The Oprah Winfrey Show to feature four Christiana High School
students receiving a surprise that will change their lives
The show will air on Tuesday, May 5, 4:00 p.m. on WPVI Channel 6

Christiana High School's Darien White Receives Dell Scholarship

Darien White, a senior at Christiana High School, has received a $20,000 award from the Dell Scholars Program.  Darien is part of the AVID program at Christiana, and is a member of the 2009 state championship indoor track team.  The Dell Scholars Program is a scholarship program unique in the type of students it supports and how it fosters those students on their path to a college degree.  An initiative of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Dell Scholars Program provides its students with resources and mentoring beyond initial financial assistance to ensure they have the support they need to obtain a college degree.  To date, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has committed almost $450 million to assist nonprofit organizations working in major urban communities in the United States and India.  Their vision is to focus on opportunities with the greatest potential to directly and measurably transform the lives of young people.

Click here to learn more about the Dell Scholars Program.

McVey Elementary Fitness Day Also Includes
Lessons on Renewable Energy

Glasgow Football Team Cleans Up for the Third Year in a Row

Glasgow High School's football team continued its dedication to the Delaware Department of Transportation’s Adopt-A-Highway program with a spring clean up of Old Newark Road on Saturday, April 25th.  Despite the heat, Glasgow football coaches and players cleaned up Old Newark Road for the third consecutive year.  They will clean up again in the summer and during the upcoming football season.  Adopt-A-Highway is a volunteer program that offers the public an opportunity to actively support DelDOT's anti-litter campaign in a visible way.  It offers our players the opportunity to participate in an important project that makes our community a better place to live.

Outstanding Hispanic Student Awards are
Presented to Christina Students

• Angelica Montes - Christiana High School, Winner, Outstanding Hispanic Female High School Student of the Year

• Gabriella Droz - Christiana High School, Winner, Academics Honorable Mention

• Andrea Gomez - Glasgow High School

• Ellen Baca - Christiana High School

• Jeanette Encarnacion - Christiana High School

• Sandra Lopez - Christiana High School

• Nataly Orrostieta - Newark High School

• Geraldo Pedroza - Glasglow High School

• Andres Zamora - Newark High School

• Martha Lopez-Gauger-Cobbs Middle School, Winner, Outstanding Hispanic Female Middle School Student of the Year 

• Olga Pacheco - Bayard Middle School

• Maria Rojas - Bayard Middle School

• Anahi Jacqueline Gordiano - Gauger-Cobbs Middle School

• Tatiana Ramos - Gauger-Cobbs Middle School

• Katherine Salhuana - Gauger-Cobbs Middle School

• Amanda Vargas - Kirk Middle School

• Angela Zavala - Kirk Middle School

• Jared Oriol - Shue-Medill Middle School

Principal Richelle Talbert Chosen for
2009 National Scholarship Fellow Program

The Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA) has recently formally congratulated Richelle F. Talbert for being named one of
two recipients of the 2009 National Scholarship Fellow Program.  The
award entitles Talbert to full tuition for her Doctorate program at Nova Southeastern University.  The program is co-sponsored by Nova Southeastern University and the National Association of Elementary School Principals.  Talbert was recently named principal of Porter Road Elementary School, which will open in August 2009.  She is also the 2008 National Distinguished Principal from Delaware.

NHS Art Students Participate in Juried Show

• Richard Dobies, watercolor painting, 3rd Place
• Emma Hooper, photography, Honorable Mention
• Meghan Amin, pencil drawing
• Omar Alghali, pencil drawing
• Elaine Farr, watercolor painting
• Nataly Orrostieta, pencil drawing
• Andrew smith, oil pastel drawing
• Jeremy Sheetz, pencil drawing
• Bonnie Stimeling, photography
• Marissa Yarnall, photography

Jones Elementary School Will Host "What in the World?"
Career Awareness Program

Jones Elementary School will host the Business, Industry, Education (BIE) Alliance’s “What in the World?” career awareness program for their 4th grade students on Friday, May 15, 2009.  “What in the World?” is an interactive program designed to introduce students in grades 3 through 12 to a wide variety of careers in the math, science and technology fields.

For more than a decade, “What in the World?” program volunteers from the local business community have gone into area schools, bringing with them job-related “mystery objects” designed to spark the students’ curiosity and inspire them to learn more about the skills and education necessary for success in these jobs.  Participation in “What in the World?” broadens students’ horizons by exposing them to unfamiliar occupations and motivates them to explore career options in a whole new way.

Representatives from the following business partners are among those who will be sharing their time and expertise with the students at Jones Elementary School:

• Delaware Fire School
• Christina School District Nutrition Department
• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Delaware Master Gardeners
• University of Delaware
• Berybos
• Delaware State Parks

The Delaware BIE Alliance has served Delaware schools for more than three decades, creating and coordinating free educational programs utilizing volunteers from the business community. BIE is funded through the Delaware Department of Education, serving more than 28,000 Delaware students annually. BIE brings business people into the schools and educators into the business community, tapping into their common interests, investments and needs to build practical working relationships between the partners.

BIE is currently recruiting volunteers to present the “What in the World?” program in New Castle County.  To learn more, visit our website at www.bie.k12.de.us or contact:  Andrea Majewski, BIE Alliance, 226 West Park Place, Suite 2, Newark, DE  19711, phone: (302) 368-4372, fax: (302) 368-1254, email: amajewski@bie.k12.de.us

Johanna Kowalko, 25, has been awarded a 2009 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a three-year award that will fund her graduate studies in the field of genetic research at Harvard University.  Johanna graduated from Newark High School in 2001, where she was valedictorian, and earned her undergraduate degree at Brown University in 2005.  The award provides a $30,000 annual stipend, a $10,500 cost of education allowance, and a $1,000 travel allowance.  The award is given to approximately 1,000 graduate students nationwide.  Johanna is the daughter of former Christina Board vice president and District administrator Connie Merlet, and State Representative John A. Kowalko, Sr.

Additional Date Added for Summer Instrument Music Program

The Christina School District Music Department is pleased to announce that an additional registration night has been added for the Summer Instrumental Music Program.   Registration will take place on Wednesday, May 6, and Monday, May 11 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Marshall Elementary School.  Students entering 5th and 6th grade in the fall are eligible to begin a band or string instrument.  Students entering 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in the fall are eligible to continue taking lessons on their instrument.  The cost of this program is $66 for 11 lessons. More information is available on the Christina School District website, or by calling 454-4700 ext. 199.  More information and a registration form is available on the district website at the following link: http://www.christina.k12.de.us/News/2009/0421_SummerMusic.htm

First Annual Elementary Science Fair Held

• 1st place:  Nawal Hanroun, West Park Place Elementary School
  "Can Your Eyes Trick Your Tongue?"
• 2nd place:  Kelsie Arisman, Downes Elementary School
  "Which Part of Your Body Will Have the Most Bacteria?"
• 3rd place:  Cole Murphy, Keene Elementary School
  "How Clean Are Your Hands?"

Fourth Grade

• 1st place:  Ryan Conners, Smith Elementary School
  "What Cereal Stays Crunchy?"
• 2nd place:  Nathan Robison, Downes Elementary School
  "Germs"
• 3rd place:  Lucie Melvin, Downes Elementary School
  "Natural Color Dyes Form Native Plants"

Fifth Grade

• 1st place:  Natalie Walton, Downes Elementary School
  "Name Brand vs. Store Brand"
• 2nd place:  Brian Arisman, Downes Elementary School
  "Do Gerbils Have Memory?"
• 3rd place:  Karina Pabon, Marshall Elementary School
  "Bouncing Balls"

CHS Musicians Earn Four First-Place Honors

The Christiana High School Music Department traveled to Virginia Beach in late April and participated in “Music Festivals” Choral and Band competition. The Concert Band, Jazz Band, Parade Band, and Concert Choir placed first in their categories. The show choir did an outstanding job receiving an excellent rating in the show choir category. The jazz ensemble received the highest score in the past 14 years. The jazz combo was awarded the “overall jazz ensemble award” for the highest scoring jazz ensemble at the festival. This was a first for the Christiana High School Band Program.

The CHS music department received the following awards for outstanding section, drum major and various soloists:

• Outstanding Choral Accompanists Award:  Claire Groft, Greg McCall
• Outstanding Choral Sections:  Altos-Concert Choir, Boys-Show Choir
• Outstanding Drum Major:  Kristina  Horton
• Outstanding Jazz Rhythm Section
• Outstanding Jazz Soloists Awards:  Chris Jennings, Jordon MacDowall,
  Greg McCall,  Blayne Salerni
• Outstanding Concert Band Soloists Award:  Katie Marra, Blayne Salerni

The students of the CHS music department represented Christiana High School and the Christina School District with dignity and professionalism.  Congratulations!
 

Kirk Math Students Research Famous Mathematicians

The seventh and eighth grade math students in Yvette Brisco’s math class at Kirk Middle School presented their research projects on Famous Mathematicians last week.  Students worked on their projects for a period of 7-8 weeks, and the culminating activity was an oral presentation to the class.  The project was composed of three parts:  research, replica, and presentation.  Students researched and prepared a speech, oral report, or PowerPoint as part of their preparation.  They also were required to construct a replica of something their chosen mathematician was famous for.  Finally they were required to make a presentation to the class without notes and with an explanation and display of their replica.  Several students studied Leonardo DaVinci, and made replicas of his painting Mona Lisa and some of his other well-known inventions.  This unique project for a math classroom is very engaging for students, according to Brisco.  It allows students to explore not only math, but also reading, technology, and art, as well as organizational, research, and presentation skills.

Writer Julianna Baggott Engages Young Readers at
Downes Elementary School

Writer Julianna Baggott had something in common with the students of Downes Elementary School, where she visited 4th and 5th graders on April 23 to talk about books and writing. She grew up in Newark, Delaware, not far from Downes, and attended West Park Place Elementary School.  Baggott, a best-selling author of fiction for both children and adults, talked at length with students about what it was like to be a writer, sharing funny details about her own childhood and the things that sparked and fed her imagination.  As a popular author of books for children, Baggott is well known for her series written under the pen name N. E. Bode.  These books include The Nobodys, The Somebodys, and The Anybodys.  She has also written many other novels, including her newest book, The Prince of Fenway Park.  During the question and answer period, Baggott answered numerous, thoughtful questions by students about her books, her writing habits, and her family and childhood.  It was obvious that the students at Downes were engaged readers who were genuinely excited to meet the author of so many books they had read and enjoyed, and were delighted that Baggott was also a Newark native.

A public meeting to discuss the District’s Strategic Plan will be held on Thursday, May 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Sarah Pyle Academy.  The meeting is intended to gather feedback from the public on proposed revised plans in the Strategic Plan.  Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the work of each team assigned to a Strategic Plan goal, and may share feedback with team members.

Final Week to View the District Art Show!

The Christina School District's Annual Art Show will remain open until May 7 at Gauger-Cobbs Middle School.  The exhibit hours are: May 4-6, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; May 7, 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

A Thank You to State Representatives
Barbieri, Jaques, Kowalko, and Schooley

Great Things Happening In Our Schools

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