SquashWise Summer Camp Teaches More than Just Squash

While students in the SquashWise Summer Camp, held June 28 to July 2, spent plenty of time perfecting their serves and returns, they also took on the acclaimed Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. The story recounts Greg Mortenson's climb up the second highest mountain in the world, K2 in Pakistan, as part of an endeavor to build schools in remote Afghanistan and Pakistan. Through his journey, he sees up close the limiations of schooling in rural villages—and sets out to make a difference.

"The book generated a lot of deep discussions with students," explains Abby Markoe, the executive director of SquashWise. "We talked about the struggles people face accessing education in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and it got them thinking about education in our own country."     

Along with reading Three Cups of Tea, students learned about chemistry through an experiment making homemade ice cream and organic gardening and taking care of horses at McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland.

"The week-long camp was full of really great opportunities for students," Markoe adds, explaining that camp slots were awarded to students for their academic improvement, attendance and commitment to SquashWise during the school year. A number of students also won expense-paid slots in sleepover camps across the nation, including Squash Smarts in Philadelphia, StreetSquash in New York City and squash camps at Princeton University and the U.S. Naval Academy.

SquashWise students attend Civitas Middle/High School and Booker T. Washington Middle School.

Students Green Neighborhood

On Sat., July 24, middle school students at the Alternative Learning Center are planting a garden and painting a mural to make the Gwynn Oak neighborhood a better place to live, work and play. The project came after months of a clasroom investigation of abandoned lots in Baltimore. Open to the public, the community event offered free food, arts and crafts and information about the neighborhood; it took place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Gwynn Oak United Methodist Church—and the abandoned lot behind it. Click here for the flier, and click here for a story about a forum on abandoned houses hosted by the same students in May.

Stay tuned for photos and an article about the event.

Fifth Grader Honors Mom in Essay Contest

"I have an illness that causes me to take medicine by IV every two months," writes Asia Brown (pictured left, with mother), a 5th grader at Northwood Appold Community Academy (NACA), in her 1st-place essay for Good Samaritan Hospital. "My mom gets me to those appointments, and she makes that day a great one." In her essay "How a Woman I Love Takes Great Care of Me," Asia writes about her mother's ongoing love and support, which "show in her actions," the 5th grader says. Judged on neatness, content and clarity, Asia's 1st-place entry came with a $100 award, along with the chance to attend a special ceremony at Good Sararitan Hospital.

Says Asia's mother, June Brown: "I think this accomplishment reflects what a positive impact our school system has on my child, ... and I ask that [it] continues to provide opportunities and partnerships with the community that will help all of our children discover and develop their gifts and abilities."

Click here to read Asia's essay.

Students Reflect on the Preakness and Maryland History

Eighth grader Shantel Blackston's drawing features a wind-blown Maryland flag in front of iconic images of the state's most acclaimed horse race, the Preakness Stakes. It landed her the top prize in the 2010 Preakness Portraits Youth Art Contest, a 10-year-old art competition for elementary, middle and high school students in the Pimlico-Northwest community. For the competition, students used materials of choice to create an original drawing capturing the spirit of Thoroughbred racing and the place of the Preakness in Maryland history.

As the winner of "The Jewel" award, which goes to the best drawing in grades 5 to 12, Shantel received box seating for four at the Preakness, framed artwork autographed by Preakness winners and a $250 gift certificate.

"The Junior Jewel," given to the best drawing in kindergarten to 4th grade, went to 3rd grader Jewelian Dove from Cross Country Elementary/Middle School.

Highlandtown #215 Students Take to Broadway

After a year of working with professionals from the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts (CCTA), students in Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School's drama club took to the stage of the Creative Alliance at the Patterson on May 19 for a performance of A Tribute to Modern Broadway. Students belted out such tunes as "Good Morning Baltimore" from Hairspray, "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz, "Dancing Queen" from Mama Mia and "We Go Together" from Grease. 

Says Melissa Rosenburg, the executive director of CCTA: "Our program gives students access to high-quality arts programming. It's learning, but it doesn't feel like learning, and it helps students build confidence and express themselves in a variety of ways."

Now in its third year of partnership with Highlandtown, CCTA also works with students at Coldstream Park Elementary/Middle School and John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School. CCTA's free after-school programs in Baltimore City Public Schools are made possible by funding from the Wright Family Foundation, the Maryland State Arts Council and the Jim and Patty Rouse Foundation.         

Third Graders Design and Race Miniature Cars

On Fri., June 4, students from nine schools competed in City Schools' first annual Safe Racer Competition for Third Graders. The competition came after months of combining knowledge in science, technology, math and engineering to design, build and race a miniature car. Participating schools include: Yorkwood Elementary School, Holabird Elementary/Middle School, Woodhome Elementary/Middle School, Hampden Elementary/Middle School, Garrett Heights Elementary/Middle School, Harlem Park Elementary/Middle Schools, Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle School, Arundel Elementary/Middle School and Leith Walk Elementary School.  

The competition took place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. Explains Katya Denisova, the science coordinator for Baltimore City Public Schools: "This program is part of our efforts to grow a new generation of engineers and scientists. We feel that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education needs to start in elementary  school, and the Safe Racer is a great example of a hands-on STEM program."

Stay tuned for stories and video from the event. 

Mayor Honors City Schools' Champions

City Schools has hundreds of champions, and on May 19 at the War Memorial Building, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake honored them at the Student Spotlight Recognition Ceremony. Students received individual and team recognition for excelling in academics, chess, athletics, robotics and spelling. Click here for the list of individual champions and here for team champions.

Northwestern Track Team Wins Gold in Special Olympics Unified Sports

Northwestern High School's Special Olympics Unified Sports track team took home the gold from the state championship at Coppin State University on May 12. Beating out 21 other teams, the victory comes after months of practice and dedication. Says Margo Workman, an adapted physical education teacher who worked with the team: "This is a validation of all the hard work we've put in over the past two years. Last year, we participated in Unified track as a pilot program—and we placed 8th in the state competition. When we heard our name called for 1st place this year, we couldn't believe it. We were ecstatic."

The track team athletes are: Derrod Burrell, Yamah Boakai, Octavius Chase, Aaron Cook, Phillip Gethers, Keona Haley, Parrish Holland, Anthony Jones, Douglas Jones, Kevin Press, Aaron Randle, Patrick Taylor, Daquan Walkins, Anthony Williams and Jermaine Wright.

Ashley Pierce, Tavonna Leggette, Terrell Harris and Gilbert Cooper—all students at Northwestern—served for two years as volunteer mentors to the track team.

Students Use Art to Challenge Stereotypes of Baltimore Youth

Watch the city's most creative thinkers question the stereotype of Baltimore youth and craft a new image. Held on April 26 but also available on-line, the Who Are You? Wide Angle Youth Media Festival features video, performances and music by City Schools students. Click here to view a live recording by Radar Redux.

Abbottston Brings Dads to School

“Usually, mothers are the ones going to school events,” says Brenda Miller, an intervention teacher and parent coordinator at Abbottston Elementary School. To bring more dads to campus, Ms. Miller developed the school’s annual Father/Son Game Day, a boys-only event involving musical chairs, dance and basketball contests, picture-taking and snacks. This year’s event took place on Fri., April 30, a day that also marked the release of progress reports. Dads with questions could speak with teachers on hand about their child’s performance.

Sixty dads and caregivers registered in advance, with more expected to show up on game day. “Men always come out of the woodwork for this,” Ms. Miller explains, "and the boys feel so proud to have their father or a representative show up and support them.”

Greater Homewood Community Corporation supports this event.  

Students to Sell Goods at Historic Flowermart

Joining other artisans and garden-lovers dating back to 1911, students from Booker T. Washington Middle School and Midtown Academy get set to sell their flower-related wares this weekend in Mt. Vernon Square. Items for sale include homespun flower pots, mugs and other ceramic pieces, along with hand-drawn notecards and pictures. Proceeds support arts programs in the schools.

The event, known as Flowermart and held each spring in Mt. Vernon Square, is a Baltimore tradition with more than 100 vendors and performances that include dancing, organ playing, singing and more. Click here to learn more about the festival, and don't miss the Baltimore City Public Schools tent set up near the Washington Monument.  

Flowermart takes place on May 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Students Use Poetry to Get at Important Issues

At an evening fundraiser, Through a Child's Eyes, on April 30, students from North Bend Elementary/Middle School used poetry to share stories and ideas about topics like vanity, inner-beauty and the importance of staying in school. The event took place at Coco's Butter Cafe in Columbia, Maryland, and was hosted by the school's poetry club. Tickets cost $7, and proceeds benefiting the club totaled close to $100.

"This is the first year of the club," explains 6th-grade language arts and social studies teacher Louis Bryant, who co-manages the club with Sarah Heilbron, an information-science-technology teacher at North Bend. Both poets, Mr. Bryant and Ms. Heilbron met outside of school at poetry functions around town—and then ended up working together at North Bend. "Starting a poetry club was a natural step for us," Mr. Bryant adds.

Open to elementary and middle school students and meeting every Wednesday afternoon, the poetry club encourages students to write about things about matter most. "I tell them I want this to be an extension of what they feel—their spirit and their soul," says Mr. Bryant. "Most of the time, they use their poetry to talk about real-issues, either things they go through or have observed."

Click the links below to read a sampling of poems from the event.

"Queen"
Tytiana Hux, 6th grade     

"Stay in School"

Taylor Jones, 8th grade

"Love"

Jasmine Tallie, 7th grade

Poly Students Show Knack for History

For six years running, students from Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) placed high enough in the state-level National History Day competition to advance to the nationals. The competition required students to use primary and secondary sources to research topics relating to the theme of innovation—and how innovations across history have impacted or changed society. Presentations took the form of web sites, essays, exhibits, performances and documentary films. 

The students moving forward attend Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and are enrolled in Dennis Jutras' AP Government and Politics or U.S. History class. They include:

• Rebekah Wheatley for "Nothing is Important," an individual performance about the innovation of the number zero (2nd place);
  
• Anne Blonder and Max Cushner for "Tin Lizzie and Ford's Assembly Line," a group documentary about the assembly line (2nd place and a special prize for the use of primary sources);
  
• Joshua Greenspan for "It's About Time," an individual exhibit about the innovation of time zones (2nd place);
  
• Anna Manalad for "Changing the Nature of Nature," an individual documentary about eugenics (special prize in ethics).

Dan Borgnia and Peter Jennings, also from Poly, made it to the state-level run-offs for their documentary film, "The SAT: Standardizing American Education," as did Justus Jackson, Daniel Jalova and Brandon Johnson for their group exhibit, "Disney Animation."

Says Mr. Jutras about his students' strong outcome: "It's incredibly rewarding to have kids at a math and science school excel in the humanities. This is a sign that we have well-rounded citizens who can do great work in more than one area."

Stay tuned for results from the national competition. It takes place in June at the University of Maryland at College Park.

Stringfest Brings Together Student Musicians Across the District

Kick off the month of May with Stringfest 2010, a concert hosted by Roland Park Elementary/Middle School that features student musicians from eight schools. Enjoy folk tunes, marches, dances and classical favorites as students perform in string orchestras and ensembles. Participating schools include Dr. Bernard Harris Sr. Elementary School, Empowerment Academy, Eutaw-Marshburn Elementary School, Hampstead Hill Academy, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School, Mt. Washington Elementary School, Roland Park Elementary/Middle School and Rosemont Elementary/Middle School.

The concert takes place on Sat., May 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at 5207 Roland Ave., Baltimore, MD. Click here for the flier.

Carver Vocational-Technical High School Launches Exchange with Xiamen, China

On April 22, the principal and two staff members of Xiamen Electronic Vocational School (Xiamen, China) visited Carver Vocational-Technical High School for a signing ceremony that kickstarted a formal exchange between the two schools. The partnership will include an e-mail based pen pal program between students; the use of the Internet to collaborate on studies; and a summer exchange program between top language students at both schools.

A port city on China's east coast, Xiamen is home to 2.5 million people and has had a sister-city relationship with Baltimore since 1985. 

NACA and Highlandtown Place First in African American History Tournament

On April 10, at the First Annual African American History Tournament and Honor Roll Celebration, Northwood Appold Community Academy (NACA) and Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School #215 beat out twelve other Baltimore City Public Schools teams to take home first-place prizes in a quiz bowl-style competition. Sponsored by the Urban Education Partnership, the competition occurred after three months of studying African American history—and learning to recall facts as fast as Jeopardy champions. Other winners include:

Elementary Division
2nd place - Coldstream Park Elementary/Middle School
3rd place - Mount Washington Elementary School

Middle School Division
2nd place - The Stadium School
3rd place - Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle School

Poly Students Place First in Maryland Math League Contest

After taking math tests for seven months, students from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) placed first in the 2010 Maryland Math League, edging out schools from across the state. Poly students scored 160 out of 180 points on a series of seven tests; St. Albans School (District of Columbia) placed second, scoring 156.

Over 1 million students participate in the Math League each year, designed to challenge students with grade-appropriate math materials and contests.    

Students Create Video About Improving Urban Education

How do we improve urban education? This was the question posed by the Loyola University Maryland School of Education's Center for Innovation in Urban Education. In a video that focuses on in-school suspension, students Olivia Lynes (sophomore, Baltimore City College), Korey Johnson (sophomore, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) and Lekeisha Louis (senior, Digital Harbor High School) reveal suspension from a student's perspective. Their efforts led to a first-place prize in student/teacher collaboration.

Click here to view the video.  

Students Shadow Federal Employees

Twenty-one students from Southside Academy gained an up-close look at federal employment at the Social Security Administration (SSA) headquarters in Woodlawn, Maryland, on March 19. Hosted by the Association of Government Accountants (AGA), the day gave students a first-hand look at the everyday happenings of the SSA's Office of Budget, Office of Finance and Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Students participated in mock interviews and a weather report taping, and they learned about the electronic crime team and apects of accounting and auditing.

The job shadowing follows an AGA-sponsored career day at Southside Academy earlier in this year, for which professionals from a variety of fields—environmental science, accounting, finance, fashion and retail--discussed their careers and the importance of education.    

Michelle Obama Talks to Students About Staying Active and Healthy

In February, First Lady Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” campaign to fight childhood obesity. On April 8, she called upon students in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore—including 30 from Hampstead Hill Academy—to talk about issues faced by children today. “You’ve got computers, you’ve got iPods, a lot of what you’re drawn to has nothing to do with movement,” Mrs. Obama explains. “The ‘Let’s Move’ campaign curbs childhood obesity,” she adds, and enhances the physical and emotional health of an entire generation.

The White House visit by students follows an earlier visit by White House Chef Sam Kass, who came to Baltimore to learn about Hampstead Hill's garden and food education program and to tour Great Kids Farm, an organic farm and education center operated by Baltimore City Public Schools.   

In the picture, HHA student Cameron Venable shakes the first lady’s hand, while classmates Brandon Hovermill and La’Cendria Pulley look on.