Homecoming season starts this week

Homecoming season is finally here! And in Texas, that can only mean one thing 鈥� it鈥檚 time to Mum It Up! 听

The once small, fresh chrysanthemums have become the biggest, boldest, most fabulous accessory of the season. 听

With ribbon, cowbells, stuffed animals听and even flashing lights, mums are a personalized shout-out to all the things that make homecoming 鈥� and high school 鈥� unforgettable. 听

But where did the tradition come from? Mums became popular in the 1930s when boys would give their homecoming dates chrysanthemum corsages as a token of affection. Fast forward to the 1990s, Texas florists took it to the next level. From adding extra flowers to colorful ribbon to the corsages, the iconic Texas mums have continued to grow bigger and better each year. In fact, at one time our district was home to the world鈥檚 largest mum.听

And it鈥檚 not just for the girls. Guys can get in on the fun with homecoming garters. Like mini mums, garters are worn on the arm and filled with just as much personality. 听

That鈥檚 what makes the tradition so special. Every mum tells a story. Whether it鈥檚 celebrating your role on the football team, your spot in the marching band, or just showcasing your school colors, mums are all about YOU. Customize them however you want. Bling it out, add your name or keep it simple. There鈥檚 no wrong way to do it!听

Traditionally, mums are worn throughout the school day as well as during the homecoming pep rally and football game. You can share them with your friends, family, teachers and of course your homecoming date!听

Each of the district鈥檚 traditional high schools will have their homecoming pep rally and football game on the following dates:听听

• 9/19 Seguin vs. Grapevine听听听

• 9/20 Bowie vs. Grand Prairie听听

• 9/27 Arlington High vs. South Grand Prairie听听

• 9/27 Lamar vs. Haltom听听

• 10/18 Martin vs. Haltom听

• 10/25 Sam Houston vs. Grand Prairie听

Follow our听,听听and听X pages to keep up with pictures and videos of some of the most extravagant mums in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 this year! And be sure to share your pictures and videos with the hashtags听#LetsHOCO, #MumItUp and #ArlingtonISD. Happy homecoming!听听听

Mariachi Alegre features Wimbish teacher on trumpet

You don鈥檛 drag into school on a Monday morning when there鈥檚 a mariachi band serenading you at the entrance.

You dance.

Mariachi Alegre kicked off this morning as the seven musicians welcomed students to 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 Wimbish World Language Academy.

Groggy-eyed students 鈥� and their parents and teachers 鈥� suddenly turned into dancers with huge smiles on their faces when the music reached their ears.

Some students came prepared wearing colorful dresses perfect for twirling. One boy had his cowboy hat on as he danced. 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 administrators and trustees showed up for the early morning party, too.

Leading the mariachi was a familiar face for Wimbish鈥檚 students: Wimbish teacher Abraham Hernandez. When he鈥檚 not playing trumpet and singing, Hernandez is a Spanish teacher at the school.

Language and Culture

Wimbish is a dual language elementary school where every student gets to pick a language track 鈥� either French or Spanish. Then they are immersed daily in that language. Half the day 鈥� language arts and social studies 鈥� is taught in English, and the other half 鈥� math and science 鈥� is taught in French or Spanish.听

鈥淥ur goal at the school is to not only teach the language, but the culture, too,鈥� said Elizabeth Velasco, Wimbish鈥檚 community engagement liaison. 鈥淭his is our commitment to help the students not only speak, read and write, but also learn about the cultures of other countries.鈥�

Velasco 鈥� who enjoyed dancing along with the students 鈥� was instrumental in coordinating the mariachi performance and worked with to make it happen. The church is a regular partner at the school and paid for the mariachi band to perform. The ensemble 鈥� which performs at ceremonies all over the Metroplex 鈥� only charged half price.

Wimbish assistant principal Eric Rodriguez said the early morning mariachi concert is valuable because it鈥檚 important to embrace everyone鈥檚 culture.

鈥淢ariachi is something that鈥檚 celebrated all across Latin America,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is about having that connection with the kids 鈥� the music, the culture all together in one place.鈥�

It was also the perfect way to start Hispanic Heritage Month.

鈥淐elebrating Hispanic heritage at schools is crucial because it fosters inclusivity and respect for diverse cultures, enriching the educational experience for all students,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淏y highlighting the rich traditions, history and contributions of Hispanic communities, schools can help break down stereotypes and build a more comprehensive understanding of the world ... It provides an opportunity for students to learn about and appreciate the unique perspectives and experiences that shape our society, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and empathetic learning environment.鈥�

Celebrating with mariachi

Hernandez has been playing trumpet for 21 years and has been a member of since 2023.

The mariachi ensemble includes the trumpet, violin, guitar, guitarr贸n and vihuela.

鈥淭he guitarr贸n is the bass of the rhythm section,鈥� Hernandez explained. 鈥淢any people assume that it is heavy, however are surprised to know that it weighs about 10 pounds. The vihuela is similar to the mandolin in that it is small and portable. The difference is that it has five strings and is shaped to produce music at higher volumes while maintaining clarity for rhythm.鈥�

Hernandez loves playing mariachi 鈥渂ecause it cultivates a strong sense of community 鈥� The collaborative nature of mariachi ensembles fosters a collective spirit, enhancing the feeling of belonging.鈥�

That鈥檚 exactly what it did Monday morning for the Wimbish students and teachers.

But as fun as the mariachi ensemble was, there was no time for an encore. It was 8:10. Time for school. The kids 鈥� and Mr. Hernandez 鈥� needed to get to class.

Students now work part-time at local dental office

The 10^th annual 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Back to School Kickoff may have happened last month, but the impact it鈥檚 making on the district can still be felt.

It鈥檚 not just by the students who received backpacks either.

The students from the P-TECH at Bowie High School who worked with Dental Health Arlington at the event made such an impression on the dental office that it wanted to offer jobs to two students in the program.

Two weeks ago, seniors Juan Guzman and Ivana Joby began working part-time jobs at the office of . It鈥檚 the perfect opportunity for students from Bowie as the P-TECH program focuses on health sciences.

Getting real-world experience like that is exactly what P-TECH programs are for.

鈥淲hat it does for P-TECH is it raises the awareness of the benefits of the early college program,鈥� said Bowie P-TECH principal Alicia DeVaull. 鈥淚t lets us know our community is listening, and they are waiting for a chance to enhance these types of programs. These students will set the stage by word of mouth where there will be several other opportunities for our kids.鈥�

Neither Guzman nor Joby worked at the kickoff, as the P-TECH students who volunteered there were underclassmen. But the dental office wanted seniors from the program and knew the kind of students it was producing so it offered two openings for P-TECH seniors.

Both Guzman and Joby are only taking classes at Tarrant County College this semester, so they were able to add the part-time work to their schedules.

鈥淔or me in my future, I need clinical hours,鈥� said Joby, who already has more than 50 hours of college credit. 鈥淚 feel like having some sort of clinical experience is really beneficial for me. I wanted to try it out and see if I can do it.鈥�

The students each work shifts twice a week, five to six hours a day, sterilizing and stocking equipment and setting up things for patients.

鈥淚t is really fast paced,鈥� Guzman said. 鈥淵ou need to keep up with things. It鈥檚 been pretty great.鈥�

For Guzman, the job is exactly why he wanted to join the P-TECH program at Bowie.

鈥淭his was to gain experience in the medical field and hopefully have a shot at college,鈥� said Guzman, who already has 45 college hours and plans to focus on nursing.

Joby opted for Bowie鈥檚 P-TECH program because she wants to have a career in the medical field. She wants to focus on public health and eventually become a physician鈥檚 assistant.

Is your eighth grader interested in a career in health sciences? The specialized programs window for the district opens Oct. 22. You can find out more about all the district鈥檚 specialized programs here.

Watch 'BBQ High' trailer

A new series on Chip and Joanna Gaine鈥檚 Magnolia Network听will feature some of 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 own. The students on the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center鈥檚 BBQ team, the Smokin鈥� Ferrets, have made a name for themselves in Texas and are about to be introduced to the rest of the nation.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWRkjdnjdB0[/embed]

鈥淭his past year our BBQ club had an incredible opportunity to be featured on a reality show focused on high school BBQ,鈥� said Chef Greg Almendarez, a culinary instructor at the CTC and the head coach for the school鈥檚 BBQ competition team. 鈥淢y students dedicated themselves and worked tirelessly, and I couldn't be prouder of their hard work and achievements.鈥�

The reality show 鈥� 鈥淏BQ High鈥� 鈥� profiles the sport of high school BBQ in Texas and follows some of the state鈥檚 culinary heavyweights as they strive to reach the state meet and compete for scholarships and pit glory.

鈥淏BQ High鈥�听premieres this Sunday, Aug. 18, on with the first two episodes at noon and 1 p.m. New episodes will air on the following Sundays. Streaming is also available the same day on听听and听.听 And check back here at the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Looped In blog each week for recaps of the episodes.

Career Camp gives students a head start

Interested in pasta making, rocket launching or travel planning? It鈥檚 never too early to dive into the world of career and technical education (CTE) opportunities in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区. 听听

That鈥檚 why the district鈥檚 second annual Career Exploration Camp was听the perfect place for incoming seventh, eighth and ninth grade students to get a head start. 听

Offering practical experiences in various career fields like culinary arts, web design, robotics, architecture and more, students had the opportunity to engage in 12 CTE programs at the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center this week. 听

鈥淲e create experiences that kids can鈥檛 really get anywhere else,鈥� said CTE coordinator Sara Mahoney. 鈥淭his is an opportunity for them to figure out if some of these things are something that they want to pursue in high school or even after.鈥�听

With help from 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 guidance and counseling department as well as teachers districtwide, the camp strives for two major goals听for students 鈥� giving them a deeper understanding of CTE programs beyond a course description book and promoting college, career and/or military readiness.听

This year, the camp even took it a step further. With additional partnerships like the , and the , speakers from various organizations offered special sessions for students to engage听with real experts in the field. 听

With schedule planning beginning in eighth grade, the camp听aims to help students navigate different career pathways before choosing their classes in high school. But also to have some summer fun! 听

For incoming eighth grader Isaiah Pineda, the camp delivered exactly that. 听

鈥淚t鈥檚 been so fun,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 like the diverse opportunities that we鈥檝e had; it'll be really helpful in my future. When I get older, I would like to be an anesthesiologist, so I really want to get into health and science.鈥�听

Beyond the exposure to CTE programs, the camp is also a fantastic way for students to connect. 听

鈥淢eeting new people, making new friendships and learning what other people are interested in, it鈥檚 been a cool,鈥� Pineda said. 听

The program鈥檚 diverse schedule ensures something new and exciting for each student every single day, catering to various interests and learning styles. 听

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what sets this camp apart,鈥� Mahoney said. 鈥淲ith summer camps, a lot of the time they are doing the same thing every day to get better at something,鈥� Mahoney said. 鈥淗ere, they鈥檙e getting a taste of multiple different things. It鈥檚 really an exciting way to get听the brain working.鈥� 听听

There are many ways to explore the various CTE programs in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区. Not sure where to start? Learn more about the opportunities students can take advantage of in high school on the CTE webpage. 听

Campers practiced Spanish and French

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris don鈥檛 start until Friday. But they already happened in Arlington at Wimbish World Language Academy.

Wimbish is a dual-language elementary school where all students 鈥� pre-K through sixth grade 鈥� are immersed in either Spanish or French.

But the summer break can take a toll on the language skills students acquired during the school year.

So, last week, Wimbish hosted its fourth-annual Summer Enrichment Camp to beat the summer learning lag. Students 鈥� or rather campers 鈥� honed their French and Spanish language skills each morning with classes and fun activities. And the theme for it all was the .

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for kids to have access to language over the summer 鈥� that鈥檚 the main goal,鈥� said Kailey Corpman, a Wimbish dual language specialist and the coordinator for the camp. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really nice that we can bring this to our community for free and students have another opportunity to practice and learn over the summer.鈥�

Each morning included four rotations and started with language instruction. In the library on Wednesday morning, third through fifth graders learned about cognates. In a nearby classroom, soon-to-be kindergartners colored pictures of Olympians as they practiced French.

鈥淚 colored her legs blue,鈥� one little boy announced.

鈥淒o you know what that鈥檚 called?鈥� Wimbish principal Dr. Chelsea Kostyniak asked the boy about his picture. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 rhythmic gymnastics.鈥�

In a room across the hall, second-grade students wrote in Spanish in their journals about Rodelfo Falc贸n, a Cuban Olympian.

鈥淗e was a swimmer and won a championship,鈥� Vian茅, one of the students, said.

Once the language instruction class ended, students rotated among three other activities 鈥� art, snack and P.E.

In the gym, P.E. teacher-for-the-week Annie Eagler 鈥� who is a special education teacher at Wimbish during the school year 鈥� introduced campers to Olympic sports. Each day was a different sport, from soccer and basketball to volleyball and badminton.

鈥淒id you know that volleyball can be played indoors and outside on the beach?鈥� Eagler asked the students on Wednesday before teaching them how to bump the volleyball.

She then listed some of the countries that have won a lot of Olympic medals in volleyball.

鈥淏razil, the United States 鈥︹�� she said before being interrupted by cheers from the students.

鈥淵eah! 鈥淵es!鈥� several shouted.

Down the hall in the art room, campers made colorful Olympic torch replicas or gold medals and drew pictures of themselves as Olympians.

鈥淚 drew a picture of me on the USA basketball team,鈥� said Hatcher, a rising second grader.

Basketball must have been on his mind, because later in the library, he built a basketball court out of Legos. His classmate, Iram, used Legos to make an archery range.

Ryatt, another rising second grader, said building Olympic events out of Legos was his favorite part of the camp. But then he quickly changed his mind.

鈥淎ctually, STEM is my favorite,鈥� Ryatt said.

And by STEM, he meant snack time.

That鈥檚 because the STEM lab had been converted into a culinary lab for the week of camp, where campers got to make their own fun cultural snacks.

Tuesday, it was fruit salsa.

鈥淪o, we made a fruit salsa yesterday,鈥� said Elsa, a rising fifth grader who wished they had more time to spend making snacks. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 able to cook cook it 鈥� we just mixed it and got our ingredients. We have limited time to do this 鈥� to make them. But we do get to partially make them and eat them.鈥�

On Wednesday, they got to 鈥減artially make鈥� a different snack: French 鈥� a cream puff.

Chef Anai Arzola, who is a high school culinary instructor at the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Career + Technical Center during the school year, was in charge of the snacks and made all the pastry puffs for the profiteroles herself the night before. Campers got to fill their puffs with cream and drizzle them with chocolate sauce.

As Malcolm, a soon-to-be sixth grader, waited for his turn to assemble a puff, he explained why he really enjoyed the week at Wimbish.

鈥淚 really like how they did the Olympic theme because it鈥檚 not every day that the Olympics happen,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 like how the teachers are incorporating the Olympics into the lessons.鈥�

In other words, Malcolm would give Wimbish鈥檚 language immersion camp a gold medal.

July 4th parade celebrates students' accomplishments

It鈥檚 not really time for the July 4^th holiday until the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 extended school year (ESY) July 4^th parade happens.

So now the 4^th can happen! Last Thursday Webb Elementary was the site of the annual ESY parade.

The parade is a chance to celebrate the ESY students and all their accomplishments. And what better way to do that than with a parade complete with red, white and blue decorations, traditional summer school students cheering them on and Miley Cyrus鈥� 鈥淧arty in the USA鈥� playing in the background.

[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="/wp-content/files/SpEd-Parade_2024.mp4"][/video]

鈥淚t鈥檚 so fun,鈥� said Shelby Sanders-Alvarez, who is the ESY summer school principal and a special education instructional specialist the rest of the year. 鈥淚 like seeing the kids being able to participate and the kids being able to see them enjoy the small things.鈥�

It wasn鈥檛 a small thing to get the parade set up. Sanders-Alvarez had help from people on the Webb campus, the district鈥檚 special education department and others to help make the day special. Donations of decorations also helped.

And while the parade put smiles on the faces of the students being honored in the parade, they weren鈥檛 the only ones.

Special education curriculum coordinator Tamara Johnson has been with the district since 2016. The parade is a must-see part of her summer.

鈥淭his is a tradition,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice that they EY (extended year) administrators allow this to take place. The collaboration between the EY administrators and the ESY administrators make this happen. This is a wonderful setting. A lot of our kids wouldn鈥檛 be able to do something like this because of the limitations they have.鈥�

Students learn coding to fly drones

This week, student coders and pilots took flight at the seventh and largest 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Camp Innovation yet.

Hosted by the district鈥檚 technology integration and innovation department at the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center, the four-day camp offers fourth through 10th-grade students a unique opportunity to dive into the world of computer science.听

And fly drones.听

Each week for three weeks, the camp hosted over 275 students, totaling over 800 鈥撎齛 jump of more than 150听from 2023. 听

鈥淭hese kids are having equitable experiences,鈥� said technology integration specialist Susan Anderson. 鈥淲e have students represented from every single campus across our district this summer.鈥�听

Campgoers' pre-camp experience with coding ranges from some to none. But by the end of the week, they all have a lot. From programming drones, , and , opportunities for engagement and learning are endless.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 all so interesting,鈥� said ninth grader Broden Clark-Davis.听鈥淚鈥檝e really been wanting to learn about Python, and this is helping me get that introduction.鈥�听

To measure the camp's impact, a pre-test and post-test were introduced this year, tracking each participant's growth.听

鈥淚n our first week, these kids showed听substantial growth between day one and day four,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淏oth of our secondary group's scores were up over 120%.鈥�听

Thanks to the help of 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 teachers, librarians and instructional coaches, each student rotates among听three different activities per age group.听

This year, activities ranged from choreographing robot dances, delivering pizzas with drones, competing in Sphero summer Olympics and more.

鈥淎 lot of these teachers even bring back what they learn at Camp Innovation and听introduce these activities to the kids in their own classrooms,鈥� Anderson said.听 听

For many students, Camp Innovation is a way to continue learning during the summer, a choice they eagerly make.听

鈥淭his is my third year at Camp Innovation,鈥� said incoming ninth听grader Elliot Bland. 鈥淐amp Innovation is so fun. I鈥檝e been here two times before because it鈥檚 just so cool.鈥�听

Beyond coding, the camp also fosters friendship and community.听

鈥淢y favorite part has been the friends I鈥檝e met and seeing other people that I already know,鈥� Bland said.听

Eighth grader Brent Richardson felt the same way.

鈥淢y favorite part has been meeting new friends like Elliot,鈥� he said.听听

That鈥檚 been the goal since the camp started in 2015. 听

鈥淚t鈥檚 so special, and it鈥檚 grown so much since then,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淚t makes me very happy and very proud.鈥�听

Thanks to the support from 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 state and federal interventions and operations department, Camp Innovation offers all the fun and learning for free.听

If your student did not get the chance to attend Camp Innovation this year, equipment is always available for check-out through the technology integration and innovation department.听

And, if you鈥檙e ready to embark in a series of challenges where STEM meets the real world and express your creativity and imagination, keep an eye out for next summer鈥檚 registration window opening in spring 2025.

Take 25 minutes to talk about summer safety

With only a week remaining until summer break, it鈥檚 almost time to swim, play and relax.听

While classes may soon be out, safety precautions must stay in!听听

鈥淲e want kids to be safe, be happy, make good choices and continue learning over the summertime,鈥� said 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 superintendent Dr. Matt Smith.听

That鈥檚 why Smith and Arlington Police Chief Al Jones joined forces to remind Webb Elementary fourth and fifth graders how to stay safe this summer.听It鈥檚 part of the annual Take 25 initiative. Through the campaign, parents and guardians are encouraged to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about staying safe.听 听

鈥淭oday is about taking 25 minutes to have a conversation about safety,鈥� Jones said.听

The chief, his team and Smith shared their tips and expertise while opening the floor for students to ask their own safety questions.听

Pool safety, park safety, internet safety, stranger danger, bullying and even shark attacks were all topics of conversation among Jones, Smith and the Webb Wallabies.听听

鈥淚 am very proud for the opportunity that we had for our students to gain some tips on safety and security,鈥� said Webb principal Evelyn Navarro-Gaspar. 鈥淎 lot of the topics that were presented today are hot topics for our youth. I am very thankful that moving forward they will be safe this summer.鈥澨�听

In any dangerous situation, students were urged to call 911, use their loudest scream and reach out to a trusted adult.听

鈥淭here are certain safe people that you can always reach out to,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭hose safe people are right here in this room. Like myself, we鈥檙e in uniforms. You can come to us, let us know what happened and we can handle the situation.鈥澨�听

The is committed to the safety of the community every single day. Here are a few tips it shared:听

• Only talk to people you know on the internet and social media.听
• Be kind on the internet and social media.听
• Always use the buddy system whether you are at the pool, park, mall or any other public place.听听
• Use parental controls.听
• If you see something, say something.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for everybody to know what is supposed to take place if something happens to us, our friends or our family,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what this is all about.鈥�听

For more safety tips to practice this summer, check out our from the event.听

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww-QWwR4FKk[/embed]

St. Nicholas drops gifts in students' shoes

Santa Clause has already been to Wimbish World Language Academy. Actually, it was St. Nicholas, a German version of Santa.

Wimbish is using the holiday season to teach and expose students to different cultures. With so many different holiday traditions celebrated worldwide, there are endless听opportunities to learn.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for our students to learn about the way other cultures celebrate because that鈥檚 our purpose at this school,鈥� said Elizabeth Velasco, the school鈥檚 community outreach liaison. 听

Last week, the school embraced the German tradition听of for the very first time. In the German tradition, kids leave their shoes out in the foyer on the night of Saint Nicholas Eve (Dec. 5)听in hopes that Saint Nicholas will leave behind treats, coins or other little gifts in their shoes. 听

鈥淪tudents are reading about these traditions, learning about the culture and getting to celebrate it in an authentic way,鈥� said Kailey Corpman, a dual language specialist at Wimbish. 听

To celebrate the German tradition authentically, Wimbish students left a shoe 鈥� or a drawing of their shoe 鈥� out in the hallway on Saint Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) with no idea what to expect. 听

When they went to get their shoes later on, their faces lit up as they realized that Saint Nicholas had indeed paid a visit. 听

A piece of candy, a new pencil and a Wolf Buck to use at the school store were waiting for them in each shoe. 听

Celebrating the German tradition is personal for Wimbish teaching assistant Johanna Voigt, who is German and grew up celebrating Saint Nicholas Day.听

鈥淢y son and I have always given听his teachers their gifts on Saint Nicholas Day to promote it in school,鈥� Voigt said. 鈥淚 was so excited when I heard that we were doing this this year. I听love that Wimbish听has incorporated this for all the kids.鈥� 听

Celebrating different听traditions has been a great way to connect students with the cultural roots of some of their peers and educators 鈥� like Voigt 鈥� and of people they鈥檝e never met across the world. But it鈥檚 not just educational. It鈥檚 fun, too. 听

鈥淚t鈥檚 fun because we learn about other cultures,鈥� said second grader Adah Ramos. 鈥淓very day is something different.鈥� 听

Velasco says that鈥檚 exactly the goal.

鈥淲e not only teach the language, we teach the culture.鈥澨�

Learn more about Wimbish World Language Academy.

Good attendance at school is critical for success and will impact a child鈥檚 entire life. That鈥檚 why the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 is highlighting Attendance Awareness Month throughout September.

鈥淎ttendance is the key to high school graduation and college and career readiness,鈥� said Ginger Polster, the principal at 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center.

Graduation Pays Off

Getting to graduation is almost imperative for a successful career and life. People often think of graduation as the finish line. But while it is the end of high school, it鈥檚 also the starting line for a successful future.

And getting to graduation requires good attendance at school. In fact, school attendance is actually a better indicator of whether a student will drop out or graduate than test scores. Statistics show that students who are chronically absent 鈥� and not just in high school but starting in kindergarten 鈥� are significantly less likely to graduate.

鈥淪tudents who attend regularly have a better chance at graduating from high school and at succeeding in life after high school, whether that is going to work, going to college or enlisting in the military,鈥� said Dr. Debbie Blackner, an 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 career and technical education specialist. 鈥淭hey learn more and develop better study habits and healthy life habits. Because of this, those who attend school regularly have more options in life after high school and greater earning potential.鈥�

The greater earning potential is significant. A high school graduate is likely to make over their lifetime than a high school dropout. They are also less likely to live in poverty, suffer poor health and become involved in the criminal justice system ().

Missing school can ruin a student鈥檚 chance to graduate, and not graduating can ruin their chances at success. On the other hand, graduation can launch a student into an exciting future.

Work Ready

As important as graduating is, attendance at school isn鈥檛 just about walking across a stage and getting a diploma. It鈥檚 also about preparing students for their lives after they graduate.

鈥淲e focus on ensuring that every student has the opportunity to be 鈥榳ork ready鈥� upon graduating from high school and help them learn that if you do not show up for work you do not get paid,鈥� Polster said.听鈥淲e share with them that 鈥榳ork ready鈥� is their ability to apply academic knowledge, technical knowledge and hard and soft skills in a work setting.鈥�

Students learn soft skills, like the importance of showing up on time and being prepared. These skills empower them to make the most of the opportunities they will have after graduation.

鈥淲e teach students the importance of learning to manage themselves as they would be expected to manage themselves in the workplace,鈥� Polster said.

So, once they graduate, they鈥檙e ready to thrive.

Impact

Dr. Ben Bholan, the principal at Arlington College and Career High School has seen the impact of good attendance over and over. Many of ACCHS鈥� students are the first person in their family to earn a high school diploma and have had to overcome many struggles.听

鈥淥ne thing they had in common was that they would always show up on time to every class, attend tutorials or professor office hours and seek out extra help wherever it was available,鈥� Bholan said.

By doing that 鈥� by attending 鈥� they set themselves up for success in their classes and for life after they graduate.

鈥淪ometimes, because of their attendance to all classes and tutorial sessions, they were able to get additional information from their teachers or professors that helped them succeed in very difficult courses,鈥� Bholan said.听鈥淎fter graduation, good attendance became an innate habit for them, and they went on to acquire college degrees and enter the workforce as successful adults.鈥�

Act Now

Now is the time to act, to make sure your students make it to school every day. It鈥檚 not always easy to get to school, but the long-term benefits of going make the effort more than worthwhile.

鈥淭heir dedication to success first started with a commitment to attendance and always being where they needed to be in a timely manner,鈥� Bholan said about his students.听鈥淚t has been the baseline for their success in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 and to opening the doors to an amazing future.鈥�

Attendance is key 鈥� for graduation and an amazing future.

Learn more about the importance of school attendance and what you can do to help at the听.

Tips to make it a great day

School starts tomorrow! 听

Here are five tips to help you and your kids have a great first day back at school in the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区.听听

Get a Head Start听

Back to school eve is just as important as the first day of school. Take some time to do some back-to-school shopping or practice a bedtime routine. Get your kids excited for the first day back to school with some new kicks, clothes and school supplies. 听

Check out the elementary school supply lists here so you can be ready. Junior high and high school students will find out what supplies they need from their teachers during the first week of school. 听

And remember, getting a good night鈥檚 sleep sets the tone for a smooth back-to-school morning.听听

Fuel Your Brain听

Once you are refreshed and ready to start the morning, it鈥檚听time for the most important meal of the day. A nutritious breakfast 鈥� whether at home or school 鈥撎齣s the right way to jumpstart the first day back at school. 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 provides breakfast and lunch at each campus, and you can check out the and pay for meals .听听

Cheat the Clock听听

The battle of traffic happens every year for the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 community heading back to school, and giving yourself plenty of time is the only way to deal with it. It鈥檚 a good idea to add some extra time in your morning routine for drop-off on the first day of school. It will be slower on the first day.听

Elementary times are 8:10 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., junior high times are 8:45 to 4:10 p.m. and high school times are 7:35 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can see a complete list of calendars and important dates here.听

Create Memories听

Whether your child is heading into pre-K or senior year, be sure to snap some memories with a 鈥渇irst day of school鈥� pic. Before you know it, they鈥檒l be walking the stage at graduation and you don鈥檛 want to miss a moment. Show off your kiddos to your friends and family using the hashtags #WeConnectDayOne and #ArlingtonISD so we can share your first day of school pictures on our district social media channels.听听

Talk Positive听

Words of affirmation, a note in your child鈥檚 lunch box or a reminder that you cannot wait to hear about their day are all ways to set your child up with a positive attitude going into the new school year. Remind yourself and your child to relax, take a deep breath and exhale. There are games to play, friends to make and many ways to learn. Opportunities in the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 are endless!听

From all of us at 色窝窝无码一区二区三区, have an amazing first day back to school! 听

Martin senior started high school at age 10

Oforitsenere Bodunrin was only 10 when she started her freshman year at Martin High School, but that didn鈥檛 stop her from making the most of her time and excelling as a high schooler.

Now, at only 14, she鈥檚 about to graduate.

鈥淚t feels good to be graduating with the class of 2023," Bodunrin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 interesting to be in this position because sometimes I compare myself to my peers who are older but then I think about it and realize graduating at 14 is a huge accomplishment.鈥�

Bodunrin packed a lot into her four years at Martin. She served as president of Key Club and she was an editor for Martin Student News, a historian for the Black Student Union (BSU), a Future Business Leaders of America state finalist, president of the Filmmaker's Society and historian for the National Art Honors Society.

After graduation, Bodunrin plans to attend the to study computer science and aviation. She credits her interest in aviation to a seminar she attended her freshman year and her older sister, Fifehanmi Bodunrin. Fifehanmi also graduated from Martin at 14 years old and is currently a student at LeTourneau University studying to become a pilot.

Oforitsenere鈥檚 mother and father have been instrumental in the success of both of their daughters and passed on their spirit of resiliency and dedication.

鈥淥foritsenere getting out of school so early is a huge accomplishment,鈥� said Bawo Bodurin, Oforitsenere's mother. 鈥淚 am incredibly grateful for schools like Martin in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区."

Despite her success, it wasn鈥檛 easy for Bodunrin when she first started at Martin. It was a struggle for her to come out of her shell as a 10-year-old. But her AP human geography and African American studies teacher, Gerri Brown, offered guidance and support that helped her on her journey.

鈥淥foritsenere is an outstanding student, she did everything she needed to do to ensure she was successful,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淪he always participated in class even though she was so young, and I adored that. I am so remarkably proud of Oforitsenere. She has been fun, sweet and studious as a student and leader, and I can鈥檛 wait to see what she will do. I know she will save the world.鈥�

To learn more about the 2023 graduations, visit our graduation page at www.aisd.net/graduation/

College and Career Expo helps students prepare for what comes next

With fewer than 40 days remaining in this school year, countless high school seniors across the Arlington听ISD are facing some crucial decisions.

鈥淲hich college or university should I attend?鈥澨�

"Should I get a job to save money for higher education?鈥澨�

鈥淒o I need to research trade schools to see if that route best fits me?鈥澨�

Those questions, and many more, were answered for hundreds of teenagers and their parents at last week鈥檚 annual College and Career Expo. There, representatives from 70 colleges and 40 businesses were thrilled to share invaluable information with the 700-plus students and parents who flocked to the event at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center.

It was the first time that Natalie Garcia Jaramillo had ever attended a college and career fair. Prior to her visit to the expo, the Sam Houston High School senior鈥檚 plans only included enrolling at Tarrant Community College to obtain a 1-year 鈥渃ertificate of completion,鈥� before transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington. However, her teachers suggested that she attend the event due to her interest in the healthcare profession.听听

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to networking with all of the companies that are here and hoping to even find a job after high school,鈥� Garcia Jaramillo said shortly after the expo kicked off. 听鈥淏ecause I鈥檓 looking to go into the medical field, our teachers really talked about how they have Medical City Arlington (present at the event).鈥澨�

An array of opportunities听

The expo transformed the CTC into something like a carnival, full of employers, business owners, organizations and universities manning booths with posters, giveaway materials and trinkets.

Donning business casual attire and bringing their resumes to the jam-packed event, students got a chance to discuss jobs and even conduct on-site interviews for part-time, full-time or post-graduation work. Representatives from Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and many more universities were there to recruit students. The expo also included three HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Mississippi鈥檚 Tougaloo College, Paul Quinn College in Dallas and Louisiana鈥檚 Grambling State University.

Parents sat in on presentations about athletic recruiting and the scholarship process for high school athletes as well as detailed guidance on admissions, testing, academic scholarships and financial aid. Translation services for Spanish-speaking parents and students were available to help throughout the expo.听

Leslie Birdow, director of community affairs for ,听a higher education servicing corporation that helped sponsor the event, said the expo was designed to help students get information from colleges and find schools that they may not have ever heard of before. She said听it also assists them if they just want to begin working, learn what a school鈥檚 admissions department requires or what an employer wants. 听

鈥淚t is really where the rubber hits the road,鈥� Birdow said.

Edwanna Smoot attended the event for the first time with her son Eden Brown 鈥� a junior at Arlington听High School who wants to study fine arts, theater or animation at an out-of-state institution. Smoot was impressed by the event鈥檚 variety of assistance offered to the attendees.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 awesome!鈥� Smoot said.

Growing by leaps and bounds听

The first Career Expo was at Sam Houston High School six years ago, before growing into the large, district-wide event that it is today. This year, there were about 100 volunteers to help run the event, which has been 鈥渓ife-changing鈥� for students and their siblings, CTC counselor Tammie Newsome said. 听听听听听听

She said the expo has also been beneficial for local businesses.

鈥淭hey are looking for a lot of this workforce that has just disappeared over the years,鈥� Newsome said. But now, she said, area companies can spend more time training and investing in students who are already interested in their fields.听

Amanda Nolen, admissions counselor for Texas Woman鈥檚 University, was also excited to participate at the expo for her first time. While waiting for attendees to stop by her booth, Nolen danced to music 鈥� played by an 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 family engagement team member 鈥� particularly Carl Carlton鈥檚 1981 funk women鈥檚 anthem, 鈥淪he鈥檚 a Bad Mama Jama.鈥� 听

A former teacher who paid her way through college, Nolen stressed to high school students that TWU is much cheaper than the average state public school and has a 96 percent acceptance rate.

鈥淧ublic education is for the public, so we鈥檙e not trying to make it difficult,鈥� Nolan said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how can we help people at the end of the day.鈥�

Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, the district鈥檚 superintendent, said the expo is crucial because it provides students a chance to get 鈥渉ands-on and direct information, face-to-face,鈥� with many different universities, colleges and careers.听听听

鈥淲e love hosting this event because its benefits students in Arlington so much,鈥� he said. Marveling at the size of the crowd, Cavazos said he believes the attendance 鈥渃ontinues to grow because of the demand.鈥� 听

鈥淚t tells us that our students are taking advantage of this 鈥� our students are demanding this,鈥� Cavazos said. 鈥淲e aim to serve and that鈥檚 what these opportunities are for.鈥澨� 听 听听 听听听

Volunteers help students pick out the perfect coats

Students at Crow Leadership Academy had some tough choices to make Thursday morning.

Lucky for them, every student at the school had their own personal shopper ready to help when it came time to pick a new winter coat.

The students each received new winter coats as part of a collaboration between and . The nonprofit teams with companies to help provide winter coats to students who can use them.

By the time the event wrapped up Thursday, more than 500 students were ready for whatever winter throws at them this year.

鈥淗aving this event for our families means so much during this time,鈥� said Crow principal Liznel Gonzalez-Morales. 鈥淐oat season is coming and for all our students to be able to have a warm coat is so important and necessary. I鈥檓 glad because of this generosity all our students are getting warm coats and don鈥檛 have to worry about that.鈥�

The students didn鈥檛 have to worry about anything Thursday. They were met at the gym door by volunteers from FedEx who took them through the coat selection, with every size and color represented so students had choices. The volunteers had students raise and lower their arms and gave the coat a fit test to make sure the students had room to grow into the coat.

Then it was off to put their names in the coats and the shopping day was over.

FedEx workers from across the Dallas-Fort Worth area were on hand to help the students. While the program has been going on for several years, because of COVID-19 the event has been done in a drop-off-style the last couple of years.

That wasn鈥檛 the case Thursday.

鈥淪o much of what we do we don鈥檛 see the direct impact,鈥� said Lissa Smith, the FedEx community relations advisor. 鈥淭his is great to be able to be with the kids and see the impact of our donation.鈥澨�

FedEx isn鈥檛 done either. Next month FedEx will drop off a shipment of hats, gloves and socks to make sure the students are set.

FedEx and Operation Warm began the collaboration in 2008 and are nearing one million coats donated to students in North America. This year alone the coats are being delivered in 37 cities across the United States and Canada.

Each coat carries the message 鈥淢ade With Love鈥� in the hopes of providing warmth, confidence and hope.

Nery Silverio, who is the Operation Warm events coordinator, was happy to be able to help the Crow students.

鈥淚 love what I do,鈥� Silverio said. 鈥淛ust to see the faces, for some of these kids, I鈥檓 from Cuba and I came when I was eight years old. I was a kid that used to get a coat or shoes because I didn鈥檛 have it because my parents were always working and trying to make ends meet. I remember the people that used to help me. I remember the first-grade teacher who used to give me hair bows. She鈥檚 a professor at Purdue University and I still talk with her. This is an experience that they will remember, some of them for the rest of their lives.鈥�

Arlington Aquatics Club

Does your child love swimming to beat the summer heat? Do you think you might have the next Michael Phelps on your hands?

Well, now鈥檚 the chance for your child to put their skills to the test at the Arlington Aquatics Club new swimmer tryouts. Tryouts will be held for kids ages 5-18 at 5 p.m. on Aug. 29-31 at the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Natatorium ().

鈥淪wimming is a great life skill for everyone to have regardless of their long-term goals,鈥� said Danny Huffman, 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 aquatic coordinator. 鈥淜ids that join the team can expect to have fun in a team environment and gain new friendships all while getting great exercise.

鈥淲e have a great group of coaches that have fun teaching the kids, and it鈥檚 a great opportunity to come in and grow in our sport.鈥�

Just in case you thought your child had to be an Olympic-level athlete, don鈥檛 worry. They don鈥檛. There鈥檚 only one qualification to make the team: a 25-yard safety swim.

The club is a year-round team with several groups and times based on age and ability, so there鈥檚 a spot for everyone.

If your child is ready to develop their swimming skills, be sure to head to for more information. Don鈥檛 hesitate. You might be living with a future Olympic swimmer.

Technology Enrichment inspires learning

鈥淔un鈥� may not have been what students expected when they came to summer school (aka summer learning) this year. But that鈥檚 exactly what third through eighth graders at 11 elementary schools and four junior high schools got thanks to 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 innovative Technology Enrichment program. And they learned some important skills, too.

The Technology Enrichment program was created and launched by the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 technology integration and innovation department in 2016 as a way to give summer learning students a brain break and some fun. It taps into the interest and curiosity students already have for technology and offers fun challenges that often have students asking for more.

鈥淚t鈥檚 highly engaging and exciting,鈥� said Levianne Mirabelli, the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 technology integration specialist who leads the program and helped first develop it back in 2016. 鈥淪tudents look forward to coming every day. When they see the technology teacher, they鈥檙e so excited: 鈥業 can鈥檛 wait to come to your class today. What are we doing today?鈥欌��

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 teachers volunteer for the program, receive training before summer school starts and then roll it out most days for the students. They use web-based platforms like and to give their students fun lessons and challenges that teach a wide variety of skills like computer skills, computational thinking, coding, virtual robotics, typing and more.

鈥淚t鈥檚 giving us a chance to empower these students to gain those future-ready skills,鈥� Mirabelli said.

Bedrooms and parks

This summer, the primary Technology Enrichment assignment for third- through sixth-grade students was to design their dream bedroom using Learning.com. They had to create a budget for the project and use spreadsheets to track expenses, design the room on blueprint paper and then do it digitally, develop a presentation in Canva or Adobe Express showing their bedroom plans, and finally build the bedroom in Minecraft.

Seventh and eighth graders鈥� assignment was similar, only they had to design a park. They had to take city requirements into account as they created their design. Then they used Canva to create an advertisement for their new park, and finally, they built it in Minecraft.

鈥淲e learned about coding and programming,鈥� said second-year Technology Enrichment teacher Jena Shankle. 鈥淭hey were able to use it in one of their favorite programs and see how what they learn in class 鈥� like area and perimeter 鈥� can be used in Minecraft.鈥�

The students enjoyed it so much, they would ask for more. Once they finished their other assignments, they could engage in a variety of enrichment activities through fun apps like Chrome Music Lab and National Geographic Kids. From art and music to science and coding, students could choose all kinds of fun learning activities.

"To an outsider, my lab may have sounded loud and chaotic at times, but the dialogue I heard during these challenges is music to my teacher's ear," said Technology Enrichment teacher Chasity Johnson. "They were formulating questions to seek the right kind of help from each other."听

In Shankle鈥檚 class, some of the students mainly wanted to improve their typing so they could be like their teacher: able to type while not looking at the computer or talk and type at the same time.

Whatever they chose, it made summer learning extra fun.

First Christian Church of Arlington sponsors students

Most parents dream of sending their kids to college, but some Blanton Elementary School parents didn鈥檛 think the day would come so soon. To make the idea of going to college a reality, First Christian Church of Arlington partnered with Blanton to send 60 students to Tarrant County College through the College for Kids program.

College for Kids is a three-week summer program that allows Blanton students to take classes like forensic science, robotics, theater and leadership at TCC鈥檚 Southeast campus. Although local students can opt to take classes at TCC for enrichment, Blanton is the only campus where kids are fully sponsored and transportation is provided at no cost to families.

Since 2010, has sponsored more than 500 students for the program. The program took a pause the past two years due to the pandemic, but Blanton principal Josh Leonard and program coordinator Betty Thomas are excited it鈥檚 up and running again.

鈥淥ur church believes in education, and this program grew out of that,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淲e love to see the kids dream, and we hope the program has long-term effects on them by helping them believe going to college is an attainable goal.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a safe, peaceful environment that provides educational opportunities and stimulation for kids during the summer.鈥�

You don't have to be perfect for college听

Throughout the year, teachers recommend students based on academics, attendance and decorum. Students who participate in College for Kids don鈥檛 have to make perfect grades, but they are expected to be willing to learn and grow daily.

Since the program is Monday through Thursday in the afternoons, Blanton provides transportation to and from the campus. Leonard, Thomas and volunteers from the church ensure kids safely check in, get transported and have an outstanding time at TCC.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible partnership that opens the kids鈥� eyes to brighter opportunities,鈥� said Leonard. 鈥淭he confidence, maturity and excitement to learn that these kids have when they come back is incredible.

鈥淭he church and community are giving opportunities to students they wouldn鈥檛 be able to get otherwise, and the families love it.鈥�

Before the school year ended, staff members from TCC went to Blanton to speak with students and families to help break the ice. Since sending a 10-year-old to college can seem overwhelming, staff was there to answer questions, provide support and settle any uneasiness about the kids joining the program.

Because of community partnerships like this, students are being exposed to new opportunities and breaking the limitations of what the future holds for them. That鈥檚 always a win in the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区.

So, you think you鈥檙e smarter than a fifth-grader, huh? Well, try maneuvering a bot through a maze, operating a LEGO Spike or coding a road trip across the United States before you answer that question.

Camp Innovation听

It might sound like gibberish to you, but for the kids at Camp Innovation, technology is their primary language.

Camp Innovation is a four-day camp that allows fifth through 10th graders to focus on innovative problem-solving and critical thinking through various forms of technology. With more than 10 types of robots, drones and other gadgets, students are learning to take their creativity to another level to learn coding, robotics and programming.

鈥淓verything we do ties back to programming and coding, because every person needs those skills no matter what career they choose,鈥� said Susan Anderson, technology integrations specialist and Camp Innovation director. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 problem-solving, critical thinking or working as a team, each student will need those skills as they journey throughout life.鈥�

The Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center hosted the camp over a three-week time span, which saw about 170 kids per week. And the best part of it all? It鈥檚 free! Students from across the district got to experience technology in a whole new way at no cost to their families, and transportation was provided.

鈥淚 like coming here and being able to experience something new,鈥� said Arlington High School freshman Hannah Brown. 鈥淚n your normal classes at school, you鈥檙e not going to be coding drones with your classmates. This camp has taught me how to problem-solve, adapt to make things work better and learn to work with partners and groups again since the pandemic. I鈥檓 a better communicator because of it.鈥�

How different does instructional time at Camp Innovation look compared to a typical science class? Kids are flying drones through obstacle courses, coding Spheros to play water polo and bocce ball, and using robots to compete against their classmates in LEGO competitions.

Volcanoes?听

It鈥檚 a level up from volcanoes filled with baking soda and vinegar.

The camp is in its fifth year of operation and is continuously expanding to improve the curriculum and experience for students. Applications for the program opened in early April and only stayed open for one week due to the high demand. After one day, the camp had nearly maxed out its capacity. Out of the 73 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 schools that are eligible to participate, 72 schools were represented.

Thanks to the state and federal interventions and operations department, students got to kick off their summer with a fun, challenging experience, and some teachers learned a new thing or two during camp, too.

鈥淚 was very nervous at the beginning because I only started to work with coding last summer,鈥� said Deana Nazworth, a seventh-grade English teacher at Nichols Junior High. 鈥淭here were kids coming in here that knew more about coding than me, and I had to get out of the old teacher mindset of being the information-giver. The kids have taught me so much in this short amount of time.

鈥淭his camp provides a moment where students, no matter the knowledge or skill level, get to blossom in creativity. It鈥檚 so inspiring to see them be supportive of each other. It鈥檚 teaching resilience and determination in a way that most education textbooks just talk about.鈥�

Join in on the fun at camp!

If your student didn鈥檛 get a chance to attend Camp Innovation this summer, don鈥檛 fret. The technology used during camp is available to rent throughout the school year through the technology integration and innovation department. That means all 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 teachers can integrate it into their curriculum at any point in the year.

And be sure to keep an eye out for the application window in spring 2023.听

Making it to high school graduation requires plenty of hard work, but the moment of crossing the stage to receive a diploma makes it all worth it. Take it from Lamar High School salutatorian Haley Wehr who has served in multiple student organizations throughout her four years and has the cords and stoles to prove it.

From Key Club to orchestra, Wehr made the most out of her high school experience academically and socially. She even got the opportunity to enlighten her classmates and peers across 色窝窝无码一区二区三区! Her role? News anchor for important district updates for AISD-TV News. For four years, Wehr gave the latest news and helped bring district campaigns to life with fun, informational videos.

鈥淟ooking at my cords, stoles and medals fills me with immense pride and gratitude,鈥� Wehr said. 鈥淎s I reflect on all the different colors, each representing a different organization or accomplishment, I am reminded not only of my own successes, but of the people who have helped me accomplish each goal along the way.鈥�

Wehr鈥檚 got a lot to be proud of, too. Look at the list of cords and stoles that will be dangling around her neck on graduation day.

Cords

Double Forest Green: 50 hours of service

Double Red, White, Blue: Academic Decathlon

Red: 2 Carter blood care donations

Purple: HOSA Future Health Professionals membership

Blue, Orange, White: Early action acceptance to UTA

Pink: Honors music

Stoles

Blue: National Honor Society

Yellow: 50 Key Club sponsored hours

Gold: LHS Salutatorian

As she counts down the days to graduation, Wehr is excited to celebrate her graduating class鈥� accomplishments and begin a beautiful new chapter.

鈥淎s graduation approaches, I am excited to see my peers and applaud each of them for all their successes,鈥� said Wehr. 鈥淓very cord tells a different story and paints a picture. Each student went above and beyond throughout their high school years. Seeing these cords on graduation will be a reminder that we all excel and thrive in unique ways, and these differences make us stronger.鈥�

Can鈥檛 make it to graduation but you still want to be a part of the special day? If you鈥檇 like to watch Lamar High School鈥檚 graduation, visit aisd.net/graduation to livestream the ceremony. Be sure to tag @LamarVikingsAISD (Facebook), @LamarHigh (Twitter) and @lamarvikingsaisd (Instagram)!听 Use #ArlingtonISD when capturing special moments of your graduate for a chance to be featured on 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 official social media pages.

There鈥檚 an old saying that goes, 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.鈥� Well, culinary students at Bowie High School are heating things up, but they can handle it. The budding chefs have created some special recipes that will be featured on district lunch menus this fall.

Led by culinary teacher Amber Craven, the students formed teams to create five new, delectable recipes. The entrees included a chicken po-boy, breakfast wrap, Southwest fajita bowl, fiesta scrambled eggs and chicken and waffles. In partnership with the food and nutrition services department, each recipe was created with food straight off the shelves of the district's food pantry.

Taste Testing

After coming up with the recipes, the class hosted a food tasting with superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, food and nutrition services director David Lewis and Bowie principal Reny Lizardo.

鈥淢y students were tasting new menu items that were released this year, and they thought 鈥榃e could do this,鈥欌�� said Craven. 鈥淚 encouraged them, and it was simply an idea to Mr. Lewis, but now I鈥檓 excited to see it all come to life.鈥�

More than fun

Some of the students thought the project was just fun and games. For others, it made them more comfortable cooking at home. For sophomore Estrella Flores, it was love at first bite.

鈥淚 love this class because you get to learn what it鈥檚 like to work in a kitchen plus you get to see what you might want to do in the future,鈥� said Flores. 鈥淧ersonally, I鈥檇 like to become a chef, so this is a great start to my journey.鈥�

Flores and a few of her peers intend to enroll in the culinary program at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center, so Craven鈥檚 introductory class has given them a taste of what it takes to become a chef.

Stepping it up

A special group of 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 alumni restaurant owners will also have a unique chance to add some dishes to the menus next school year. Local restaurants like , The and more will have the opportunity to inspire dishes with ingredients presented by the food and nutrition services department. In a nutshell, school menus are stepping it up a notch.

鈥淲e want everything on our menu to be student-driven,鈥� said Lewis. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait until the food they have created comes off the line next year. When students are actually eating it at lunch, I know it鈥檒l be a fantastic day.鈥�

Nothing brings people together like good food, and the culinary students are teaming up to ensure the Bowie community and all others can enjoy delicious, nutritious meals in the cafeteria every single day. Bon app茅tit!

https://www.facebook.com/ArlingtonISD/videos/679957753267968/

Entrepreneur? Sometimes, it's just in you

Kenny Macino was an entrepreneur before she knew exactly what it was.

A fellow student so loved Kenny鈥檚 life-like sock doll made of cloth, buttons and string, they offered $3. Another offered $4 for one of her own. A teacher at Bailey Junior High, where Kenny is an eighth-grader, asked her to tailor-make one for him for $5. After making a black sock rabbit with fluffy ears, brown button eyes and stitching the teacher鈥檚 name across the belly, he handed her $10, replying, 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to pay for what it鈥檚 really worth.鈥�

No wonder Kenny was a finalist in the held Saturday at .

Not for the sock dolls. Ideas like that, said Kenny, 鈥渁re going on in my head all the time.鈥�

Students demonstrating the best entrepreneurial spirit were on full display for the contest. Now in year 16, which, according to 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 partner Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, means that somewhere in the vicinity of 20,000 students have participated.

Hundreds of Arlington students in grades third through eight were recognized for a wide range of innovative ideas. Ideas have included sending drones into space to halt carbon monoxide to wristwatches that can sniff out the bad air.

While that number sounds large, consider that it dwindled from an entry list of 2,500.

Where to get started?

Students could answer the essay prompt 鈥淲hat鈥檚 your creative idea for a product you could sell or a business you could create and operate in Arlington?鈥� Or, in artform, create an advertisement for a听

product you could sell for a business you could own and operate in Arlington.

Questions they had to keep in mind: What do you sell? What is the customer? Why is the idea unique? How would it be marketed and managed?

Each grade and category revealed the finalists during the award ceremony; after their names were called, finalists strolled gleefully across the stage to shake hands 鈥� or give high fives 鈥� to dignit

aries like Arlington Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Board of Trustees members and Chamber President & CEO Michael Jacobson.

Then the top three winners in each of those grades and categories were called back on stage to receive a prize package.

First-place winners earned a scholarship to attend the exclusive one-week 鈥淭he BIG Idea Lab鈥� Summer Camp. At the camp, students will learn what it means to be an entrepreneur. They also get a chance to expand upon their winning idea in front of local entrepreneurs. It鈥檚 not Shark Tank 鈥� but close.

鈥淭he goal is that hopefully, this sort of first step into entrepreneurship will lead to young students wanting to learn more and eventually become entrepreneurs,鈥� said Jacobson. 鈥淥ur talent in Arlington is our biggest asset, and we need to be fostering that talent to make our community the best it can be.鈥�

Dr. Cavazos

Cavazos viewed it from the educator鈥檚 point of view.

鈥淲hat I am most proud of is your mindset as young people to help others,鈥� Cavazos told the audience during his brief address. 鈥淵es, with your ideas, you can create a business. You can make money. But if your ideas are focused on making life better for everyone, that鈥檚 hard to learn. And you are learning it already.鈥�

For the third year, high schoolers could participate in a slightly different contest where students entered as teams instead of individuals. This year 31 teams competed, a massive jump from the previous two COVID-restricted years of one team in the first year and three in the second.

Student teams of three to five members were asked to find innovative and viable solutions for one of three challenges facing Arlington: an anti-littering campaign, community youth programming, and emergency preparedness for the community鈥檚 senior citizens.

Teams pitched their ideas in a three-minute video presentation, with winners receiving an iPad and Texas Rangers tickets.

One of the more ambitious was a group calling itself Stork. The team pitched an idea to use drones to deliver necessities like canned goods, water, flashlights, and blankets to senior citizens during winter storms.

Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce

鈥淭his is an opportunity for our high school students to work together to build their collaboration and critical thinking skills,鈥� Alicia Collins-Butler, director of the education workforce and community development for the chamber, said of the high school division. 鈥淚nstead of creating an idea off the top of their head that is completely their own, we gave them real-world challenges the city of Arlington is actually facing.鈥�

Bowie High School junior Jasmine Moreno, part of the Anti-Litter Campaign winners taking an entrepreneurship class at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center, said the experience made her look at business differently.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just an individual thing. It鈥檚 also about teamwork,鈥� said Jasmine. 鈥淵ou really need to consider their possibilities and look more into what the people want rather than what you want. It really opened my eyes! I can do to improve myself businesswise or my idea to make things better. I learned so much in my entrepreneurial class.鈥�

Kenny, the Bailey eighth-grader, didn鈥檛 win first place, but she鈥檚 already an entrepreneur. She's already sold several tote bags she made on her sewing machine. She鈥檚 also sold drawings and paintings to her fellow students.

鈥淚 enjoy the idea of creating something people enjoy,鈥� she said. 鈥淢aking something on your own and getting paid for it is, I don鈥檛 know, really freeing. It鈥檚 a great feeling.鈥�

Facts about autism are just about everywhere at Hill Elementary 鈥� on the outdoor pavement and indoor walls, on posters and doors 鈥� and that鈥檚 precisely the point.

As comes to a close, Hill wanted to go all-out on its attempt to bring cognizance wrapped around a celebratory tone about a disorder that is often misunderstood.

鈥淎 lot of people don鈥檛 understand the definition of autism,鈥� said Hill Special Education teacher Haley Tennes, whose class for the past four years has been primarily students with the neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact, communicate, learn and behave.

Autism

Autism can be diagnosed at any age. It is described as a 鈥渄evelopmental disorder鈥� because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life.

While the cause remains unknown, studies have detected differences in the brain that causes developmental disorders that can make it harder to communicate and interact socially with peers.

鈥淧eople are very quick to assume it is a lack of intelligence or non-verbal or that you are either very low or very high functioning,鈥� Tennes said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 really a full spectrum of kiddos who have very fixated interests. I mean, one of our students knows everything about trains that you could know. It鈥檚 impressive.鈥�

Food and Fun

In years past, Hill put on a litany of events surrounding autism during its Spirit Week to help spread awareness to those still a bit in the dark about it.

鈥淭his year, we wanted to do something to involve the whole community,鈥� Tennes said. 鈥淲e came up with this idea a month ago. So we just kind of threw everything together.鈥�

The idea was an Autism Walk with a fundraiser attached and a festival, where everyone could come together for food, fun and lots of autism facts.

听On Wednesday, teachers, administrators, students, parents, and community members took off to do circles around the Hill track, eventually raising over $500 for the .

They then gathered for fun and games, like Legos, Play-Doh and coloring. There were several tactile sensory activities to help stimulate the brain, create neural pathways and improve sensory processing systems.

鈥淎ll of the stations are based on a typical behavior of our students with autism or those on the autism spectrum disorder,鈥� said Hill fourth-grade teacher Kellie Pringle, who was presiding over one of the stations. 鈥淭hings they may find fascinating or ways they can calm down. It gives everyone, even those neurotypical folks, an opportunity to experience some of that interaction and exploration.鈥�

Facts

Students used colored chalk to write out facts on the pavement. (鈥淎utism spectrum disorder (ASD)听affects 1 in 68 children and is more likely in boys than girls,鈥� said one. 鈥淎SD is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS 鈥� combined,鈥� said another). During and after the walk, students in Tennes鈥� class reeled off facts as well from a microphone,

鈥淪pectrum means wide range,鈥� a student said. 鈥淚t is called this because all kids with autism are different!鈥�

Said another, 鈥淎utism affects how the brain works. Making it hard to talk, understand others and learn!鈥�

Parents of students with autism are 鈥渜uite comfortable鈥� at events like this, said Tennes, mainly because 鈥渆verything here is geared to them. It鈥檚 about them. They aren鈥檛 the outsiders.鈥�

The Best Kids

Tennes studied psychology in college and took a substitute teacher assignment in special education shortly after graduation. She loved it. Special education certification followed, and now she鈥檚 concluding her fourth year at Hill.

鈥淥ne of my friend鈥檚 sons is autistic, so I learned a lot from him and how they interact,鈥� she said.

What most impresses her about students with autism is how they see the world through a completely different lens.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not wrong,鈥� she said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 just different. So I do what I can to get people to understand that.鈥�

For her, every month is Autism Awareness Month.

鈥淚 have the best kids and have been lucky enough to have them at whatever age I get them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey stay with me until they go to junior high. So I get to build a perfect bond with my kiddos. If only people could see some days what I see every day.鈥�

Sixteen schools in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 are taking a different approach to educate youth about suicide prevention with the help of a peer-to-peer intervention program called . The schools celebrated Hope Squad Week this week with activities like class TikTok challenges, scavenger relays, crossword challenges and more in an effort to prevent youth suicide through education, training and peer intervention.

Students on each Hope Squad are nominated by their peers for being kind, trusting and encouraging individuals that anyone in the school would feel comfortable talking to. Once selected for the squad, students receive year-round training and support from trained advisors on how to show empathy, listening without judgment and reducing the stigma around mental illness.

鈥淗ope Squad Week couldn鈥檛 have come at a better time,鈥� said Young Junior High counselor Kelli Stewart. 鈥淭his is a great initiative for the kids to learn about being kind and spreading hope. With the activities, it鈥檚 cool to see how they express hope in different ways. It鈥檚 adding some much-needed positivity to the kids鈥� lives.鈥�

The Hope Squad program began in Utah after multiple suicides occurred in the Provo City School District. Administrators decided to try everything they could to prevent any more. Suicide rates in the Provo City School District dropped to zero because of the implementation.

Hope in Arlington

Since then, Hope Squad has been implemented in campuses across nearly 40 states in over 1,250 schools. More than 5,000 students have been referred for help with the assistance of trusted peers and advisors. The 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 is in its third year of Hope Squad implementation, and participating schools are listed below.

High school: Arlington College & Career, Arlington Collegiate, Bowie and Venture

Junior high: Bailey, Barnett, Boles, Carter, Nichols, Shackelford and Young

Elementary: Amos, Goodman, Little, Patrick and Wood

鈥淎t the end of each day, we want the kids to know they matter,鈥� said Telisa Brown, 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 director of guidance and counseling. 鈥淲e know suicide rates have increased since the pandemic, and this is a great program that equips students with resources to create a fostering environment at their school.鈥�

Spreading the message of hope has helped thousands of kids across the nation. This includes Arlington. The Hope Squad aims to continue the discussion around mental health and wellness to help save lives.

For more information on Hope Squad and how to get involved, visit their . If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach out to your school counselor for support.

Amos Elementary fourth-grader Parker knows what he likes when it comes to food.

鈥淭he French fries were too spicy,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淭he other two were too bland. They tasted just like potatoes.鈥�

Classmate Jose is also a food critic of sorts. He was rather vocal when it comes to nacho cheese.

鈥淭he one that鈥檚 blue is too chunky,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he green one was way better.鈥�

What are the students talking about?

Potential lunch options for the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 in the future.

The fourth graders from Amos are just one of the schools that recently visited the food and nutrition services building to give their opinions on the kind of food that鈥檚 on the menu for school lunches.

Chicken patties to broccoli

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The school field trip was the idea of food and nutrition services director David Lewis, who heard some students鈥� opinions when he was visiting a campus.

With the district in the process of bidding out food for the upcoming school year, Lewis wanted to give students a chance to play a role in the process. That鈥檚 why schools like Amos made the trip. Amos students took taste tests on everything from chicken patties to nacho cheese. Plus, they got to tour the building and get a lesson on nutrition. They even ate broccoli!

While adults may hold back on their opinions, that鈥檚 not the case with students. There was a wall for them to say what they like, what they don鈥檛 like and what they鈥檇 like to see.

It鈥檚 all valuable input for Lewis.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e helping us with our bid,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淲e get samples from various manufacturers and then we have to compare them to decide what we want to serve. They鈥檙e making that decision for us. They give us lots of different ideas, things they like and things they have at school that have to go. We want to know what they鈥檙e eating at home, what they鈥檙e eating at restaurants.鈥�

The students aren鈥檛 the only ones participating in the field trip, either. Teachers get to voice their opinions, too. They love the idea that students get to have a voice.

鈥淭heir feedback matters,鈥� said Amos teacher Kara Reyna. 鈥淭hey have been so excited about this trip. This is a real-world opportunity to see how their opinion matters.鈥�

If opinions matter, then Jose has a hot one he wanted to share. His favorite restaurant is Olive Garden and his favorite food is lasagna. While he enjoys eating out, he鈥檚 also a big fan of the lasagna students get at school. He hopes there are no changes to that menu item.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really good,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven the teachers eat the lasagna.鈥�

Are you ready to rumble? Not quite? Well, it鈥檚 okay because the kids at Ashworth Elementary have your back. Over 300 students were excited to get moving with WWE stars and Dallas Cowboys players for UNICEF鈥檚 Kid Power Active Day.

The star-studded lineup included WWE鈥檚 Dana Brooke, Titus O鈥橬eil, Apollo Crews and Damian Priest, along with Dallas Cowboys Neville Gallimore, Chauncey Golston and Carlos Watkins.

The City of Arlington is hosting the most stupendous event in wrestling history, also known as WrestleMania 38 this weekend at AT&T Stadium. With a week of exciting events leading up to the 鈥渨restling Super Bowl,鈥� the WWE stars stopped by Ashworth Thursday afternoon to discuss the importance of mental and physical health and making a difference in the community.

鈥淲WE is a global company, and one of the best parts of getting to travel is being in the community and giving back to them,鈥� said O鈥橬eil. 鈥淲e have a great opportunity to be able to recognize local organizations and schools and meet people within the area that do so much year-round. We try to do whatever we can to pay tribute to those individuals.鈥�

Everyone can be a hero

O鈥橬eil also talked to the kids about what it takes to be a hero in the community.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be a WWE superstar to make change. Go out and be whatever you want to be, but be a great human being in the process,鈥� said O鈥橬eil. 听

The wrestling stars were also joined by National Medal of Honor Award recipient and UNICEF Chief People Officer Michael Klompus.

鈥淲e鈥檙e so committed to providing mental and physical resources and support for you, because you have the power to make such a positive impact in the world,鈥� said Klompus. 鈥淲e want every child to thrive around the world, and we get to celebrate you today because of your tremendous work in the community.鈥�

Ashworth students are making a difference through participating in the program. The students have watched more than 2,600 healthy-living Kid Power videos to date, which has unlocked 244 packets of food donations for children in other parts of the world in need of the vitamins and nutrients necessary to grow, learn and play. To positively impact their own community, the school also donated 112 meals to families at local food banks, delivered 20 mobile food pantry meals and planted two trees.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a hero in each and every one of you, and all you have to do is stand up and help someone else along the way,鈥� said Swenson. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need a battlefield or a sports arena, you just need to be a good person.鈥�

Without a doubt, Ashworth students are heroes for their commitment to empower the Arlington community. Check out pictures from the incredible event !

What is a day in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 pre-K like?

鈥淚t鈥檚 fun learning,鈥� said Jennifer Pettiford, McNutt Elementary School pre-K teacher. 鈥淲hen they come to a pre-K class, they鈥檙e going to be doing interactive learning. That means hands-on.鈥�

It鈥檚 a full day of learning through an innovative, play-based curriculum.

鈥淚t鈥檚 play-based to initiate creativity and exploration of their imagination,鈥� said Nadia Azari, an 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 pre-K instructional specialist.

With whole group activities, small group activities, music, art, free choice time, reading, math and science, the fun 鈥� and learning 鈥� never stops. Plus, there鈥檚 playing with friends, lunch, recess on the playground and a rest time.

You can read about it, but you really have to see it. Check out the below to see what a day is really like in 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 pre-K.

And the best part for parents: it鈥檚 free. Starting next school year, 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 pre-K for 4-year-olds will be universal. That means any 4-year-old can attend for free. Students will no longer have to meet eligibility requirements.

So, circle April 1 on your calendar. That鈥檚 the day pre-K registration opens for the next school year. Just visit aisd.net/prek to get started.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T6mVvZfX4U[/embed]

Lunar New Year

Students at Wimbish World Language Academy kicked off the week with an unforgettable celebration to bring in the Chinese New Year. The school was decorated from top to bottom with traditional Chinese d茅cor throughout the hallways and classrooms to commemorate the special occasion.

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. The holiday officially begins on Feb. 1 and ends on Feb. 11.

This year marks the Year of the Tiger for the Chinese culture, representing bravery, courage and strength. More than 1.5 billion people celebrate Lunar New Year with colorful traditions and activities to welcome the new year while wishing luck and prosperity.

[embed]https://youtu.be/0cwmYrv-kbA[/embed]

Yona Zhang

"Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian countries like Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Philippines and Indonesia," said Yona Zhang, Chinese teacher at Wimbish. "We couldn't miss the opportunity to celebrate while learning about Asian culture. Celebrating with fun traditions, activities and food keeps students engaged and helps them take ownership of daily learning. As the Chinese saying goes, 'interest is the best teacher.'"

Kids were met with fortune cookies, candy and paper medallions as they walked into school to start the celebration. Colorful paper dragons hung from the ceiling as they were woven between red and yellow lanterns and other creative decorations. The school was flooded with red accents and tiger stripes as Zhang's Chinese class students paraded down the hallway.

Zhang's class started learning about the Chinese New Year culture upon returning to school after winter break. Some teachings included learning the native lion and dragon dances with authentic material and music. Students created the dragon and two lions from scratch using paper boxes, cardstock and other materials in their classroom.

In the hallway near Zhang's classroom, several pictures of tigers had been colored and cut out by students for display with "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Members of the Chinese Club at the University of Texas at Arlington were also present to celebrate the New Year with the kids.

Chinese New Year is only one of several holidays the school recognizes throughout the year. Wimbish takes pride in preparing global leaders at a young age. Engaging lessons allow students to be immersed in various cultures from the convenience of the classroom. For more information on Chinese New Year, and learn ways you and your family can celebrate the colorful holiday.

First Annual Day of Dance

鈥淚 felt lost and did not have a care in the world.鈥�

Nellee Mejorado couldn鈥檛 help but utter those words after flailing her arms and gracefully gliding across a stage inside 色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚 Center for Visual and Performing Arts last week. One might have thought Mejorado wasn鈥檛 actually dancing. However, the Sam Houston High School freshman was doing exactly what her instructor, Courtney Mills, wanted her to do.

Mejorado was learning improvisation 鈥� a dance that involves creating movement without pre-planning any steps or choreography. Mills, the director of a contemporary dance company that serves all 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 high schools, said that 鈥渋mprov鈥� could make a reserved teen feel 鈥渟uper small鈥� as he or she attempts the freestyle moves.

鈥淏ut I鈥檓 the type of person who likes to make things super-big,鈥� the charismatic and personable Mills told the students as they stepped out of their comfort zones.

Mejorado was among about 70 high school students who attended Mills鈥� first annual 鈥淒ay of Dance.鈥� During the free, 7-hour event last Saturday, the teens had an opportunity to explore various dance forms, from jazz to hip hop to step and more. 听听

Throughout a given week, Mills watches how well her students from different schools interact with each other and called it 鈥渢he coolest thing ever because they find commonalities.鈥�

Mills said, 鈥淪o I thought to myself that it would be so cool to have (dance participants from the entire district) come together and say, 鈥淲e all do this!鈥�

Led by the best

The classes were conducted by dance instructors from Seguin, Sam Houston, Martin, Arlington and Lamar high schools and Gunn Junior High and Fine Arts and Dual Language Academy. The participants 鈥� mainly girls 鈥� were eager to learn what it takes to 鈥� one day 鈥� dance on the big stage.

Among them was Bowie High School sophomore Tiffany Vasher, who shimmied to the sounds of rappers such as Migos in her early morning hip hop class. After indulging in the pizza lunch that was provided, she was anxious for the start of her afternoon jazz dance class, anticipating that the moves would be 鈥渟assy.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge opportunity!鈥� Vasher said, referring to the event. She greatly admires Nicole Laeno, an actress with jazz, ballet and musical theater dance experience, and aspires to become a professional back-up dancer in the future.

Lamar High School junior Eric Mack also attended the event to get some pointers. The 16-year-old 鈥� a huge fan of dancing singer Chris Brown 鈥� said the event was a 鈥渂lessing.鈥� After all, he鈥檚 found dancing to be a positive outlet throughout his high school years.

At the event, Mack was not afraid to show off his moves and try unfamiliar techniques. He would become winded, and his legs would get tired. Yet, he remained determined to keep up with the ladies.

Mills applauded Mack and the other attendees and was extremely proud of the turnout. She said, 鈥淭o get them here, voluntarily, on a Saturday is always amazing. And just seeing them work together, today, has been awesome!鈥� 听

Virtual learning for the third six weeks began this week, and while it鈥檚 rainy outside Duff Elementary physical education teacher Matt Bostick as a Workout Wednesday that you can do from the comfort of your own home.

All you need is a chair to get this workout in. Remember to have a sturdy chair that is mom and dad approved.

Sound fun? Then give it a try.

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Here鈥檚 Workout Wednesday No. 9

The Chair Workout (3-5 rounds, timed if you want)

鈥� 5 step ups - 5 each leg, 5 one leg then 5 on the other.

鈥� 4 jump downs

鈥� 3 chair push-ups - maybe need a partner to hold it

鈥� 2 chair burpees - step over the chair between burpees

鈥� 10 chair dips - place hands on chair, facing away from the chair with heels on the floor

If you missed any of your Workout Wednesdays, you can see the entire playlist

Last week Duff Elementary physical education teacher Matt Bostick gave us some time to catch our breath, as his Workout Wednesday featured just three exercises.

That鈥檚 not the case for this edition of Workout Wednesday, as Bostick ramps things up with a 12-minute AMRAP (as many repetitions as possible). The good news is you have options, like with push-ups.

While the traditional pushup might not be in your repertoire, that鈥檚 okay because you can do a wall push-up or a chair push-up or even a snake push-up. Don鈥檛 know what that is? Watch this week鈥檚 to see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ1B30TmxYI

The bad news is Bostick has you picking up the pace with exercises in multiples of five.

Here鈥檚 Workout Wednesday No. 6.

12-Minute AMRAP (multiples of five)

鈥� 5 push-ups (snake, walk chair, knee, hand release, snake, traditional)

鈥� 10 burpees (belly flopper)

鈥� 15 broad jumps

鈥� 20 mountain climbers If you missed any of your Workout Wednesdays, you can see the entire playlist .

It鈥檚 Bottle Workout time with Duff Elementary physical education teacher Matt Bostick for this Workout Wednesday.

A water bottle is all that鈥檚 needed to complete this week鈥檚 workout for our virtual learners. There are only three exercises required as you take a break from your keyboard to get your heart rate up. You also get to find out what an EMOM is.

Here鈥檚 Workout Wednesday No. 5.

[embed]https://youtu.be/o12vN4OcM2Q[/embed]

Bottle Workout (6-8 minutes total, every minute, on the minute)

• 2 burpees (belly floppers) over the drink
• 4 sit ups holding the drink straight up in the air
• 6 thrusters (one or two arm)

In case you鈥檙e looking for what Bostick has done for Workout Wednesday in the past, here are this year鈥檚 plans.

Soccer Ball Workout (as many reps as possible for 8-12 minutes)

• 10 soccer ball side lunges
• 10 soccer ball jump squats overhead
• 30 second wall sit holding the ball in lap or overhead
• 10 soccer ball plank passes or pushups

(20 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest, older students can repeat for more work)

• Shuffle taps (pick the daisies)
• Squat walks听
• Plank hold
• Crab toe touch
• Lunges
• Pogo stick squats (good calf work too)
• Dead bugs
• Leg lifts

(hit a stopwatch and switch every minute)

• jogging
• squat punches
• frog jumps
• front kicks
• crab kicks
• squat jacks
• planks (high or low)

(pre-K-2 repeat once, 3^rd-6^th grade three total rounds)

• 30 marching/high knees
• 30 alternating arm and leg jacks/jumping jacks
• 5-10 slinky squats to cobra
• 30 sprint shuffles
• 30 climb the ropes

Duff Elementary physical education teacher Matt Bostick isn鈥檛 above props, and he proves that with his latest Workout Wednesday exercise plan.

To start the second six weeks, Bostick wants everyone to get a soccer ball or any other ball and incorporate that into the exercise routine.

In his Soccer Ball Workout, Bostick has four exercises that can be done in around 10 minutes and either add to your fun or pain.

Here鈥檚 Workout Wednesday No. 4.

[embed]https://youtu.be/lvd1Nd_xQVM[/embed]

Soccer Ball Workout (as many reps as possible for 8-12 minutes)

• 10 soccer ball side lunges
• 10 soccer ball jump squats overhead
• 30 second wall sit holding the ball in lap or overhead
• 10 soccer ball plank passes or pushups

In case you鈥檙e looking for what Bostick has done for Workout Wednesday in the past, here are this year鈥檚 plans.

(20 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest, older students can repeat for more work)

• Shuffle taps (pick the daisies)
• Squat walks听
• Plank hold
• Crab toe touch
• Lunges
• Pogo stick squats (good calf work too)
• Dead bugs
• Leg lifts

(hit a stopwatch and switch every minute)

• jogging
• squat punches
• frog jumps
• front kicks
• crab kicks
• squat jacks
• planks (high or low)

(pre-K-2 repeat once, 3^rd-6^th grade three total rounds)

• 30 marching/high knees
• 30 alternating arm and leg jacks/jumping jacks
• 5-10 slinky squats to cobra
• 30 sprint shuffles
• 30 climb the ropes

It鈥檚 Tabata time for Workout Wednesday with Duff Elementary teacher Matt Bostick. And, no, Tabata isn鈥檛 a synonym for pain. It鈥檚 just a lot of high-intensity workout in a short amount of time.

Luckily for our virtual learners, Bostick is here to demonstrate the correct way to get a lot of workout done in a short amount of time. It can all be done in four minutes!

So, here鈥檚 Workout Wednesday No. 3.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH2l6eOEIF0[/embed]

Tabata (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest, older students can repeat for more work)

• Shuffle taps (pick the daisies)
• Squat walks听
• Plank hold
• Crab toe touch
• Lunges
• Pogo stick squats (good calf work too)
• Dead bugs
• Leg lifts

In case you missed Bostick鈥檚 Week 2 workout, :

Cardio Minute Challenge (hit a stopwatch and switch every minute)

• jogging
• squat punches
• frog jumps
• front kicks
• crab kicks
• squat jacks
• planks (high or low)

And here was his Week 1 plan:

Circuit Workout/Warmup (pre-K-2 repeat once, 3^rd-6^th grade three total rounds)

• 30 marching/high knees
• 30 alternating arm and leg jacks/jumping jacks
• 5-10 slinky squats to cobra
• 30 sprint shuffles
• 30 climb the ropes

All summer

School may be out for the summer, but听students听who attend听色窝窝无码一区二区三区鈥檚听Agriculture Science Center听have their hands full听year-round.听And even without classes, every day is still busy.听That鈥檚 because they have steers, lambs, goats, chickens, heifers, rabbits and more to take care of.听Dedicated to the听health听and cleanliness of all听the听animals听housed at the Ag Center,听some students start their day at 6:30 a.m.听and don鈥檛 conclude their day until 9:00 p.m.!听听

The Agriculture Science Center opened in October 2017听to听serve听high school students听with an interest听in听animals and agriculture.听Funded by the 2014 Bond, the facility makes ag education and raising an animal accessible to all听high school听students. Prior to 2017, ag students had to find their own听accommodations听for animals, which could be expensive and out of reach for many.听Now that the Ag Center is open, students have a free place to house their animals.听听

The process of raising an animal is an听education in itself. It starts when a听student听purchases听the听animal.听They听then听raise听and train听the animal听as their own听at the Ag Center,听and then finally听they听auction听the animal听off听for consumption听to the highest bidder.听

[embed]https://youtu.be/1xBd_-IovVI[/embed]

How do students pay for this?听

Purchasing an animal can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.听To procure an animal most students try to attain a scholarship听through competing in stock shows.听Students compete in听stock shows听in Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio and San Angelo听in what is called a 鈥渃alf scramble.鈥� This is where a group of students chase around a group of calves听in a show arena and try听to put听a halter听around the calf and drag it听to the middle of the arena. If the student is successful, they win a scholarship that can total up to $1,500听and听must go toward the animal.听This helps with purchasing supplements, feed, bedding, hair care,听etc. If a听market听animal does well at show they听can听be auctioned off and听the听student can earn up to $200,000.听It seems simple,听but the time and dedication听the student gives听are听what determine the animal's success.听

Future Farmers of America

Kyle Durr,听an 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 alumnus听and now听a听teacher听at the听Ag听Center,听has seen the program听grow from when he was听a student attending Arlington High听School.听听

鈥淎s a student,听there wasn鈥檛 a space to keep the animals like there听is听now.鈥澨�听

Durr听jokingly听admits听he鈥檚 a little jealous of the progress听of听the program听and the facility听and听wishes听he had it as听a听student. But he is also proud听of how far it has come.听A perk to his position is that听Durr gets to teach amazing students听like Sophee Dever,听president of the听Arlington听FFA听(Future Farmers of America)听and Ryan Smith,听FFA听secretary.听

Dever and Smith explained that the听Ag Center听has a three-circle听model. The听FFA听is听an organization that听helps听promotes听agriculture education and听teaches听leadership.听Portion听two of the model is the classroom curriculum (vet med,听advanced animal science, etc.)听Finally,听there is the听SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience), which helps听students build听on听their knowledge from听the classrooms听on topics such as raising livestock like cattle to even听testing their skills in听horticulture.听听听

Dever and Smith,听who are now seniors听at Arlington High,听have been a part of the program since they were听freshmen. Dever,听who has two lambs听at the facility听(Bullseye and听Slinky),听plans to听attend听Texas Tech to study wildlife.听Smith,听who听has about听50听breeding听rabbits at his farm at home,听plans to听attend听Texas A&M to study animal science or听veterinary听science.听For听students听like Dever, Smith and听Martin High听School听junior听Tyler听Hausenfluke,听the Ag Center and听being in the FFA听is awesome because of friends, learning听the materials听and听cultivating听leadership听qualities.听听

To follow the听students'听progress听and听the animals'听journeys听at the Agriculture听Science听Center听click听听for more information.听You can also听follow听on听, like听their听, and听follow听on听.听If the FFA听is an area of听interest听for听you and you currently are not a student听inside听色窝窝无码一区二区三区 do not worry! You can听transfer听to听色窝窝无码一区二区三区 starting July 17 to join in on听all听the fun.

It鈥檚 not every day a student gets to practice mathematical strategies huddled under a tent next to a roaring fire while still inside the classroom. Or have the principal show up to school in a Camp Life T-shirt, baseball cap and backpack with a large water bottle dangling from one side and a flashlight from the other, looking as though she鈥檇 just returned from hiking the Himalayas.

Welcome to Summer Learning at Amos Elementary, where the core curriculum falls somewhere between established academics and summer camp. Especially on Fridays.

Those days are set aside as Celebration Fridays because they offer up fun-filled, end-of-the-week assemblies where students get a chance to show and tell what they learned during the week, earn awards and win prizes like snap-on wrist bracelets and fuzzy pens.

Each week is wrapped around a distinctive theme, such as Around the World Travel and the Beach.

Last week鈥檚 theme was Outdoor Adventures, which explained the tents (tables draped with covers) and roaring fires (cardboard cutouts) and during the festive assemblies, songs and games about roaming bears.

It also explained the outdoor attire of summer principal Andrea Powers, who turns out is just as energetic as the pre-K to sixth graders she and her fellow teachers are serving at three-week increments this summer.

With this week off, the teachers and students, which also includes students from Goodman Elementary, return on Tuesday, July 6 for the final three-week session.

听Powers, whose regular job is dean of instruction at Berry Elementary, said the objective behind Summer Learning at Amos is to help fill in the learning gaps widened by the pandemic in subjects like reading and, particularly, in math, which Powers suggest is more challenging to learn virtually.

Results from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams bear that out because test results show that the steepest learning loss among subjects this past year was math.

From 8:20 a.m. to 1:20 p.m., students receive lessons in math and reading in a traditional setting with teachers assessing early on where they are academically and starting from there.

The playfulness of the themes helps because teachers are creative about how they incorporate those elements in the daily lessons.

But Powers said their participation in Summer Learning goes far beyond basic academics.

鈥淎ll of our kids need so many things right now,鈥� Powers said. 鈥淭hey have really suffered a lot, academically, socially, emotionally, so we are providing an environment for them to help close those academic gaps, yes, but also to fill that need for social and emotional time they have missed. Some of our kids haven鈥檛 been celebrated. They faced depression and parents who have lost jobs or family members. So just being around others and being celebrated in a positive environment is really filling a need.鈥�

That鈥檚 why Summer Learning emphasizes learning through fun, play and fostering a positive atmosphere.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e excited but have kind of forgotten how to interact and be around others and be in the same classroom with their teacher,鈥� Powers said. 鈥淎fter they get over that hump, they are fine and happy. That credit all goes to the creativity of the teachers who decided to do this even though they were really tired from the previous school year.鈥�

Like Lisa Daniels.

鈥淲e wanted to give them the traditional things they were used to, like the notebooks and getting hands-on attention, which Zoom can鈥檛 do,鈥� Daniels said. 鈥淔or instance, we made play dough the other day in STEM lab. We did the camp fire, the tents, gave them treats. They just keep saying over and over how much they missed being here.鈥�

That goes for the teachers, too.

Daniels, who teaches first grade at Larson Elementary, hadn鈥檛 planned to teach over the summer.

But Powers convinced her to return just for the summer. Much like her students, the experience has renewed her.

鈥淛ust getting back to teaching in front of students, it鈥檚 been invigorating,鈥� Daniels said. 鈥淭his has just put a fire back in me to teach again.鈥�

Students win big with summer reading!听

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 students going into 4^th grade and up can read to win a $25 Sonic gift card this summer! The 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 library media services department is sponsoring a Summer Reading program in Canvas in which students in grades 4-12 can submit the title, author's name and their favorite part of the story to earn a digital badge. Students who earn at least five digital badges before July 31, 2021, will be entered to win a $25 Sonic gift card that will be given away at the end of August.听

Scholars without a device can still participate!听

Students in grades 4-12 who do not have access to a device this summer can enter to win the $25 Sonic gift card by writing down a list of at least five books they read before July 31st and include their name and school they attend, the title of the book, author's name and their favorite part of the story. Then they can give their list to their school librarian when they return to school in August.听

Need a book to read?听Inside the Summer Reading Canvas course, there are links to different genre collections in Sora, so students can click on the links and be taken to e-books in that genre. Students in all grades, pre-K-12, and all staff also have access to over 3,000 e-books in Sora during the summer.听You can also read books you have at home or check out books from the .

鈥淪ummer reading provides benefits that last all school year long and winning a Sonic gift card would be a great way to end the summer!鈥� said Lesley Cano, 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 library specialist.听

To join the Summer Reading program in Canvas, please click on the following links:听

• Students in Grades 4-6:听
• Students in Grades 7-12:听

The Library Services Department would like to thank vendors who donated the Sonic gift cards to support the Summer Reading program:

Competition builds common ground

The moment couldn鈥檛 have gotten any more intense.

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos was laser-focused. So was Arlington Police Department Chief Al Jones, as the two men battled it out in front of a small crowd this past Saturday afternoon.

Well, not in reality, that is.

At Game Up 5-0鈥檚 first-ever gaming tournament, held at (ESA), the two area leaders controlled multiple characters to kick and slam each other around within the arcade game Marvel vs. Capcom.

And Lamar High School junior Jesus Luna couldn鈥檛 help but join in on their fun. While balancing a hot dog in hand, the 17-year-old walked back-and-forth between Cavazos and Jones to give each one tips on how to defeat the other until the time ran out.

鈥淚 gave myself a victory,鈥� Cavazos quipped, while raising his arms in celebration, as a group of officers and 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 students relished in the moment.

鈥淵ou were a good teacher, buddy!鈥� Bowie principal and event organizer Reny Lizardo instantly shouted to Luna.

So what exactly was the teen鈥檚 advice?

鈥淚 just told them to button mash,鈥� Luna said, suggesting that the men鈥檚 busy schedules likely made them gaming novices. Therefore, randomly clicking to execute their attacks was the way to go, he said.

Luna was among more than 100 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 high school students and about 30 officers who participated in the free event at the stadium, located in Arlington鈥檚 entertainment district. With blaring hip-hop music keeping the energy high, it was a gamer鈥檚 paradise.

Most of the action took place in a large room decked out with peg artwork of classic characters from games like Mike Tyson鈥檚 Punch-Out and The Legend of Zelda. Donning masks and headphones, the participants sat in comfy gaming chairs while indulging in Street Fighter, Call of Duty, Valorant and many other games.

Like his peers, Luna was excited 鈥� shocked, even 鈥� to see the police officers join them for seven hours of video gaming. Throughout the day, the officers banded together against the youths in four wildly popular games: League of Legends, Madden NFL 21, Fortnite and Super Smash Bros. (Luna鈥檚 personal favorite). Winners received prizes including one-month passes to the Esports Stadium.

Crime Prevention Sgt. Vincent Pewitt helped spearhead the initiative through the department鈥檚 mentoring program, Coach 5-0. A 24-year officer, he鈥檚 recognized a deep divide between community members and the police. The event was designed to help local youths and APD officers find common ground, he said.

鈥淲e know that a lot of students don鈥檛 play basketball, don鈥檛 play football,鈥� Pewitt said. 鈥淏ut we have students who play games. This is a sport, it is just different.鈥�

Pewitt further explained that the program came into fruition a few months ago after several dozen APD policemen shared that they were also extreme gamers. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know there was a big interest (among the officers),鈥� Pewitt said. 鈥淭hat was great for us.鈥�

听The event was right up Joshua Loesel鈥檚 alley. The APD officer of five years said gaming profoundly impacted his life when he grew up in an impoverished, single-parent home in Killeen. It was a positive outlet throughout his middle school and high school days, he said.

Today, the officer has nearly 400 video games. It is a stress-reliever after a hard day鈥檚 work of patrolling the streets 鈥� particularly because of the creative, detailed character storylines often found in the games, he said.

Loesel, 28, hates the stigma that gaming is a mindless, destructive activity. 鈥淧eople need to separate reality from fiction. It鈥檚 been statistically-proven that video games do not make you violent,鈥� he said.

During the event, Chief Jones emphatically charged Loesel and other officers to 鈥済o to town鈥� on the students. But the teens remained ready 鈥� especially Trayn Kearns, a junior at Venture High School and longtime lover of Minecraft.

鈥淟et鈥檚 get it. Woo-hoo!鈥� Kearns yelled as she sat down and strapped on her headset before facing off against officers in League of Legends.

Just prior, the 17-year-old candidly 鈥渆ducated鈥� district resource officer Rebecca Martin on voice-over recording for animated characters 鈥� a profession that Kearns hopes to enter in the near future. She said watching officers play video games was 鈥渁 very interesting concept.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not something really that I would put two and two together,鈥� Kearns said.

The gaming tournament did more than provide entertainment, however. Chino Lee, ESA鈥檚 chief revenue officer, said the event helped bring younger guests back to the state-of-the-art facility since the COVID-19 pandemic slowed things down.

Natalie Houghton, director of annual giving for Cook Children鈥檚 Health Foundation 鈥� one of the tournament鈥檚 many sponsors 鈥� was thrilled to attend the event. From her booth, Houghton shared information about her organization鈥檚 gaming marathon called 鈥淓xtra Life.鈥� It brings thousands of gamers together to raise funds and awareness in support of local Children鈥檚 Miracle Network Hospitals. Since its inception in 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $50 million for local children鈥檚 hospitals.

鈥淪o, basically, it鈥檚 play games 鈥� heal kids,鈥� Houghton said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a direct impact to our patients because it鈥檚 benefitting those areas that help them still be kids and still have fun.鈥�

Houghton said Extra Life participants can include their involvement with the charity on their college applications and also receive volunteer hours. This falls right in line with Lizardo鈥檚 vision. The Bowie principal and event organizer is writing a dissertation on esports and hopes the initiative will lead to possible futures in gaming for the teens.

Pewitt hopes that police departments from cities throughout the Metroplex would start their own programs that would bring their school districts鈥� students to Arlington to compete in gaming. He feels that Esports Stadium is the perfect venue because of its central location, and that APD鈥檚 first event was a success.

鈥淪eeing officers talking and communicating with the students, learning from each other and having fun, it was a win-win for everyone,鈥� Pewitt said.听

Police chief visits Crow Leadership Academy

While the school year is coming to a close, taking safety precautions should be never-ending for students and members of the community. Arlington Police Chief Al Jones and 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos joined forces to remind Crow Leadership Academy sixth graders to stay safe during the summer break.

Through the 鈥淭ake 25鈥� campaign, Arlington Police Department encourages students to read for at least 25 minutes per day. With just days remaining before the summer break, Jones and other APD officers are also challenging students to create a safety plan with their parents and guardians for activities such as trips to the neighborhood parks, amusement parks, movie theaters and malls.

鈥淚t is imperative that students, as well as parents, pay attention and take preventative measures to ensure safety,鈥� said Cavazos. 鈥淭ake some time to talk about safety and ask hard questions, because the more you have these conversations, the better prepared you are.鈥�

The chief and his team of officers urged students to call 911 not only when there are notable emergencies but also when people look suspicious.

鈥淚f you see something suspicious or someone is making you uncomfortable, say something. Call us so we can come check it out for you,鈥� said Jones.

Jones, who took over as chief in January, shared his heart for being active in and providing service to the community.

鈥淥ur job as police officers is to make sure we鈥檙e providing community service to everyone every day,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淲e want you to be successful in school and safe at all times. Every single person in a blue uniform is your friend, and we want to help you succeed.鈥�

Crow Leadership Academy emphasizes leadership to its students through school projects and engaging lessons about integrity, honor and service.

鈥淐aring, balanced, risk-taker and communicator are all words we try to instill in students鈥� character, and it was really fun for them to see those attributes exemplified in Dr. Cavazos, Chief Jones and his officers during their presentation,鈥� said Principal Jamie MacDougall.听 鈥淥f course, we want our kids to excel in academics, but we also want to grow them as people, too. It鈥檚 exciting to have our police officers here today to help the students see what it looks like to serve the community and use their gifts for good.鈥�

Jones and MacDougall are in accord when it comes to molding great students into better leaders.听

鈥淭hese are the types of events I love, because we have to be engaged in the community constantly,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淲e have to keep having these conversations, so students will know and understand how to make good decisions and be good citizens of the community.鈥�

Arlington is one of the few cities in the nation whose department requires all officers to obtain a bachelor鈥檚 degree before joining the academy.

鈥淕etting your education should be your main priority. We want you to grow up and serve your community with us one day,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淯ntil then, you can still be a community partner with us by letting us know when crimes are being committed and providing helpful information to help us solve cases.鈥�

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 has a partnership with the police department for students interested in working in law enforcement.听 Students may begin taking courses at the student police academy in 11^th grade and have the opportunity to interview with Arlington Police Department after obtaining their bachelor鈥檚 degree from UT-Arlington. For more information on the student police academy, please visit aisd.net/career-technical-center.

All 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 high schools will be represented

Saturday isn鈥檛 Christmas on the calendar, but it鈥檚 certainly a big day for Bowie High School principal Reny Lizardo, esports fanatic.

鈥淚鈥檓 very excited,鈥� Lizardo said. 鈥淚鈥檓 writing my dissertation on esports. This is where I want my career to go, connecting esports and education.鈥�

So, what鈥檚 the big event? It鈥檚 the first-ever Game Up 5-0 tournament which will pit 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 high school students against Arlington Police Department officers in a series of video game challenges at from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Every 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 high school will be represented as the event will give students and law enforcement officers a chance to have fun in a setting familiar to just about everyone. The event will allow students to interact in a new way, and there will also be a focus on cyberbullying.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great, safe place to interact with police,鈥� said Lizardo, who was one of the organizers. 鈥淓sports doesn鈥檛 discriminate against gender, physical ability or anything like that. Anyone can participate.鈥�

The competitors will be playing four popular games 鈥� League of Legends, Madden NFL 21, Super Smash Bros. and Fortnite. The event is free to the gamers and will serve as a great way to get them more exposure not only to the APD but a possible future in gaming as well.

Lizardo said colleges like UT-Arlington and North Texas are already offering scholarships for gamers. Many districts already have teams, and Lizardo thinks the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 could follow that trend.

鈥淗opefully we鈥檙e headed that way,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a great opportunity for our students.鈥�

Lizardo also thinks this could be the first of many of these types of tournaments. This one is only for 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 students, but there were other districts trying to get involved.

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos is excited to see how Saturday鈥檚 event goes.

鈥淭his is another great opportunity for our students,鈥� Cavazos said. 鈥淲e know how much gaming and esports are part of many of our student鈥檚 lives these days. This is a fun way for them to connect that to the Arlington Police Department, which should be great for everyone involved.鈥�

Career + Technical Center home to 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Police Academy

色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Police Academy students are learning early about the difficult conversations that come along with working in law and public safety, and hate crimes are among the list of topics. Officers from Arlington Police Department were able to offer their expertise on the subject last week.

Arlington Police Department officers Chris Holder and Jastin Williams visited the class at the 色窝窝无码一区二区三区 Career and Technical Center to teach students how to identify hate crimes in today鈥檚 society. A hate crime is defined as a criminal offense motivated by bias in part or in whole to a person, group of people or property.

鈥淥nce we shed light on these issues, we can be the change we want to see in the world,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淗ate crimes don鈥檛 just affect the individuals involved.听 It affects entire communities.鈥�

Holder encouraged the recruits to think beyond the parameters of ranks and job titles when entering the workforce. 鈥淲hether you become a teacher, doctor or police officer, you define your job,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t should never define you.鈥�

鈥淵ou have to remember that, or you will forget why you started in the first place.鈥�

The duo also touched on the significance of embracing diversity in the community. According to a survey conducted in 2018, 20% of Arlington鈥檚 population was born outside of the United States.听

鈥淲e appreciate the vast amount of perspectives in this city, and our department reflects that鈥� said Williams. 鈥淗owever, we often see in other cities the lack of diversity in a police department can cause a negative impact if you鈥檙e unable to identify and connect with the citizens you鈥檙e supposed to protect.鈥�

Holder and Williams have presented their research on hate crimes to police in St. Louis, Mo., and also got the opportunity to present the curriculum to the International Association of Chiefs of Police听 in Nashville on Saturday. The curriculum is a part of a national roll out that other departments across the nation will have the option to inherit.

鈥淎rlington Police Department has worked diligently on educating its officers and associates on hate crime and incident reporting for the last two years,鈥� said Officer Fred Kemp of the Arlington Police Department and an instructor of the police academy. 鈥淚t is crucial for us to continue education on hate crimes inside of our department and expand our outreach to community members and projects throughout Arlington in the coming months and years.鈥澨�

鈥淭his program teaches students about the importance of working with the community we protect.听 We have to consistently listen to the citizens that we serve to honor our motto:听 One Patch, One Department, One City."

Since 2015, students in the Hometown Recruiting Program have been swapping textbooks for tactical training and intense workouts in preparation to step into law enforcement. From forensic science to conducting investigations, courses are designed to give participants hands-on experience in the field of public safety.听听

From the recruiting program鈥檚 inception, 132 students have graduated, two are currently Arlington Police Department officers, two are jailers and one is a dispatcher. Approximately 15% have entered the military after graduating high school, and the remainder are currently working on their college degrees or in the workplace.

For more information on the Hometown Recruiting Program, please visit aisd.net/career-technical-center.