Building a better community NHS goes “trick or canning” for those in need.
“Trick or can!” was a common phrase heard on October 29 as Americas High School’s National Honor Society members walked through El Paso neighborhoods in an effort to collect cans for the people in need. Members walked through streets in diverse Halloween costumes which ranged from a trio of communist dictators all the way to females dressed from the fifties era. With more than sixty active members on-site it came as no surprise that the collection of cans had surpassed 1000 cans after the course of three hours.
By
Abraham Galindo NHS Historian
“It’s great to see a community help its own,” stated Trevor Phillips in his football costume. “ Community service has always been an
activity I like to be part of, and dressing up in Halloween attire adds to the fun and productivity of the project. This being my second year in the National Honor Society, I have enjoyed the organization’s projects which take a turn from conventional service while still having an impact.” In November, the organization used the cans to fill Thanksgiving baskets. The baskets, decorated according to the Thanksgiving holiday, were both as creative and unique as the costumes seen in the previous month; the final result was florid turkeys, a replica of the Mayflower Ship, a humansized pilgrim, and a cooked turkey dinner. The baskets were donated to the El Paso Child Crisis Center and will help feed struggling families.
¡Lata o Broma!
“Lata o Broma” fué la frase popular el 29 de octubre cuando los miembros de la Sociedad Nacional de Honor de la Escuela Preparatoria Americas recorrieron las colonias de El Paso en un esfuerzo por juntar latas de comestibles para las familias indigentes. Los miembros caminaron por las calles ataviados en diferentes disfraces con motivos del “Día de Brujas”, que iban desde un trio de dictadores comunistas hasta chicas vestidas a la usanza de la época de los cincuentas. Con la presencia de más de sesenta miembros activos en el evento, no fué de sorprender que la colecta sobrepasara las 1000 latas en el curso de tres horas. Es sensacional ver a una comunidad ayudar a los propios, declaró Trevor Phillips ataviado en su disfráz de futbolista. “El servicio comunitario es una actividad en la cual siempre me gusta participar y vestido con un atuendo de “Halloween” realza la diversión y la productividad del proyecto. Siendo este mi segundo año en la Sociedad Nacional de Honor he disfrutado los proyectos de la organización, que partiendo de un servicio convencional logran un impacto.”
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID EL PASO TEXAS PERMIT NO. 2847
En el mes de noviembre, la organización utilizó las latas para llenar canastas para el “Día de Acción de Gracias.” Las canastas con motivos alusivos a este día festivo fueron decoradas con tanta creatividad y originalidad como los disfraces que se lucieron en el pasado mes de octubre. El resultado final fué: pavos coloridos, una replica del barco “Mayflower” una efigie de un peregrino al tamaño natural y una cena con pavo. Las canastas fueron donadas al Centro de Crisis de El Paso, el cual ayudará a alimentar a familias que están pasando por serias dificultades económicas.
Left: After an evening of collecting canned goods, senior Javier Vasquez celebrates by wrapping himself in toilet paper, an NHS tradtion here at Americas High School
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Ms. Lucia Borrego and her Administrative Staff
Pictured from Left to Right: Mrs. Donna Baca, Mr. Jon Valdez, Ms. Mimi Wallace, Santa, Ms. Lucia Borrego, Ms. Michelle Romero, Mrs. Claus, Mr. Mauro Guerrero, Mrs. Elena Acosta
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DEC 2011
Cosmetology
The beauty of competition & Lending a hand By Ms. Martinez-Pantoja Cosmetology Instructor
Practice, practice, practice (after all, practice makes perfect)! The junior and senior cosmetology students here at Americas have been practicing these last two months for their SkillsUSA District competition. Wish them luck! They will be competing in the following areas: Cosmetology I, Nail Art, Hair Skills, Nail Care, Customer Service, Extemporaneous, Esthetics, Prepared Speech, Career Promotion, Interview, Quiz Bowl, and Community Service.
necessary to run a shelter of this size by lending a hand with the cleaning of the animals’ cages, feeding, shampooing, hair trimming, and nurturing. Additionally, the students Along with preparing for their competition, have collected dry dog food from clubs and the members of the SkillsUSA club have been individuals here at Americas and donated working with Pet Guardian Angel Animal them to the shelter. Rescue for their community service project. The students have learned about the work Your help in keeping this organization in business would be grealty appreciated; to make a monetary or dry dog food donation, you may contact Ms. Martinez-Pantoja at (915) 937-2921. We would also like to remind you that we are open for business every Thursday from 1 pm to 7 pm so make your appointment today!
NTHS
National Technical Honor Society
Congratulations Officers! November 8th marked a celebratory Career and Technology oriented organizations. Mission Early College hosted the Officer Installation Ceremony at Socorro High School at 6:30 pm. BPA, SkillsUSA, DECA, TAFE, and National Technical Honor Society officer inductees were eager to have the honor bestowed upon them. “It was nice seeing all the officers from all of the other organizations from our school and schools of our district,” said NTHS vice president, Alexia Duron. Inspirational guest speakers shared their accomplishments and experiences in attempt to motivate everyone’s
By moment for officers of
CAREER DAY
Vanessa Rodriguez NTHS Reporter
power to help! After being recognized for their position, officers were asked by Mr. George Thomas, Director of Career and Technical Education, “Do you promise to perform all the duties and responsibilities of the office to which you have been elected?” for which inductees proudly responded, “I do!” It was a wonderful and professional experience that ended with Cynthia Nunez (president), Alexia Duron (vice-president), Alberto Nunez (vice president), Emily Chavez (secretary), Cecilia Gomez (historian), Sergio Rocha (treasurer), Alex Hilton (sergeantat-arms) and Vanessa Rodriguez (reporter) receiving great responsibility.
¡Felicidades Funcionarios! El 8 de noviembre marcó un momento de celebración para los representantes de las organizaciones orientadas a las carreras técnicas y profesionales. El evento de motivación para los representantes fué organizado por “Mission Early College” en la Escuela Preparatoria de Socorro a las 6:30 p.m. Los funcionarios inductores de las organizaciones “Business Professionals of America”, “SkillsUSA” y de la Sociedad Nacional Técnica de Honor, estaban entusiasmados por el honor que se les confirió. “Fué muy grato ver a todos los representates de las demás organizaciones de nuestra escuela y de las escuelas del distrito,” dijo la vicepresidente de la NTHS (por sus siglas en inglés), Alexia Duron. Los inspiradores oradores invitados encendieron en todos el deseo de ayudar. Después de haber sido reconocidos por sus
americas high school 2nd annual
puestos, el director de carreras técnicas y profesionales tomó la protesta a los funcionarios pregutándoles: ¿Prometen cumplir con todos los deberes y responsabilidades del puesto para el cual fueron elegidos? a lo que los inductores respondieron orgullosamente: “Si, lo prometemos” Fué una experiencia maravillosa y profesional que culminó con los nombramientos de Cynthia Núñez (Presidente), Alexia Duron (vice presidente), Alberto Núñez (vice presidente), Emily Chávez (Secretaria), Cecilia Gómez (cronista), Sergio Rocha (tesorero), Alex Hilton (Sargento en armas) y Vanessa Rodríguez (reportera) recibiendo una gran responsabilidad. ¡Felicidades a los nuevos funcionarios de NTHS!
hosted by Career & Technology Department
date January 25, 2012 time 8:00-12:00 pm place small gym We are having a career fair for students to explore the different career paths available at Americas High School. Students will discuss career opportunities with experienced members from the workforce industry.
DEC 2011
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Graphic Design
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Exploring new places while preparing for competition
By Mayra Rosado Skills USA Reporter
As the first semester of this school year came to an end, we were given the chance to work on a real-life experience while exploring the different perspectives of the arts.
At the beginning of our second nine weeks, we were given the opportunity to work for UTEP when Mrs. Escalante was asked if her students could work on
designing a cover for the UTEP Football Program. We worked on two different covers: one was for the UTEP vs East Carolina game and the other was for the senior game between UTEP and Tulsa. Gabriela Arrieta’s cover was chosen for the East Carolina game and Gabriel Cordova’s cover was chosen for the Tulsa game. Working on designing these covers gave us the opportunity to do something different while expanding our knowledge of graphic design. After our Thanksgiving break, we explored the downtown area to see the art of others and learn about how they came up with the concept for it. We started off our field trip by taking pictures around Union Plaza so that we could understand the different types and features of photographs. After completing our photo project, we visited the OLO (Other Learning Opportunities) Gallery and were led on a tour by founder Steven Ingle. The OLO Gallery is the home of Creative Kids, a nonprofit organization aimed at educating various student groups by providing them with art and digital media resources. During the tour we took pictures of art made by children and explored the different areas of the building such as the kitchen and the dark room for developing photographs. We were taught about the different classes avilable for different age groups and were then allowed to explore the building on our own. After completing the tour, we visited the El Paso Museum of Art, where we were led on another tour through the different sections of the museum and the two special exhibits on Norman Rockwell
Photo by Ilse Rojas
and Andy Warhol. We learned how Photo by Ilse Rojas Norman Rockwell used real photographs to create his paintings and how Andy Warhol introduced our society to a style of art that greatly contrasted the traditional styles of the time. After studying the various paintings and sculptures in the museum, both from local and renowned artists, we boarded the bus and headed back to school. As the new year is approaching, we anticipate our competition in February and have already begun preparing for it. Additionally, we have been studying and covering new subjects in preparation for our certification test on Adobe Photoshop. It has been a fast-paced year so far, and the same is expected for the coming year, but we know that in the end it will all pay off since we will have acquired a great amount of knowledge and experience on this subject.
Creative Kids painting Photo by Alfredo Lopez Photo by Yamile Dominguez
Photo by Brittany Savedra
A sweet business By Cecy Gomez BPA Secretary
“Hot chocolate for one dollar!” was the phrase heard around the hallways at this year’s Christmas Fair. BPA students from Ms. McClure’s chapter successfully planned a way to raise funds for their organization, while pleasing their customers with a sweet tooth at the same time. Customers left with a hot chocolate to keep them warm from the cold weather and a goodie to satisfy their hunger. This BPA chapter would like to thank Sierra Springs and Mr. and Mrs. Villalva for their donations, as well as each member for his/ her donations. With all their help, this project was a success.
Volunteering & Community Service Why is it important?
Students and parents often ask if community service is an important consideration in college admissions and the awarding of scholarships. The answer is yes. While community service is not absolutely required, it can definitely be an advantage. Colleges and scholarships are looking for people who have demonstrated a commitment to more than just a high grade point average; they want to see evidence of initiative, social consciousness and generosity of spirit.
By
Sylvia M. Cox Head Counselor
In my experience, most students are interested in community service, but don’t know where to begin. So what’s a good way to get started? Think about what you’re good at. Think about what you’re drawn to. What are you passionate about? What out in the world catches your eye? What do you want to be? What skills do you have? What kinds of tasks do you do best?
Try to find a volunteer position that will let you make the most of your strengths, interests and talents. Beyond that, look for a need in your community. What can be improved in your neighborhood, city, or school? What types of projects would do the most good? When you see a need, don’t assume someone else is “taking care of it.” Check to see if there’s already a group or charity trying to help the situation. If there is, they may need your assistance. And if there isn’t, maybe it’s up to you to start something yourself. Make sure to involve a parent in your community service process, so you can be certain that: You have permission to do it; The adults in your life feel confident that you’ll be safe; You have transportation to and from places you need to be; Your volunteering isn’t taking too much
time away from schoolwork and other responsibilities; and Adults can step in and help if you need them to. Here is a great Web site that can help you find the volunteer project or job that’s perfect for you: www.servenet.org. This site from Youth Service America lets you enter your zip code, city, state, skills, interests, and availability to get matched with organizations needing help. How many volunteer hours should a student complete while in high school? We recommend approximately 100 hours per year, so that when a senior graduates he or she should have about 400 hours. This may seem like a lot, but if a student can volunteer two hours a week, it will add up. See your counselor for more information.
Servicio Comunitario y el ser Voluntario: Con frecuencia los estudiantes y los padres de familia preguntan si el servicio comunitario se toma en consideración para ser admitido en la universidad o para la concesión de una beca. La respuesta es Sí. Aunque el servicio comunitario no es un requisito en lo absoluto, definitivamente tiene sus ventajas. Las universidades y las fundaciones que otorgan becas buscan a las personas que han demostrado estar comprometidos con algo más que un buen promedio en sus calificaciones. Desean que haya evidencia de que tienen iniciativa, conciencia social y un espíritu generoso. En mi experiencia, la mayoría de los estudiantes se interesan por el servicio comunitario, pero no saben por dónde empezar. ¿Cuál sería una buena manera de empezar? Piensa en qué eres bueno y cuáles son tus afinidades. ¿Qué te apasiona? ¿Qué te llama
By
la atención? ¿Qué quieres ser? ¿Qué habilidades tienes? ¿Qué clase de trabajo desempeñas mejor? Trata de encontrar un puesto de voluntario que te permita desarrollar al máximo tus facultades, intereses y talentos. Además de eso, busca algo que se necesite en tu comunidad. ¿Qué podría mejorarse en tu colonia , vecindario, ciudad ó escuela? ¿Qué clase de proyectos beneficiarían más? Cuando te percates de alguna carencia, no asumas que alguien más “se está encargando de la misma”. Cerciórate de que ya hay algún grupo o fundación que está tratando de ayudar a resolver la situación. Si hay, puede que necesiten de tu ayuda. Si no hay, tal vez dependa de ti iniciar algo. Asegúrate de involucrar a alguno de tus padres
en el proceso de tu servicio comunitario para que puedas estar seguro de que :
Porque es importante?
*Tienes el permiso para hacerlo. *Los adultos en tu familia tengan la confianza de que vas a estar a salvo. *Tienes transporte de y hacia los lugares donde necesitas estar. *Tu voluntariado no te esté quitando mucho tiempo para tus tareas escolares y otras responsabilidades y; *Los adultos puedan ir y ayudar si necesitas que lo hagan. Este es un excelente sitio de la Red que te puede ayudar a encontrar el proyecto o trabajo como voluntario que sea perfecto para ti: www.servenet.
org Este sitio del Servicio Juvenil de América (por sus siglas inglés) te permite ingresar tu zona postal, ciudad, estado, habilidades, intereses y disponibilidad para dirigirlos a las organizaciones que necesitan ayuda. ¿Cuántas horas de servicio comunitario debe acumular un estudiante durante la preparatoria? Es recomendable un aproximado de 100 horas al año de tal manera que cuando esté a punto de graduarse deberá tener alrededor de 400 horas. Aparentemente es demasiado, pero si un estudiante puede prestar dos horas de servicio comunitario por semana, esto sumará. Para mayor información consulta con tu consejero.
Vanessa Rodriguez
To celebrate the Christmas season, Socorro Independent School District held it’s traditional holiday card contest, where art students within the district designed holiday cards. Americas students, Ricardo Leyva and Deandra Torres’, designs made it to the district level where they competed with other schools. Although they did not win, their unique designs celebrated SISD’s 50th anniversary theme artistically.
Americas High School also held a competition within the school and Graciela Sosa came in first with her band inspired design. Congratulations to the competitors and happy holidays!
Graciela Sosa - AHS 1st place
Deandra Torres - District Qualifier
Ricardo Leyva - District Qualifier