Vashon High School. Jamella signed copies of her book and read excerpts.

Vashon’s principal Verona Bowers has no doubt that she will achieve her goals. “Jamella is a very outgoing, focused and goal-oriented young lady with a caring spirit to help others,” said Bowers. “She’s just a great all-around student.”

HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS SET FOR DISTRICT’S 8TH GRADE STUDENTS

All eighth graders in SLPS are invited to attend several “Welcome to High School Enrollment” sessions to be held at Beaumont, Roosevelt, Sumner and Vashon High Schools. The purpose of the sessions is to acquaint incoming freshmen with high school life and enrollment procedures. Parents and/or guardians are asked to bring the student’s current shot record, last report card and proof of residency, which can be a current electric or gas bill or copy of lease/rental agreement.

The following dates and times are the scheduled enrollment sessions, which will be held at each school:

Wednesday, May 11- 4:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 12- 4:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

The locations of the sessions are as follows:

Beaumont High School- 3836 Natural Bridge Ave.
Roosevelt High School- 3230 Hartford Ave.
Sumner High School- 4268 Cottage Ave.
Vashon High School- 3035 Cass Ave.

For more information, contact Susan Katzman at 345-5711.

SLPS FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR PROMISES FUN AND LEARNING

SLPS’s Parents as Partners program will sponsor a family resource fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday, May 14 at Compton-Drew Investigative Learning Center, at 5130 Oakland Ave. Over fifty agencies representing social service agencies, organizations and healthcare groups will be present. The event is free and is being sponsored by SLPS social workers. For more information, call Linda Okpaleke at 345-4593.

TERRANCE WILLIAMS WINS LOCAL ESSAY CONTEST

Terrance Williams, senior at Gateway Institute of Technology won the National Bar Association’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Drum Major for Justice Essay competition. The oral competition was held May 2 at Clyde C. Miller Academy. Terrance will compete on the national level of the National Bar Association’s Convention in July.
The following SLPS seniors are also winners in the competition:

Second place- Teranee Hutch, Clyde C. Miller Academy.
Third place- Stephon Hayden, Metro Academic and Classical High School.
Fourth place- Mike Williams, Clyde C. Miller Academy.

SPOTLIGHT ON…Turner Middle’s principal Yolanda Austin. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Harris- Stowe State University.


APPLAUSE CORNER…

Harold Kumke, speech, English, drama and world literature teacher at Soldan High School received the MetLife Foundation Ambassadors Education Award …Gateway Elementary’s third grade teacher Charlotte Smith was featured in the Alive Magazine for staying fit physically!

QUESTION…

How would you like to have a conversation with Superintendent Creg Williams? You can do just that by logging onto www.slps.org and click the Superintendent’s page.