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This week we kept alive a great Blackhawk tradition of celebrating students over breakfast. The Student Recognition Breakfast featured one student selected by each teacher to attend. Add these students' parents to the mix and you have a great way to start the school day. The criteria for invitation to this event includes:

• academic mastery
• academic growth
• academic perseverance
• well-rounded student
• exceptional problem solver

Students who are selected for this event have an honoring blurb written about them included in the program explaining why they are part of this celebration. Reading this program is great way to reinforce your faith in humanity, and it is done through the actions and attitudes of the students of Blackhawk.

This month's Blackhawk Alumni Spotlight shines on our former student Angelo Mendoza. Mr. Mendoza was promoted from Blackhawk in 2016 where he then attended Fenton, graduating in 2020. He reports his favorite memory of attending Blackhawk was visiting other middle schools while being a member of the Blackhawk volleyball team. He always loved seeing what other schools were like and playing against them in matches and tournaments.

While at Blackhawk, Mr. Mendoza was on the volleyball team during both his 7th and 8th grade year. He also participated in track and field his 8th grade year. While attending Fenton, he played football and baseball all four years. He also participated in wrestling his freshman year. In addition, he was a part of the auto club, working on cars, and was a part of the National Honors Society.

Currently, Mr. Mendoza is attending Illinois State University, studying special education. He has done clinical experiences, getting to observe and tutor students of different ages. This coming fall, 2023, he’ll embark in his student teaching experience where he gets to practice all of the skills he's been learning the past three years. Some challenges that he's met while going through high school and college have been learning new environments. Going to high school involved learning a new culture and a new pace of life. This same experience occurred when he went to college too. Mr. Mendoza had to adapt and learn the culture of college. It challenged him and his independence, forcing him to advocate for himself when he knew no one. He says it challenged his academic discipline, pushing him to sharpen and adapt to new concepts and material.

Some advice Mr. Mendoza has for Blackhawk students is "Follow your interests. As you grow up and mature, your interest may change or they may strengthen but always follow the directions of your interest. This will ensure that the path you want to go for, a career, is something that is enjoyable and something you are passionate about."

All of the staff at Blackhawk Middle School would like to thank our PTO for organizing a wonderful teacher appreciation week over the past five days. We would also like to thank the families who helped out by donating items to make this week extra special. There were even some community businesses that played a part in making this a most memorable celebration of the dedicated staff at our school.

The BMS PTO would like to announce its interest in supporting families of 8th graders who are going to taking part in the promotion ceremony later this month. Knowing the impact of the pandemic still has challenging effects on some families economically, the PTO would like to organize a formal wear drive for families that might need such support. If you have extra gently used formal attire for both boys or girls of middle school stature, please consider donating these items to the PTO formal wear drive. Families or staff may bring donations to the Blackhawk main office beginning Monday, May 8th through Thursday, May 18th. Families looking to receive gently used formal wear for their child for the promotion ceremony may come up to Blackhawk on Friday, May 19th from 4:00 to 6:00 to review what has been collected for distribution.

If you have any questions (Spanish or English) about donating or receiving formal wear, please call (773) 310-1905. Thank you for considering supporting our 8th grade students and families.

May 8 Talent Show Tryouts 3-4:30 pm

May 8 BMS Track @ Elmhurst University 4 pm-7 pm

May 9 BMS Track @ Elmhurst University 4 pm-7 pm

May 10 School Nurses' Day

May 10 MAP Testing 8 am - 10:10 am

May 11 MAP Testing

May 12 Shark Tank Competition in Library 8:11 am- 1:25 pm

May 14 Mother's Day

May 17 5th Grade Johnson Orientation @ BMS 9:00 to 10:30 am

May 19 Tioga 5th grade Orientation @ BMS 9:00 to 10:30 am

May 24 YWCA for 7th grade in BMS auditorium 8 am-3 pm

May 25 YWCA 7th grade in BMS auditorium

May 25 5th Grade Band Open House Night

May 26 Feed My Starving Children 7th Grade field trip

May 27 6 Flags Fine Arts Trip

May 29 Memorial Day- No school

May 30 8th Grade gown/tickets distribution in 8th/9th periods

May 31 8th Grade Trip to Chicago Dogs baseball game 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

May 31 8th grade Dance 3 pm to 6 pm (Hawaiian Theme)

June 1 BMS Talent Show/Awards Ceremony

June 1 8th grade special lunch

June 1 8th grade promotion practice 12 pm- 2:30 pm

June 1 Promotion Ceremony @ Fenton 7:00

June 2 6th/7th grade Blackhawk Bonanza

June 2 Report cards mailed home

June 2 Last day of school

If your child will be attending a Bensenville School District 2 school next year, we need to know. We need to plan for and properly prepare for their return. Please visit www.bsd2.org/register and complete their registration as soon as possible.

If you are not returning next year, please www.bsd2.org/moving, and complete the moving form. We will prepare your child’s transfer paperwork and send it home in the last week of school.

If you need assistance, please call us at (630-766-2601). We’re happy to help!

Thank you for taking care of this important matter. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and seeing you next school year.