The hearing impaired students at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School are learning how to make pottery, quilts and folk art. They are also learning modern dance and simple drawing.
What would appear to be standard procedure at most elementary school is not necessarily the case here. This is the first year Stonewall’s deaf students have had such opportunities.
“Hands On Artists” is a program that exposes the students to a variety of art forms and allows them to learn through participation.
The idea for “Hands On Artists” came from Stonewall parent Rick Bibby. A tile artist by trade, Bibby began working with the deaf students last year. He is currently making a 30-foot tile mural depicting mosaics made by the students.
Bibby is also responsible for an art show last fall where the children’s work was displayed at a Deep Ellum gallery.
“These children need a venue for self-esteem,” Bibby says, “and in art, they have found an area where they can shine.”
“Their talent is real,” he says. “Their entire world is visual and tactical.”
So far, the children have been visited by illustrator John Davis, potter Lee Akins and dance specialists Donna Moham. The artists donate their time for the program and the school is providing the funds for supplies.
“These kids live in a hearing world, and they need to know there’s something at which they can be successful and perhaps even pursue as a career,” Bibby says.
Bibby plans to continue the program for the 1993-94 school year, with artists already scheduled.
“Once the artists spend time with these children and experience their enthusiasm, they are more than glad to donate their talents,” he says.
Stonewall Listed Among Redbook’s Best Schools in America
Stonewall Jackson Elementary School is listed as one of 177 outstanding public elementary schools in the April edition of Redbook magazine.
More than 500 schools from each state and the District of Columbia submitted detailed nomination forms, essays, videos and clippings.
Graduate Students from Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City selected 360 finalists. The 177 winning schools were then selected by a 12-member panel of leading education experts.
In the Redbook article, Stonewall is listed as a school achieving overall excellence by offering students a success-oriented mix of a creative curriculum, varied extracurricular activities, nurturing teachers and supportive parent and community members.
Woodrow Volunteer Wins Annual State Award
Richard D. Howell, a volunteer at Woodrow Wilson High School, has been named the Adult Volunteer of the Year, Secondary Level, by the Texas Association of Partners in Education (TAPE). TAPE is a non-profit education association dedicated to developing partnerships between schools and communities through volunteer programs.
For more than 10 years, Howell has accompanied Woodrow instrumentalists and choir members. He has also accompanied the school’s show choir at many concerts and public appearances, and has played in the pit orchestra for the Woodrow musicals. His average volunteer hours per year come to more than 1,000.
“He’s really an unpaid faculty member,” says Howell’s wife Bradley Sue, who is the librarian at Woodrow. “He has given many embryonic students the counsel and encouragement to pursue their talents beyond the high school level,” she says.
Howell has been the Minister of Music at Oak Cliff United Methodist Church since 1966. Before that, he was Minister of Music at Lakewood Methodist Church from 1960-1966.
Zion Lutheran Hosts Texas Shootout
For four days in February, students from four different Lutheran schools took part in the Texas Shootout, a basketball tournament that has become a tradition for Zion Lutheran School.
Students from Faith Lutheran in Plano, Bethany Lutheran in Houston and St. Paul Lutheran School in New Orleans were guests at the homes of Zion students. In addition to playing basketball, the students visited Texas Stadium and the West End, participated in a Friday night dance and worshipped together at Zion Lutheran Church on Sunday.
“This gathering of students has been taking place since 1979,” says Carol Chandler, a teacher at Zion. “Many families have become friends over the years. The basketball tournament is a great way for these students to share fellowship and fun,” she says.
Dallas Academy Schedules Invitational Golf Tournament
Dallas Academy will host its first Dallas Academy Golf Invitational at Lakewood Country Club June 7. All proceeds will benefit the school, which is a private secondary school for children with diagnosed learning differences.
The invitational is the first golf tournament in the school’s 27 years.
Channel 4 meteorologist Mike Burger will serve as honorary tournament chairman. Corporate sponsors include KDFW Channel 4, Dr. Pepper Co., American Airlines, DSC Communications Corp., Spalding, Mix 102.9, Dallas Golf Co. Inc. and Blockbuster Video.
“Students, parents, teachers and board members are very excited, not only with the prospect of raising money for the school, but the impact the tournament will have on the community and the recognition it will bring to Dallas Academy,” says school director Jim Richardson.
“There are hundreds of families who may need our school, but don’t know we exist. I hope this tournament will make more families in the Lake Highlands, East Dallas, Garland and Mesquite communities aware of Dallas Academy and the services we provide,” Richardson says.
For information about the tournament, including opportunities for corporate sponsorship, contact Development Director and Sponsorship Chairman Barbara Sullivan at 414-7200.
J.L. Long Students Sweep Technology Tournament
J.L. Long students who participated in the TAG Technology Tournament held at the TAG Magnet High School came home with top awards in all divisions. The following is a list of award winners:
Life science team competition, first place – team members are Anna Florer, Tara Ingalls, Sarah Shepherd, Annie Wright. Life science individual competition – first, Annie Wright, second, Tara Ingalls, third, Amanda Odeski.
Earth science team competition, first place – team members are Erin Armstrong, Janna Nelson, Khoa Dang, Jeff Cook. Earth science individual competition – first Erin Armstrong, second, Janna Nelson, third, Jeff Cook.
Physical science team competition, third place – team members are Norma Mojica, Carlos Castillo, Stephanie Martin, Stephanie Shea. Physical science individual competition – first, Jennifer Knight.
Pre-Algebra, seventh grade team competition, second place – team members are Eric Cordova, Andres Gonzlez, Sarah Shepherd, Anna Florer.
Algebra, eighth-grade team competition, first place – team members are Erin Armstrong, Jeff Cook, Jeremy Leibman, Todd Gaspard. Individual competition – first, Erin Armstrong, second, Todd Gaspard, third, Jeff Cook.
St. John’s Announces Science Place Winner, National Junior Honor Society
Eighth graders Jonathan Payne and Kendy Colson were the overall winners at St. John’s Episcopal School’s Science Fair held in February. These two students will advance to the Regional Science Fair in April.
The second through fourth grade winners are Wesley Schuler, grand prize, biology; Regan Byrne-Goodman, first place, physical science; and Robert Billingsley, first place, general science.
The fifth and sixth grade winners are Jonathan Payne, grand prize, physical science; Kendy Colson, first place, biology; and Meredith Mandle, first place, general science.
St. John’s Episcopal School recently held its National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony. Twenty-one seventh and eighth-grade students were inducted into the organization, which recognizes students who maintain a grade point average of 90+ and exhibit leadership abilities.
The new inductees are: Lara Ahearn, Travis Allison, Kendy Colson, Sarah Davis, Maria Dimoulakis, Amy Fariis, Amy Love, Kate Major, Jonathan Payne.
Also, Elizabeth Berett, Aaron Case, Misty Deb, Janet Dempsey, Emily Johnson, Hilary Johnson, Luke Kirkpatrick, Meredith Mandle, Jennifer Mendershausen, Ginny Richardson, James Westfall III and Katherine Witmer.
Alex Sanger Third-Grader Wins School’s Science Fair
Eric Hajek, a third grade student at Alex Sanger Elementary School, recently won the top award for the kindergarten through third grade division in the school’s science fair. The science fair is sponsored each year by MEPC American Properties.
Lakehill Students Win Top Awards in Foreign Language and Competitions
French and Spanish students at Lakehill Preparatory School recently took top honors at the Foreign Langauges Weekend Competition at Austin College.
The competition offers high school language students an opportunity to compete in a variety of areas, such as reading comprehension, poetry recitation, skit, prose reading and drama.
The following students won rating of superior, excellent and good in those categories: Laren Portera, Alese Watson, Clair Offield, Hayley Wester, Carey Simon, Chris Edvardsen,
Phillipe Lewis, Derek Munoz, Holly Howard, Lauren Marshall, Rob Kleifgen, Alisa Marshall, Hampton Cude, John Lewis and Bethany Miller.
CALENDAR
April 2 – Stonewall Jackson Elementary School Bike Rodeo.
