2013-2014 STUDENT AND STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS 2 | Page _____________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements June 2014 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals Four of the 11 Stamford teams that competed in the 33rd Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind Tournament qualified for the World Finals at Iowa State University. The qualifying teams competed against more than 170 teams from towns and cities across the state. Odyssey of the Mind is an international program that is designed to build creative problem-solving skills. Students embark on a 7-month odyssey to create an 8-minute performance depicting their interpretation of a chosen "problem." Each performance is judged based on how well the team accomplished the goals of the problem, and how creative they were in doing so. Turn of River: 1st Place – Gold Medal and World Qualifier Coaches: Eric Matrullo and Teacher Deb Wilson Kevin Harrington Jack Hicks Arushi Mathur Christopher Matrullo Julien Matrullo Hannah Nekritz Westover: 1st Place – Gold Medal and World Qualifier Coaches: Jennifer Noonan and Victoria Zerjav Kayla Craner Neya Krishnan Aiden Neigler Luke Noonan Jake Smith Preston Smith Brynn Spingola Stillmeadow: 1st Place – Gold Medal and World Qualifier Coach: Kristen Stops Devon Cavaliere Ella Cognetti Olivia Cognetti Aryan Hassija Braeden Rubin Gavin Stops Connor Tasik Hart: 2nd Place – Silver Medal and World Qualifier Coach: Bob Morse James Dizon Dominic Frangiose Nicholas Frangiose Anibal Loureda Abigail Morse Izabella Schafer (Newfield) STEM Workshop at West Point Six, seventh-grade students from Stamford's Cloonan Middle School were selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide to participate in a four-day STEM workshop at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Taran Duncan, Hoshahnia Kumaran, Jharif Rochabrun, Emma Sawch, Riana Soliven, and Isan Spruill attended the workshop, which was designed to motivate middle school students in STEM fields, and to expose them to opportunities available at West Point. The workshop was part of the College For Every Student STEM program, which helps students become college ready, with a strategic focus on increasing their interest, knowledge, and skill in STEM topics. 3 | Page School of Fashion Design’s Rendering Style Competition Samantha Cannella, junior at the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, was recently selected as one of only two winners of the School of Fashion Design (SFD) in Boston’s Rendering Style competition. Each participant was required to write an essay and submit five color sketches, one in each of the following categories: career clothing, active sportswear, eveningwear, bridal, and fantasy/costume. All entries were judged by a panel of SFD faculty and fashion industry leaders and were evaluated on the criteria of originality, wear-ability, skill, and presentation. Winners received two tickets to attend the SFD’s 80th Anniversary Fashion Show, where their winning designs were displayed. In addition Samantha will receive registration, tuition, and necessary supplies to attend the SFD four-week “Fashion Prep” course over the summer. CHET Dream Big! Competition Newfield Elementary School third grader David Lops recently received a $500 CHET college savings account as a winner of the CHET Dream Big! Drawing and Essay Competition. Each submission had to address the questions: “What will you do after college?” or “How will you change the world after college?” The goal of the competition is to encourage families to start thinking about how higher education may help their children realize their dreams and make a difference in the world, and to promote the importance of saving early for college. David’ submission was chosen from among nearly 4,000 children across the state, including 66 of his Newfield classmates. Winners were celebrated at a ceremony at Rentschler Field in East Hartford in May, and all the winning artwork can be found on the CHET Dream Big! website. Learner of the Year Dane Scates 2014 graduate of the SPS Stamford Adult Education program was recently named Learner of the Year, by the Connecticut Association of Adult and Continuing Education. Dane was nominated because of her tenacity and ability to overcome numerous personal struggles while finishing her education and raising her children. She was recently honored at a ceremony in the Governor’s mansion. Dane graduated, along with her son, from the program earlier this month and was featured in a front page story in The Advocate. CT COLT Award for Excellence in World Language Cassidy Colosi, Sean Maloney, Brett Mayer, Bartosz Walas, and Larry Yancey, all AITE students of World Language Teacher Anna Koltypin are recipients of the CT COLT Award for Excellence in World Language. This award is presented by the Connecticut Council of Language Teachers to recognize and reward the excellence and achievement of deserving world language students. To qualify for the award, each awardee must be: enrolled in a world language class; demonstrate excellence by achieving an average of 90% or better for three consecutive marking periods in the same language; and demonstrate evidence of a positive attitude toward language and cultures by using language beyond the classroom and/or participating in clubs. 4 | Page __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements May 2014 Secretary of State’s 2014 PowerPoint Contest Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill and the Connecticut Citizenship Fund, Inc. cosponsored the annual Secretary of State’s 2014 PowerPoint Contest. Each PowerPoint entry had to: “Discuss an important event or invention from Connecticut that has significantly affected the history of our state.” Entries were judged on originality, creativity, and overall quality. Of the five winners from our congressional district, three were Springdale Elementary School fifth graders. Jasmin Nunez, 2nd Place, First Portable Typewriter Evelyn Ruiz, 3rd Place, Can Opener Samantha Austin, Honorable Mention, FM Radio Fairfield County Math League and Connecticut State Mathematics Competition Westhill High School Senior Luis Kumanduri was the second highest scorer in the Fairfield County Math League and tied as the top scorer at the recent Connecticut State Mathematics Competition. Thanks to Luis’ success, Westhill placed fourth at the state level. His leadership also resulted in Westhill’s math team earning a spot at the New England Mathematics Competition, to which only 14 schools were invited to participate. Luis has received scholarships from both the Fairfield and Connecticut leagues, and was among a select group of seniors nationwide to win a National Merit Scholarship. Connecticut Drama Association Festival Stamford High School Drama Club recently represented the State of Connecticut at the New England Drama Festival, after winning the Outstanding Production award at the Connecticut Drama Association Festival. Senior Andrew Rabita directed the winning production, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged.” The three student actors and 25-student crew winning production was one of only two to earn the award and represent Connecticut at the festival. The production also earned the following awards: People’s Choice, Outstanding Props, and Outstanding Timing. Additionally, all three actors won awards. Junior William Hunt was one of only four students to receive the Outstanding Actor award. Senior Ziggy Sakalauskas and Sophomore Shaina Lubliner were two of only 12 students to receive All Connecticut Cast awards. Stamford Literacy Competition Academy of Information Technology & Engineering Junior Isabel Yick won third place in the 29th Annual Stamford Literary Competition for her poem, “The Wall Between Us.” The contest was sponsored by Friends of the Ferguson Library to recognize excellence in student writing and was open to all students in grades 3 - 12 who live or attend school in Stamford. Participants were invited to submit original works of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. All winners were honored at an awards ceremony in April. 5 | Page Connecticut State Winner of the Doodle 4 Google Contest Third grader Jason Rosado, Hart Magnet Elementary School, was chosen by Google as the state’s Doodle 4 Google 2014 Winner. Doodle 4 Google is a national art competition open to all students K-12 in the United States to create their own Google doodle. The theme of this year’s contest is, “If I Could Invent One Thing to Make This World a Better Place.” Jason described his doodle, “If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place, I would invent a machine to slow down time so we can have longer days. It would float in space and put a force field around Earth to slow down Earth's rotation." In addition to winning an Android tablet and a t-shirt printed with his doodle’s artwork, Jason also earned a trip to the Google headquarters in California to celebrate with the other state winners and the chance to compete for the National title. The SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game Academy of Information Technology & Engineering Junior Bryan Mojica won first place in the SIFMA’s (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) Stock Market Game, competing against students from across the state. Since 1977 the SIFMA Foundation has hosted the game as part of an effort to improve financial literacy among students. Hundreds of schools participate in the state-wide competition where students invest a hypothetical $100,000 in listed stocks, bonds, and mutual funds and learn the value of saving and investing as they work together to maximize the return on their portfolio. Bryan was recently recognized at The Stock Market Game Awards Ceremony in Hartford. Human Resources Specialist of the Year SPS Benefits Manager Meryl Meiteles was awarded a 2014 Fairfield County HR People of the Year Award by the Southern Connecticut Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), in the HR Specialist category. The awards are presented each year by SHRM to celebrate the human resource profession and recognize individuals who exemplify “the best in HR” in Fairfield County. Meryl was nominated for the award by a group of former SPS employees. Among her many accomplishments, Meryl was applauded for saving the district more than $1.5 million last year. STEMFest The Stamford STEMFest was a free, interactive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) event held in Mill River Park in late April. The goal of the event was to build awareness of STEM with children and parents by demonstrating how fun STEM can be, how STEM is inherent in our lives, and the possible college and career opportunities in STEM areas. The event was a resounding success and will become an annual celebration. STEMFest Steering Committee Carrie Chiappetta, Overall Organizer, Idea Developer Facebook/Twitter manager Beth Eiseman, Community Outreach Coordinator Natalie Elder, Volunteer/Food Coordinator Alec Iogman, STEMFest Webmaster Sidney Watson, Creative Director and Event DJ 6 | Page District STEM Team and Planning team Jen Beauleau (currently a long-term sub at Davenport), Magnets Activity Frances D’Agostino (Scofield), Set-up Dave Edelson (TOR), co-writer district STEM plan, set-up/break down Jim Forde (Cloonan), co-writer district STEM plan, set-up/break down, Cloonan Scratch Booth Joe Lennon (TOR), co-writer district STEM plan, set-up/break down, Mission to Mars Activity James Neufeld (Scofield), co-writer district STEM plan, set-up/break down, Solar Cooker Activity Michelle Parchesky (SHS), Mobius Strip Activity Mike Pisseri (Davenport), co-writer district STEM plan, set-up/break down Kristen Sileo (Scofield), Mobius Strip Activity Eileen Wargo (Scofield), Mobius Strip Activity Nathalia Xavier (Dolan), Mission to Mars Activity 7 | Page _____________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements April 2014 International Children’s Art Exhibit Creative Connections’ Art Link jury selected the artwork of two Stamford Public Schools students for their 2014 “Food for Thought,” International Children’s Art Exhibit. The two winning pieces are “i-Dinner,” by Daniel Brennan, Cloonan Middle School, which depicts a family using the latest technology to find a place to eat in Stamford, and “Cross Country Run!” by Lauren Klym, Rippowam Middle School, which shows runners being cheered on as they pass a table of oranges and water. The winning artwork was selected based on its cultural insightfulness, details and values, quality of work, adherence to theme, and uniqueness of scene. The pieces will be on display at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk beginning May 15. Connecticut State Science and Engineering Fair Awards Rippowam Middle School student Kiran Jagtiani recently participated in the Connecticut State Science and Engineering Fair, where she earned six awards. She began working on her Hypo-Allergenic Lawn-Care Device, or HALD, project in October and presented it over two days at the fair in March. Kiran earned the following awards: CASE Urban Challenge Award, middle school finalist; Barnes Aerospace Applied Technology Award, middle school finalist; Association for Women Geoscientists Award; Talcott Mountain Science Center, Founders Award; Bob Harris Fit-It Award; and Connecticut Invention Convention Award. As an added honor, Kiran was invited to both Stamford STEMFest and the upcoming Connecticut Invention Convention. Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest Barnes & Noble, Inc., named Turn of River Middle School teacher Miriam Gonzerelli as the local winner of the Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest. An essay written by Luis Guaillas, Gonzerelli’s student, was chosen from entries at the Stamford Town Center store. Students were invited to nominate their favorite teacher by writing essays, poems, or thank-you letters that explain how their teacher has influenced their life and reveal why they appreciate and admire him or her. Entries were judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation, and the quality of expression and writing. Luis and Miriam were honored at a recent awards ceremony in the Stamford store. They are now entered in the Regional Competition where five area winners will be chosen. 8 | Page NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing The National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing honors high school girls for their computing-related achievements and interests. Two AITE students, winner Kathleen Burkhardt and runner-up Lauren Roach, were among those celebrated at the organizations awards dinner earlier this month. Honorees are selected for their computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for postsecondary education. National History Day Competition Four Turn of River Middle School students earned first place awards at the district level of the National History Day Competition, recently held at Fairfield University. Participants spent four months researching and preparing their projects, which all were on the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.” Student had the opportunity to present their work in one of five ways: as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a web site. Kelly Bernatchez and Erica Shaulson earned First Place in the Group Exhibit, and Noah Schaffer and Ethan Riordan received First Place for Group Performance. The students earned the honor of moving on to the Connecticut Statewide contest. 6th Annual Step Up For Education Step Show Competition Each year the Butterfly Project Fund, a not for profit organization, hosts events to showcase the talents of students in the area while raising funds for scholarships. This year the Cloonan Steppers, led by coaches Teri Bynam, Monisha Whitaker, and Elizabeth Morales, took first place in the middle school category at the 6th Annual Step Up for Education Step Show Competition. Cloonan competed against five teams in their category. The team has been practicing three times a week since the beginning of the school year. They had the honor of performing at the historic Apollo Theatre in New York as part of the College for Every Student Leadership Conference. Team members: Shaunna Alexander Diedre Dawkins Donna Duquene Tyona Green Kayla Liborio Montez Mayo Jalah McNeil Monique Pusey Jayla Scales Evelyn Vasquez Tiffani Brown Ragatou Diallo Merecedes Durocher Rootnara Laurore Katherine Lopez Armani McCollum Abigail Moodie Nekia Renie Destini Smith Mikayla Vindas 9 | Page __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements March 2014 Semper Fidelis Coach Frank Marcucio, III, Westhill High School head football coach and business teacher was named a Semper Fidelis Coach by the U.S. Marines Corps and Glazier Football Clinics. This designation honors high school football coaches who display faithfulness to the mission of their team and exemplify the Marine standard of excellence in developing leaders. The Semper Fi Coach is not necessarily selected for a winning record or championship title, but rather for leaving a legacy of intentional leadership. It recognizes a high school football coach who lives out the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis ("Always Faithful"), and who models the Marine Corps leadership values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Northeast Science Bowl Competition Two teams of students from AITE, led by Science Club and Computer Science Club Advisor, Dr. Rajinder Khazanchi recently participated in The Northeast Science Bowl® competition. This is the first time AITE participated in this highly competitive science education and academic event, which was sponsored by US Department of Energy and hosted by the University of Connecticut in Storrs earlier this month. The team of Brian Cardona, Brian Cheng, Even Stelly, Isabel Yick, Maigh Attre, and Victor Dai competed in the Science Bowl, a fast-paced verbal forum. Science Bowl competitors solved technical problems and answered questions in all branches of science and math. The AITE team outperformed many more-experienced teams. The team of Dimitrios Pantzos, Marc DiMartino, and Gabrielle Baum competed in the Fuel Cell Car Competition, in which teams designed, built and raced hydrogen fuel cell powered cars against other high schools. AITE's Fuel Cell Car Team competed against 17 teams and placed 4th overall. Stamford Art Association’s 41st Annual Student Art Show Two students from Stamford High School were selected for the 41st Annual Student Art Show, presented by the Stamford Art Association, a multimedia juried art exhibit featuring 80 student artists. Winners were selected from among entries representing schools across Fairfield County and were awarded in five categories. Students received awards totaling some $2,500, contributed by areas businesses and individuals. The opening reception was held at the gallery in early March and the student’s art was on display at through March 20. Keyri Aquino, 1st Place, Portfolio (Art teacher: Paul Cusano) Isabel Gomez, 3rd Place, Drawing (Art teacher: Margaret Zielinski) 10 | P a g e Connecticut DECA Career Development Conference Competition Thirteen Stamford High School students, accompanied by Business & Unified Arts Teachers Brenda Zanga and Howard Levy recently participated in the 2014 Connecticut DECA State Career Development Conference in Southington, Connecticut. More than 900 students from across the state competed in career competency-based events in Sports Marketing, Finance, Management, Technology & Design, and Entrepreneurship. Joseph Vukel received a finalist medal in the Financial Services competition, which included a written exam and role playing situations. Matthew McClafferty received first place in the CT DECA PIN Design Contest. The winning pin he designed, in a Connecticut Lighthouse and DECA theme, was manufactured and distributed to the more than 1,000 plus conference participants and paid for by the association. 11 | P a g e __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements February 2014 UCAN Inspire Award Westhill High School Senior Evan Skoparantzos was awarded the UCAN Inspire Award by Generation UCAN and the Walter Camp Football Foundation earlier this month. The award is given to a Connecticut High School Football Player who symbolizes the core value on which Generation UCAN was founded: The unwavering desire to find success in the face of a great challenge. Evan was nominated by his Coach Frank Marcucio, because of the personal challenges Evan overcame, battling cancer at a very young age, and for the inspiration he has been to his teammates and classmates throughout his years at Westhill. Peace Poetry Contest Seven Stamford Public Schools students’ poems were selected to be read as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service celebration in Stamford on Saturday, January 18, 2014. This annual day of service is part of a nationwide initiative to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy of public service. The poetry contest was spearheaded by Patricia Williams Community Activist/Program Director, Service for Peace organization. The contest winners shared their peace-inspired works as part of the day’s events. Westhill High School Terri Cearley, Junior Academy of Information Technology & Engineering Taylor Garland, Junior Cloonan Joseph Brennan, 6th grade Anna Ozymko, 6th grade Rogers Meagan Armstrong, 5th grade Ronald Bear, 7th grade Javan Goulbourne, 7th grade 12 | P a g e Stamford Volunteer Day Honorees Each year The Volunteer Center of United Way of Western Connecticut recognizes local individuals and groups for their active involvement in the Stamford community. This year four members of the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering community were honored. The AITE Interact Club, which is led by teachers Samah Chadli and Maria DiAntonis, was named winner New Youth Volunteer Group. Senior Linda Rivera was named winner New Youth Individual Volunteer for her work with the Interact Club. And the Senior Annamaria Ceci, received an honorable mention, Outstanding Established Youth Volunteer for her commitment to the MADD organization. The winners were honored at an event in January hosted by The United Way. 13 | P a g e __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements January 2014 “What Stamford Means to Me” Art Contest State Representative Michael Molgano awarded two Dolan Middle School students, Victoria Wood and Ayusha Gautam as winners of the “What Stamford Means to Me,” art contest, which he sponsored in October. According to Molgano, the winners, under the direction of Matt DiGiovanna and Jennifer Marchetti, expressed the strength of Stamford as well as depicting its challenges with thought and creativity. The winners’ artwork was displayed in the concourse of the State Capitol in Hartford. Go-Kart Racing Success Tazio Torregiani, Stamford High School freshman, is a competitive go-kart racer, who has earned more than 130 racing trophies, with 30 for first place. Tazio began racing when he was just 6 years old and has since competed across the United States and in five countries, including two seasons of a three-round international race, in which he was the only U.S. competitor. In November, Tazio competed for the third year in the Supernationals in Las Vegas, the largest kart race in North America. He qualified to compete in the Supernationals main event, and after moving from 40th to 12th place in only five laps, he unfortunately crashed out of the race. Over Christmas break, Tazio competed in a National race in Daytona, placing second. Aid to a Choking Student Marina Saenz, a Special Education para-educator from Springdale Elementary School, went above and beyond her responsibilities when she assisted a kindergarten student who was choking. When Marina noticed a student was having trouble swallowing a piece of food, she began to take the student to the nurse’s office for assistance. However, as soon as Marina realized the situation required immediate attention, she performed a Heimlich and back-blow maneuver, which is taught to our teachers and paras, and dislodged the food allowing the student to breathe normally. 14 | P a g e 2013 GIS Day People’s Choice poster contest Betsy Nagurney, Scofield Magnet Middle School Geographic Information System Teacher led her classes to a second place victory in the 2013 GIS Day People’s Choice poster contest. The contest is sponsored by The Connecticut GIS User to User Network, which connects GIS-based technologies and data users together to learn about GIS activities, explore collaborations, and discover information resources. The Scofield poster, which was a compilation of work from all of her classes (grades 6, 7, and 8), was in competition against works created by professional GIS users. All posters were displayed in the Connecticut Legislative Building concourse for the month of November. 15 | P a g e __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements November 2013 Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) World Series of Innovation Two teams from the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering (AITE) were named People’s Choice Winners in the “NFTE World Series of Innovation,” competition under the leadership of Business teacher Lawrence Keller. The international contest, which attracted students from nine countries and generated more than 700 innovative ideas, allows students to think creatively and invent new products or services that address every-day opportunities. Michelle Printsev, Bridget Smith, and Lina Elmansy are winners in the category of “Forty Chances Food and Nutrition Solutions,” which addresses the challenge of reducing food waste. The students’ business proposal, “Two Baskets,” reduces food waste in schools by collecting and redistributing unused food to community organizations, such as shelters or farms. The team of Devon Solomon, Dayana Ortiz, and Jeremy Leone are winners in the category of “Tablet/Smartphone App Design.” Their business proposal, “CollaboratED,” is a study app that facilitates communication among students, teachers, and parents. State and Westhill Diving Record Holder Rachel Anne Burston, Westhill High School sophomore, was undefeated in dual meet competition and set a new WHS record for six dives leading up to the FCIAC Championships. Rachel went on to win the FCIAC, State Class LL, and State Open titles, establishing both new Westhill and Connecticut State records for 11 dives. Rachel’s performance has qualified her for All-American consideration, which she earned last year. Shark Tank Success Entrepreneur and Rippowam Middle School student Ryan Kelly had a successful run on “Shark Tank,” the reality TV show that matches businesses with interested investors. Ryan received backing from Shark Barbara Corcoran, who invested $25,000 in his all-natural doggy biscuit business, “Ryan’s Barkery.” Ryan conceived the idea for his business after adopting a dog that didn’t like storebought biscuits. In an effort to bake the “very best” biscuit for his dog, Ryan created biscuits with no coloring or fillers, no preservatives or chemicals, and no added salt or sugar. Customers can order biscuits and read Ryan’s full story on his website. 16 | P a g e CABE/CAPSS Conference Participation Nick Bellusci, AITE, was selected from all members of the Student Advisory Council to represent the students of the Stamford Public Schools at the recent Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) / Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPPS) Conference, in Groton, Connecticut. Nick had the unique opportunity to get a glimpse of the challenges facing public education; attend workshops designed especially for students; and connect with educational leaders across Connecticut. 17 | P a g e __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements October 2013 National Merit Semifinalists Three students from Westhill High School were named National Merit Semifinalists in the 58th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program, based on their PSAT scores from last October. Bradley Darling, Claire Howlett, and Luis Kumanduri, are among the highest scoring entrants and represent less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors. To be considered for a National Merit ® Scholarship, Semifinalists must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other requirements. Commended Students The National Merit Scholarship Corporation also named 15 Stamford Public Schools students as Commended Students in the 2012 National Merit program. Commended students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2014 competition by taking the 2012 PSAT. Academy of Information Technology & Engineering: Spencer Aronstein Leora Bell Victor Dai Chistopher Hendrickson Hanna Kahlert Stamford High School James Croft Jasmine Li Matthew McGoldrick Megan E. O’Neill Westhill High School Mackenzie Eisen Jason Gallant Rachel Katz Ava Marsh Ryan Silk Jonathan Xu 18 | P a g e Rachel vs. Guy Kid’s Cookoff Hunter Zampa, an eighth grader from Scofield Magnet Middle School, recently placed third in the FoodNetwork’s competition, “Rachel vs. Guy Kid’s Cookoff.” Hunter was also named MVP of Rachel’s team with his dish, “Larb Shark Swimming in Thai Pesto.” The dish’s name was inspired by the then, upcoming movie release of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs II.” As MVP, Hunter won a free screening of the movie for Scofield’s 8th grade Purple Team. The school has been further inspired by Hunter and has established its own after-school cooking club. Connecticut State Network of Educators Director, School Improvement & Professional Development – Secondary Carrie Chiappetta, is one out of only 90 Connecticut Educators and 1,800 nationwide educators to be chosen to participate in the Connecticut State Network of Educators (SNE). As a member of the SNE, over the next several months, Carrie will help develop the Smarter Balanced Digital Library, an online collection of professional learning and instructional resources that teachers can use as they implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Digital Library will contain differentiated resources aligned to the CCSS for educators with varying interests and professional learning needs. Additionally, the library will be interactive, allowing users to rate materials and to share their expertise with educators across their own states and across the country. 19 | P a g e __________________________________________________________________ Student and Staff Achievements September 2013 Cloonan Chronicle Two enterprising Westhill High School 2011 graduates, Elizabeth Quartararo and Jackie Schechter, were inspired by their own experience as members of the Westhill High School newspaper. With the help of grant money they each earned, and support from Westhill and Stamford high school mentors, the college juniors established Project Lede, a summer camp for middle school students to learn journalism and create their own newspaper. The Cloonan Chronicle, which will be a quarterly publication, debuted in August and covered sports, arts and other area news. Students: Sabrina Ahamed Fahmida Ahmed Tahmida Ahmed Salma Amin Jessica Anderson Jennifer Carias Nikhil Arora Shamar Bryce Reynell Burke Scott Davidson Don Duquene Taryn Duncan Elmer Figueroa Emmanuel Hernandez Matthew Mogrovejo Esmeralda Rodriguez Daniel Greco Victoria Iparraguirre Kevin Morales Dicoda Grant Alex Joaquin Ryan Hart Alexandra Lazo Analisa Muniz Benny Pisanelli Kimberly Roig Precious Thomas Nicholas Zarrilli Stamford High School Mentors: Anthony Bottino Megan O'Neill Lindsay Swatland Westhill High School Mentors: Casiano Hamer Claire Howlett Lauren Schechter 20 | P a g e Ayn Rand Anthem Essay Contest Lina Elmansy, of the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, was named a Finalist for her impressive essay in the prestigious and very competitive Ayn Rand Anthem Essay Contest of 2013. This essay contest requires contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel, Anthem. The contest is open to 8th,9th and 10th graders and is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content. 21 | P a g e 2013 Sports Person of the Year The Fairfield County Sports Commission named Claire Howlett of Westhill High School as one of their 2013 Sports Persons of the Year. Claire is an accomplished (straight A) student as well as a cross country and track star. She is the 2013 FCIAC Champion and state record holder in the 3,200 meter event. She also holds the school record in the 1600m, 3000m, 4000m, and 5000m. Claire finished third in the 1,600 at the New England championships and was named Connecticut Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Claire was also recently named a 2014 National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist. Yale Educator Award Jason Roberts, Guidance Counselor, Academy of Information Technology & Engineering, has been selected as a recipient of the 2013 Yale Educator Award. Mr. Roberts was nominated by former AITE student Cameron Yick for the impact he played in Cameron’s life. According to a press release, issued by Yale University, the Yale Educator Recognition Program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who support and inspire their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence. Mr. Roberts was chosen from among 210 nominees, representing 36 states and 13 countries. 22 | P a g e 23 | P a g e
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