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Irish Eyes gkirisheyes.org
Friday, September 20, 2013
Volume 46 Issue 1
New Orleans’ Unique Businesses Entertainment 4301 Grace King Place, Metairie, LA 70002
New courses expand career opportunities By Tia Banerjee Copy Editor
With over 10 new courses being offered this year, Grace King plans on continuing to expand the curriculum. A few of the new courses, such as Advanced TV Broadcasting and Digital Media, focus on possible careers. “The Âż UVW URXQG RI QHZ FRXUVHV FDPH WR NLQG RI facilitate having some electives for student WR KDYH D FKRLFH RI FRXUVHV WKH\ PLJKW Âż QG interesting as a career option,â€? Principal Meg Griffon said. Many Advanced Placement (AP) courses are being offered as well. The following AP courses were introduced this year: English Language, English Literature, Statistics, Physics and Chemistry. “It’s cool that the school is offering more AP classes because it gives the students a chance to earn college credit in high school,â€? senior Christina Barragan said. Grace King is able to offer the AP courses through a number of grants. According to Griffon, the National Science Foundation (NSF) provided a grant for the supplies needed to teach the AP Chemistry class. Grace King was one of three schools in Jefferson Parish to receive the grant. 0DVV ,QVLJKW (GXFDWLRQ D QRQ SURÂż W organization based in Boston, provided RSSRUWXQLWLHV IRU VWXGHQWV DW .LQJ WR WDNH D variety of AP courses. Through their Mass Math and Science Initiative (MMSI), all the costs for adding new AP courses, from WH[WERRNV WR WUDLQLQJ WHDFKHUV ZDV FRYHUHG Âł, KDG DOUHDG\ EHHQ WKLQNLQJ DERXW LQFUHDVLQJ our AP classes, and this was going to allow us to even add more AP classes and give us the resources and the training we needed to be able to offer these courses,â€? Assistant Principal of Curriculum, Sharon Thomas, said. There are two new courses that are RIIHUHG VSHFLÂż FDOO\ WR IUHVKPHQ 6FLHQWLÂż F Reasoning and Creative Writing. The purpose behind these courses is to help GHYHORS VNLOOV WKDW FDQ EH XVHG WKURXJKRXW their high school career. According to 7KRPDV 6FLHQWLÂż F 5HDVRQLQJ IRFXVHV RQ GHYHORSLQJ SURFHVV VNLOOV ZULWLQJ XS ODE reports, designing experiments and drawing conclusions. “It helps us learn what science is. It goes deeper into science than the other classes,â€? freshman James Cagle said. Creative Writing focuses on the different components of writing, such as mechanics and grammar, while also developing the VNLOOV WR DQVZHU IUHH UHVSRQVH TXHVWLRQV Over 280 students attended the AP .LFNRII HYHQW RQ :HGQHVGD\ 6HSW Representatives from Mass Insight, as well DV 6XSHULQWHQGHQW 'U -DPHV 0H]D VSRNH DERXW WKH KLVWRU\ DQG EHQHÂż WV RI WKH SURJUDP expectations for the future and presented two AP scholar awards to senior Bianca Shrestha DQG MXQLRU -DFN 9HJD
Adopt a pet
Photo by Isabella Cross
The theme for LASC Convention is Mardi Gras. The backdrop pictured top left measures 28 ft. x 40 ft. and will hang on the gym stage. Ms. Lewis’ sketch represents the courtyard layout. Tia Banerjee speaks at the GNO dinner at Brother Martin.
from across Louisiana will come together Spotlight on King: Students WR GHYHORS OHDGHUVKLS VNLOOV WKURXJK ZRUNVKRSV By Isabella Cross Staff Reporter
In January, Grace King will be the host of over 100 Louisiana schools for the 64th annual Louisiana Association of Student Councils (LASC) Convention. LASC convention is an event where student council members from across the state come together to share ideas on leadership through seminars, guest VSHDNHUV DQG DFWLYLWLHV 7KH HYHQW ZLOO be held from Jan. 18-20, Martin Luther .LQJ ZHHNHQG King will host 1000 delegates and 200 advisers from about 110 schools from across the state. There are 300 hotel
URRPV ERRNHG IRU GHOHJDWHV WKURXJKRXW the Greater New Orleans area. The Art department is planning designs around the school. For example, the courtyard and hallways will be decorated OLNH D )UHQFK 4XDUWHU EDOFRQ\ VFHQH 7KH theme of the convention is Mardi Gras. 6SHDNHUV OHDGLQJ VHPLQDUV DUH FXUUHQWO\ EHLQJ ERRNHG 6HPLQDUV DERXW +HUVKH\ÂśV 7UDFN DQG )LHOG PHQLQJLWLV DZDUHQHVV saving the wetlands and dance are set. Run Jump Fly... Inc., a company from California, will be bringing production HTXLSPHQW VXFK DV WKH OLJKWV VSRW OLJKWV sound systems and projector screens. A video camera crew from the company will also cover the general sessions.
General sessions are meetings where GHOHJDWHV FRQYHQH WR KHDU WKH NH\QRWH VSHDNHU ZDWFK FDQGLGDWH VFKRROVÂś VNLWV DQG VSHHFKHV DQG YRWH IRU QHZ RIÂż FHV Sessions will be held in the gym. 0RQLTXH 3RQWLII LV 5LYHUGDOHÂśV student council advisor and acts as “state RIÂż FHU DGYLVHU´ WR 7LD %DQHUMHH Âł0V 3RQWLII KDV EHHQ DQ HQRUPRXV KHOS +DG she not stepped in, Grace King would KDYH KDG D YHU\ GLIÂż FXOW WLPH ,WÂśV QLFH to have someone relatively close by and have LASC experience,â€? Banerjee said. Approximately 70 volunteer staff members are needed. “This is a district wide event. Everyone is involved,â€? Banerjee said.
&RQVWUXFWLRQ Âż QDOO\ FRPSOHWH IRU )LQH $UWV EXLOGLQJ )RXU \HDUV DIWHU EUHDNLQJ VXFK DV D EODFN ER[ WKHDWHU JURXQG WKH Âż QH DUWV EXLOGLQJ a dance studio and a piano Sports Editor is now open to students. It room. consists of performing areas Construction began in December in 2010 and was H[SHFWHG WR EH Âż QLVKHG E\ January of 2012. Due to many complications, including the death of the contractor, construction was delayed by a year and a half. The single story, 11,163 VTXDUH IRRW EXLOGLQJ KRXVHV practice rooms for voice, dance, tap and theater. The EODFN ER[ WKHDWHU LV D foot by 48 foot area with no SHUPDQHQW VWDJH DQG Ă€ H[LEOH enough to accommodate different types of seating. Theater Director Randy Bianca Shrestha The newly constructed arts building includes a black box theater, Maggiore enjoys the new two dance studios and a recording studio. versatile space. “It gives us By Samah Hammad
Going green
Irish look ahead
With only 21 percent of household pets coming from shelters, over 4 million animals go unadopted every year.
At the current rate our ozone is depleting, ZH VKRXOG WDNH VWHSV toward a “greener� environment.
Facing non-distrct opponents such as Jesuit, De La Salle and QDWLRQDOO\ UDQNHG .DUU WKH ,ULVK ORRN IRUZDUG to district competition.
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an opportunity to explore perspective in how the DXGLHQFH ORRNV DW D SOD\ ´ Maggiore said. The rooms for theater and dance are specialized for the class itself. For example, XQOLNH WKH FODVV LQ WKH J\P the dance studio has special VSUXQJ Ă€ RRULQJ WKDW JLYHV leeway when dancing. Dance instructor Elaine :DONHU GHVFULEHV WKH QHZ room to have a sense of privacy and security. “Since nobody is passing by and interrupting our FUHDWLYH WLPH LWÂśV RND\ WR EH VSRQWDQHRXV ´ :DONHU VDLG The addition of this building is expected to be a large contribution to the performing arts program.
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