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Posts published in “Day: April 20, 2010”

Two ways to celebrate April 22nd

April 20, 2010

Children at work

By Kristan Hoffman

Shortly before I was born, my parents became small business owners. For some kids that wouldn’t change life too much, but I have always been involved in my parents’ work. Every day after elementary school, I went to the office and sat next to my mom while she finished her day’s assignments. As I grew older, I started to help by answering phones, collating copies, typing up articles, whatever. Over time, my parents’ employees became like extended family to me. We even celebrated birthdays and holidays together.

So when schools started to promote Take Your Child to Work Day, I just rolled my eyes. I already went to my parents’ work every day. What was so special about that?

Now that I’m an adult in the workforce, I can see what a positive impact going to my parents’ office had on me. I got a lot of experience that people don’t get until their late teens or twenties. I saw firsthand what it takes to manage people and operate a business. I even helped manage people and operate the business sometimes.

Exposure to a work environment definitely gave me an advantage as an employee. Of course not everyone is going to get the same degree of exposure, but I do think every little bit counts. Through Take Your Child to Work Day, children can witness the value of individual competence and work ethic, as well as team effort and collaborative spirit. Kids can learn that every job is important, regardless of title, because each job affects the others in the company. And most of all, they can see what their parents do, how to balance work and home life, and the value of education. They can begin to form their own professional dreams and goals.

These are important lessons for a person’s career – and for a person’s life in general.

So come April 22, 2010, I hope all parents who are able will take their sons and daughters to work. Trust me, they’ll thank you for it someday.

(Thanks, Mom and Dad!)

Nothing wrong with loving dirt

By Angie Liang

It started with dirt and some daffodil bulbs. My dad took my sister and I out to plant daffodils in the backyard, and ever since then I’ve been fascinated by the earth. My dad continued to foster this interest by taking the family to national parks—I’ve visited over 35 states because of this. When I see the red-orange glow of the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon or the bubbling mudpots in Yellowstone, a sense of awe engulfs me.

I continued to develop this interest throughout high school and college. In addition to double-majoring in geography – for fun – I also became active in the Campus Environmental Center (CEC). Through the CEC, I planted trees, worked on sustainability policies that the University of Texas eventually adopted, and volunteered at our campus-wide garage sale that practices the idea of re-use, which has saved tons of items from going into the landfills.

Now that I’ve begun my career in advertising, people often wonder why I bothered with the geography degree. But I use it everyday! While I am not active in influencing environmental policy, I do what I can to live an environmental lifestyle. I continue to recycle, I use my own eating utensils at work, I eat less meat, and I find ways to reduce my waste. They are small adjustments, but every step matters. I do all this because I learned to appreciate our earth.

Which is why, come April 22, Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary, I hope you will join me in celebrating. Whether you plant a tree, advocate for industry regulation, or just make a small adjustment to your life – like buying one less bottle of water – you can impact change. Let’s make that change together!

YES student named Dell Scholar

April 20, 2010

By MARK DIBELLA

Fernando Luna, a senior at the YES Prep North Central Campus on Aldine-Westfield Rd., was awarded the 2010 Dell Scholarship! This is an incredible achievement for Luna and all of the people who have helped him get to where he is today.

Over 5,300 applications were submitted and from there 924 semifinalists were named.

Of the 924 selected semifinalists, 810 submitted required follow-up materials to be eligible for scoring by the committee.

From the 810 revied (14 of which were from YES Prep), 300 were selected (2 from the Southeast Campus and 1 from the North Central Campus).

Overall, 5.7% of applicants received the Dell Scholarship.

Luna’s award includes $20,000 for educational expenses that he can use at his own discretion over the course of the next 6 years.

Can it cover undergraduate tuition and fees? Of course. A summer study-abroad program in Italy. Definitely. Can he use the money to pursue a Master’s in mechanical engineering? Yes! The coolest thing about this scholarship is the freedom Luna will have to spend it how and when he wants to, which is extremely unusual for a college scholarship.

The scholarship also includes a brand new Dell laptop for Luna to take to college.

During the month of April, YES Prep North Central seniors will be visiting several of the colleges they were admitted to for next fall.

Here is a current list of the colleges the students will be visiting (or have already visited): Claremont McKenna College, Barnard College, Providence College, Dartmouth College, University of Notre Dame, Oberlin College, Santa Clara University, Connecticut College, Boston University, Manhattanville College, Rice University, and Washington & Jefferson College.

‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ author to speak at Aldine Teen Lit Festival

April 20, 2010


AISD librarians will present a district-wide festival to be held on Saturday, May 15 at Nimitz High School, from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Students will be able to meet popular authors at Celebrate Teen Lit ’10. The purpose is to promote literature that appeals to young adults, encouraging them to read for pleasure and develop a lifelong love of reading. it is intended for students in middle school, ninth grade and high schools.

These are the featured authors and their work:

Jay Asher is the keynote speaker. He just published his first novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, which has been described as a “mystery, eulogy, and ceremony.” It has received many awards including being selected as a Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA) and has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list.

Jennifer Ziegler, a Texas author, has written several novels that are very popular among teens. How Not to be Popular tells the story of Maggie Dempsey.

Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her themes include women, immigration, the South Asian experience, history, mythology, magic and celebrating diversity. She writes both for adults and children. Two novels, The Mistress of Spices and Sisters of My Heart, have been made into films. Her short stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award.

In her young adult novel, Conch Bearer, action, adventure and magic combine in this compelling quest fantasy that races across contemporary India to a dramatic climax in the Himalayas. She teaches creative writing at the University of Houston.

Joe Hayes is one of America’s premier bilingual storytellers and the author of many well-loved books. His book, Ghost Fever, won the Texas Bluebonnet Award in 2007. His book, The Day It Snowed Tortillas, was chosen by the editors of the Bloomsbury Review as one of their 15 favorite children’s books published in the last 15 years. La Llorona: The Weeping Woman, is a favorite among young adults and a bestseller.

De Cee Cornish is a popular storyteller who grew up in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Cornish enjoys working with at-risk teenagers using stories to teach and motivate. He uses storytelling to teach about anger, violence, and conflict resolution.

HCC Northeast implements service to the North Forest community

April 20, 2010


Recently, North Forest residents voted to bring North Forest ISD into the Houston Community College’s District.

Since this approval, HCC Northeast continues to work with the community to implement the HCC North Forest Service Plan. The benefits listed in the service plan include a 50% reduction in tuition for North Forest residents, degrees and certificates offered at a facility in the community, and expanded dual credit academic and vocational/technical courses for high school students.

In partnership with North Forest ISD, HCC Northeast immediately opened the North Forest Vocational Technical Campus as a temporary location at Forest Brook Middle for spring 2010 classes.

The college also offered a full schedule of academic, career and technical education courses for residents of the community and currently has over 200 students enrolled. On weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, residents can take advantage of college courses offered in their community. Summer classes will be offered at the North Forest Vocational Technical Campus, with registration starting April 5 and classes beginning June 7.

Plans for a permanent full-service day and evening facility that will allow the college to expand its offerings and services, implement new programs, and open the proposed small business incubator is in progress. Once all relevant information is assessed regarding a permanent location a decision will be made by the HCC Board of Trustees.

The President of HCC Northeast organized a Blue Ribbon advisory committee comprised of North Forest community leaders and residents to provide feedback from the community and to advise the college on recruitment initiatives that will encourage residents to enroll in courses that will prepare them for employment, entrepreneur opportunities, and transfer to a four-year university.

HCC Northeast is continuing to reach out and provide updates to NFISD Administration, area residents and community leaders at civic association meetings, chamber luncheons, community centers and businesses. For more information on the North Forest Vocational Technical Campus and upcoming summer courses, please call 713-635-0427.

North Forest’s Meat Processing class gives students skills for the future

April 20, 2010


For more than a half-century, North Forest ISD has offered its students an opportunity to learn a skill-set that many feel is becoming a lost art.

With more than 1,000 FFA programs in the state of Texas, North Forest ISD is just one of 28 to offer a meat processing class.

FFA Advisor Bill Dodd said that they have taught students how to process and pack meat for 58 years.

Dodd said that the class, which is only offered to juniors and seniors, teaches students how to process beef, chicken, rabbits, hogs and turkeys — the animals they would most likely come in contact with in a butcher shop or grocery store.

“They learn not only how to cut and wrap the meat,” Dodd said, “but also animal structure, where the cuts are located and how they are processed in the industry.”

And the lessons are not all academic. The students also get hands-on experience.

In an area known as the “Meat Slab” 14 students dressed in white coats use the same knives, saws and wrapping equipment that is found in meat markets.

“We teach our students what is used in the industry so that when they leave [North Forest] they would have the skills to walk into any meat market or grocery store to be able to work,” Dodd said.

The class also teaches students how to cut meat safely. Dodd was proud to note that in all of his years at North Forest, he has never had a student have a serious accident.

Marquez Ivory and Jahmar Sampson are taking the class this year. Ivory said that his family likes to hunt and he thought i would be good to learn how to process the meat. Sampson said that since he has taken the class he has considered going into the field after high school. Even if he does not, he said the skills give him a good backup plan.

Since the facility is not licensed for retail they are unable to sell their products. They do, however, charge a nominal fee to cover expenses.

“Our customers keep it [the meat] for home use, some donate it back to the FFA, and others donate it to food charities such as HAM [Humble-Area Ministries],” he said.

The processing class will soon be busy. On April 14 and 15 the North Forest FFA will hold their annual livestock show and auction. Dodd said that anyone who purchases an animal can have it processed by the students.