16 minute read
Schools
YES, THAT STUDENT IS HOLDING A REAL HEART
Boone Elementary’s Alex Smith keeps TAG lessons challenging, intriguing
Advertisement
Through 15 years of pig heart dissections, imaginary million-dollar spending sprees, and riveting robotics, Boone Elementary School’s Alex Smith has formulated a winning teaching philosophy. “I always want
JULIET ALLAN my classroom to be a warm and engaging spot for kids,” Smith said. “They’ll learn more with that mindset.”
It’s her ambitious classroom projects, along with her reputation for kindness, empathy, and passion, that Smith’s second-through fourth-grade Talented and Gifted (TAG) students and their parents mentioned when they nominated her for PC-TAG Teacher of the Year.
She won for 2020-2021.
“I really hope that on an academic level, I push and encourage my students to continue to be both curious and problem solvers throughout their lives,” Smith said.
TOP: Hadleigh Raynor holds a pig’s heart. RIGHT: Luke Purcell
works on a robotics lesson. (PHOTOS:
COURTESY ALEX SMITH)
Although Smith has always taught TAG students, it wasn’t until she earned her master’s degree that she truly realized her love for the unique learning styles of TAG students.
“People who haven’t been educated on the background of TAG students just think they learn faster, but in reality, their needs can be a lot more unique than that,” Smith explained. “After grad school, it was my goal to become a TAG teacher – my dream job.”
Smith recognized that working in HPISD allows teachers to grow along with their students.
“We work in such a unique place in PAST PC-TAG TOY WINNERS:
2020 Paul Newhouse 2019 Roseanne Leediker 2018 Yvonne Janik 2017 Carrie Boydston (Elementary) Laura Stager (MIS/HPMS) Wenzen Chuang (HPHS)
2016 Ashraf Mobh 2015 Sarah Beth Uhles 2014 Brianna Riddell 2013 Reagan Blumley 2012 Carol Lanning 2011 Jeff Barrows 2010 Melody Fulbright
HP parent-led organizations like PC-TAG rely on financial donations from parents to fund enrichment opportunities in HPISD’s classrooms and recognize the PC-TAG Teacher of the Year with a financial award.
that we are encouraged to try new things and are so supported by parents.”
Teachers like Smith are a quintessential part of HPISD. By fostering inclusive learning environments and ensuring that every student’s needs are met, these teachers make lasting impacts on students’ lives, regardless of whether they are TAG identified.
Teaching her students to take risks and explore their passions and curiosities is a cornerstone of her teaching, Smith said. “Oftentimes, these ideas are the ones that may change the world in the best ways.”
Highland Park High School Senior Juliet Allan loves to sing and write.
Possibilities Await You at Parish Episcopal School.
Hillcrest (PreK 3yrs old - 2nd grade) Midway (3rd - 12th grade)
Sunday, October 24 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Visit us online at parish.org or contact our Admission office at 972.852.8737
HPISD Students Start First Day of School on High Note
(PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY, RACHEL SNYDER, COURTESY HIGHLAND PARK ISD)
Highland Park ISD students returned to school for the new academic year Aug. 18.
We were there to catch the arrival of elementary school students for the first days at Hyer and Bradfield. Boone and University Park parents also submitted photos.
The pupils were met with balloons, plenty of welcome signs, and red-carpet treatment.
Longtime traditions continued, including parents capturing first-day-ofschool photos before walking their students to the school doors and, of course, the sound of bagpipes.
Enter to learn, go forth to serve, and have a great, safe school year!
– Rachel Snyder
See more photographs at peoplenewspapers.com.
FIND YOUR
Ann & Nate Levine Academy is an inclusive, dynamic, Jewish Day School which fosters creativity, critical thinking, and Jewish values while empowering its students with moral character, selfconfidence and intellectual curiosity.
FOR ENROLLMENT INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS OFFICE 972-248-3032
admissions@levineacademy.org
High School Musicians Heal With Harmonies Students from several campuses team up to tour senior-living communities
By Maddie Spera
maddie.spera@peoplenewspapers.com
On the first Sunday of August, mellifluous notes from stringed instruments drifted delicately through the hallways of The Juliette Fowler Communities.
The source? Quartets of students from Highland Park High School, Greenhill School, Ursuline Academy, and other North Texas schools.
The instrumentalists joined forces earlier this summer and dubbed themselves Musical Melodies. With enough members for two string quartets, they seek to bring joy and comfort to residents of nursing homes and retirement communities, a demographic that
FROM LEFT: Justine Choi, Ayana Dalley, Jessica Liang, Irene Kim, Christopher Dyeus, and Hannah Joung
perform at the Juliette Fowler Communities. (PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY) may have felt forgotten and isolated last year with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We love chamber music, and we wanted to find a way to perform for these people,” said violinist Justine Choi, a junior at Highland Park High School.
All members are from high school orchestras or the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. “We decided to combine and wanted to use this to spread chamber music in the community,” Choi said. Their performances have been well-received so far. They visited The Memory Care in late July and intend to share their love of music with more senior living communities soon. “I think people enjoy it,” said Christopher Dycus, cellist and senior at Greenhill. “A lot of them always come up afterward to us and say thank you and that they loved it. I’ve played for seniors before, and they always like when kids come visit and are very appreciative of the music.” The quartets play a mixture of songs by different artists to appeal to a variety of tastes. Some pieces they perform include “Time” by Hans Zimmer and “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart. “I really love coming and sharing music with people who may have been cast aside by society or a little bit isolated,” Choi said. “It’s nice to come and remind them that they’re not forgotten, and people still care.” TWO TIMES FOUR
Brumalis Quartet: • Justine Choi, violin, junior, Highland Park High School
• Jessica Liang, violin, senior, Coppell High School
• Hannah Joung, viola, junior, Allen High School
• Christopher Dycus, cello, senior, Greenhill School
Ampelia Quartet: • Ayana Dalley, violin, junior, homeschooled
• Irene Kim, violin, junior, Ursuline Academy
• Madeline Chun, viola, junior, The Hockaday School
• Aadi Khasgiwala, cello, junior, St. Mark’s School of Texas
Email pakclaudia@hotmail. com to book a performance.
Committed to excellence
in a changing world.
Visit www.greenhill.org to hear from our students, learn more about our school, and review our application process!
Believing in the Limitless Potential of Girls
LEARN WHY AN ALL-GIRLS SCHOOL INSPIRES CONFIDENCE
WWW.HOCKADAY.ORG
Acceptitas Aids in College Consulting Jesuit alum founds organization, shares importance of a passion project
By Maddie Stout
People Newspapers
Emmet Halm arrived at Harvard for his freshman year and discovered something unexpected.
Like many high schoolers, he had operated on the belief that the key to attending a top university was a relentless devotion to test scores, extracurricular activities, and grades. However, once in college, the 2019 Jesuit Dallas graduate realized most of his peers had done the opposite.
2021 People Newspapers Ad - 1:8 pg.pdf
“Instead, they did something completely independent of their school that really showcased their passions and interests,” he said. By conducting a randomized research study of fellow Harvard undergrads, Halm discovered that just over 75% of those surveyed had completed a “passion project” during high school, with examples ranging from starting nonprofits to self-publishing novels or short stories. These “overwhelmingly high” numbers sparked a fire inside him, and he knew he wanted to bring his findings to high school students. With Harvard off-campus due to COVID-19, he took a leave of absence and founded Acceptitas, a college consulting program run entirely by Harvard students. The program begins with a mentor matching process, pairing high school students with Harvard undergrads who share similar backgrounds or experiences. Students and mentors work together to think of ideas for passion projects, meeting once a week for an hour at a time and setting action steps in between to avoid procrastination. “The main thing about coming up with a project is discovering what a student is really interested in, whether that’s a topic, an issue, or an activity, combining that with something else they like, and then An Acceptitas student completes a passion project centered around coding. (PHOTO: COURTESY OF EMMET HALM)
finding a way to make that both fun and give back in some tangible way,” Halm said.
After the student has finalized an idea, the mentor aids in creating a “business plan” for implementation.
Finally, once the project is complete, the last step of the Acceptitas process is publicity: Mentors aid in social media growth, outreach, and sending out press releases to make Sign in Sign up sure students receive the recogni2021 People Newspapers Ad 1:8 pg.pdf tion they deserve. Since its founding in August 2020, Acceptitas has grown from
just Halm to more than 20 Harvard students working for the program in various ways, from social media management to mentorship.
This past year, students were admitted to seven of the eight Ivy League schools, Stanford, Georgetown, and all the University of California schools, among others.
In the future, Halm hopes to expand mentorship to students from other top universities and continue to grow on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
“We’ve definitely struck a chord
Details with some people, and students are realizing that there’s a better way to do this,” Halm said. “In the future, we just want to reach more people and show them they can have a more fulfilling high school experience.”
LEARN MORE
Follow Acceptitas on TikTok and Instagram at @acceptitas and visit acceptitas.com.
Size
41.56 MB
View all details
Forming Habits. Training Minds. Shaping Hearts.
A coeducational classical, Christian education for children ages 4-14
5002 WEST LOVERS LANE
(214) 3 0 2 - 2 8 1 2 WWW.PCSTX.ORG
AERATE NOW
Advanced AERA-VatorTM aeration services for lawns, and root zone aeration for trees, rejuvenates stressed lawns and trees. Schedule now!
ENGAGE ENRICH EMPOWER
ENROLLING NOW
SINCE 1976 STEM + Full STEAM Ahead
Fostering exploration, innovation, creation, collaboration— something for everyone:
• Robotics Team, Grade 6-8 • Coding, Grade 1 and above • Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality • Participation at local science/ engineering fairs • Maker space, 3D printer courses • Engineering classes/club • Problem-solving experiences • Gaming and 3D Animation • Robust summer offerings • After-school activities • Expansive fine arts offerings
Shelton School and Evaluation Center 17301 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75252 SHELTON.ORG
1.
2. 3.
(PHOTOS: COURTESY PRESERVATION PARK CITIES, DALLAS COLLEGE, JAMES FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHY)
1. Eyes on design
Preservation Park Cities presented 2021 Highland Park High School graduates (from left) Emery Medlock, Kendall Ferguson, and Robert White with $1,000 scholarships.
The awards go to students interested in architecture or history and reflect the nonprofit’s passion for historic preservation and education. Until recently, Preservation Park Cities was known as the Park Cities Historic and Preservation Society.
Medlock will study architecture at the University of Miami; Ferguson will study architecture at the University of Texas at Austin; and White will study urban studies, starting this fall at Dallas College with the intent to transfer to UT Austin in the spring.
2. Focused on health care
Sarah Gibbons, a 2016 graduate of Highland Park with a psychology degree from Texas A&M, has received the prestigious Myers-LeCroy Scholarship
awarded by the Dallas College Foundation.
Inspired to become a geriatric nurse after watching and assisting family members in caring for loved ones, she is working full-time while an honor student at Dallas College’s Brookhaven Campus.
“As a nursing professional, I would like to improve assisted living conditions, expand home healthcare, and offer adults the care and respect they deserve,” Gibbons said. “I have a great opportunity to improve my education and get into a wonderful profession that involves giving and caring for people and giving back to the community.”
The scholarship, founded by Mike A. Myers of Myers Financial Corp., honors the legacy of the late Dallas College Chancellor R. Jan LeCroy, who died in 2013. Scholars receive full tuition and books for up to six semesters.
3. Perfect examples
Brooks McKinley White (left) and Dash Larry Wolford (right) achieved perfect attendance from kindergarten through high school graduation this year in Highland Park ISD. They are pictured with Principal Jeremy Gilbert.
This fall, White is attending Clemon University, and Wolford is going to SMU.
Which of this year’s kindergarteners will follow in their footsteps? – Compiled by William Taylor
SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT
GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL
Choosing the right school is a challenge. To provide the best education for your child, you need a trusted partner. Good Shepherd Episcopal School makes it simple! Let us inspire your child to become a confident learner, a compassionate server, and a courageous leader. We have been successfully educating students since 1959. Start your PreK through 8th grade journey with us now, and find your true school community at Good Shepherd. Visit gsesdallas.org today!
LEFT: Austin Hickle received a Congressional Tribute from the U.S. House of Representatives for his work on COVID-19 safety. TOP RIGHT, FROM LEFT: Gabrielle Gard conducts research under SMU biology professor Pia Vogel’s direction, testing inhibitors with a less drug-resistant line of breast cancer cells. BOTTOM RIGHT, FROM LEFT: SMU president R.
Gerald Turner with Jan and Fred Hegi. (PHOTOS: COURTESY SMU)
A changemaker
Austin Hickle had something of an epiphany last summer: If college campuses were going to return successfully to on-campus learning in fall 2020, student engagement would be crucial to compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols.
Within three months, he organized the College Health Alliance of Texas, which conducted student opinion research and became a conduit to Congress for student pandemic concerns.
His leadership skills and proven ability to create change earned the senior economics and public policy major a $30,000 Truman Scholarship, the premier graduate fellowship for future public servants.
Hickle recruited 54 student leaders from 27 Texas universities to represent the student voice in fighting the pandemic. Anxiety, isolation, and decreased availability of mental health resources emerged as key student issues. In response, the alliance partnered with the Meadows Public Policy Institute’s Okay to Say and the Grant Halliburton Foundation to create a mental health hotline for college students.
A researcher
SMU junior Gabrielle Gard has been working in sophisticated research labs since she was a high school junior at Ursuline Academy, so carefully nurturing cancer cells for work with SMU biology professor Pia Vogel likely feels routine.
The biochemistry major’s dogged pursuit of hands-on research contributed to her receiving a 2021-22 Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious national science awards presented to undergraduate students.
The $7,500 scholarship honoring former Sen. Barry Goldwater encourages outstanding students to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics.
Gard, the daughter of two Parkland Hospital pharmacists and researchers, has been interested in science since she was little, visiting natural history and science museums and attending science summer camps.
A huge gift
A $1 million commitment from the Hegi Family – Fred ’66 and Jan Hegi ’66 and their sons and daughters-in-law, Peter and Amy ’96 and Brian and Elisabeth (Libby) – will equip students to navigate today’s fast-changing work environment and find lifelong career success.
The gift will fund the renovation and expansion of SMU’s Hegi Family Career Development Center and provide two new career counselors to equip students with skills that position them for professional success.
“With this new gift, the Hegi Center will be able to provide even more relevant experiential learning and professional development opportunities for Mustangs to gain skills that will situate them for a productive and rewarding future,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.
The renovated space, supported by the Hegi family’s gift, will incorporate the latest cutting-edge technology for student use in addition to providing more opportunities for Mustangs to hone their career skills. It will also allow for larger career fairs, enabling more corporations and employers to attend these popular events and network with SMU students. – Compiled by William Taylor
DISCOVER
You are invited
to grow, to serve, to lead.
Explore Ursuline this fall by visiting
www.ursulinedallas.org /admissions
Won’t you join us?
Sometimes the most e ective classroom isn’t a room at all. Our teachers use the entire campus – INNOVATIVE INDOOR SPACES and the GREAT OUTDOORS alike – to engage students’ IMAGINATIONS in the learning process.
LEARN MORE. JOIN US FOR A TOUR.
URSULINE ACADEMY OF DALLAS
All-Girl, Catholic, College Prep, Grades 9-12 4900 Walnut Hill Lane | Dallas, Texas 75229 www.ursulinedallas.org
