April 2017 Newsletter
Interesting Ted Talk
Thurston Updates
Eagle Scholar Award
U of M Visit
We hope to cross paths with several Thurston alumni who are attending or have recently graduated from U of M: Nigel Charlston, Esti Gajda, Greg Meyer, Anthony Mufarreh, Melissa McCurry, Paiton Podojil, Lia Payne, Lexii Ialungo, and Joe Oliver. The U of M pipeline will continue next year with current seniors Zach Lassen, Katie Rozmys, and Maria Rozmys.
U of M Partnership - International Poetry Guild (9th and 10th graders)
Honors English 10 teacher Rachel Bomphray reflects on her trip to U of M to celebrate a three-month poetry project in which Thurston students connected with mentors at U of M.
22 students went with me to the Uof M campus and after a dinner of pizza on the steps of Angel Hall (which I explained to them is where university students take their English classes), we went to the School of Ed and they met the college student mentors who've been giving them feedback on their poems all semester.
As you can see in the photos below, they were grouped with a college student that they were able to get to know. The college students had prepared a collage of their college experience and then Thurston students had time to ask any questions they had about any aspect of college. It was great!
Afterward, the groups created silly poems together (with newly invented words) and read them aloud to the class. I included two videos of these read-alouds below.
Before leaving, I took my Thurston students to the diag where we sat in a circle and shared poems with each other that they have written this year. It was powerful.
Many students did NOT want to leave. They said things like "I never want to leave college" and seemed moved by the experience.
I'm hoping to continue this program next year and I hope to make this trip a tradition. The teacher at U of M and I talked about how we can make the trip even stronger next year.
Pierce Updates
U of M Partnership - 6th graders, Place Out of Time
The majority of the work took place on The Place Out of Time Mosaic website where students posted responses to questions, artifacts in the exhibit hall, and court testimonies all in keeping with the character they chose to research. Two of our students, Erynn Miller and Elle Hubbard were chosen as Court of Cassation Supreme Court Justices and were given Votes of Confidence by other participants in the project to make a decision in this case. Students received these Votes of Confidence by posting their legal philosophies also in keeping with their character.
We are in the process of wrapping up the project in the next week or so. A huge highlight was a field trip to University of Michigan Ann Arbor where students met their university student mentors, the professors and other local students who participated in the project from Ann Arbor and Grosse Pointe. Students took part in discussion groups led by their university student mentors during the afternoon at U of M's College of Education building. This project was done in addition to our 6th grade geography curriculum and our students have so much to be proud of!
Check out some pictures and video below!
Summer 2017 Enrichment Opportunities
Eagle Scholars Orientation (Incoming 6th and 9th graders and those new to the program)
Monday, May 22, 2017, 06:00 PM
Thurston High School, Schoolcraft Avenue, Redford Charter Township, MI, United States
Study Tips (revisited)
- Make sure your child has a quiet, peaceful place to study Sunday through Thursday.
- Encourage your child to study in 25-30 minute increments broken up by 5 - 10 minute breaks.
- If possible, make sure your child's phone is turned off and in another room.
- Have your child complete "off-line" homework, then online homework.
- If possible, have your child study at a desk, free of clutter, with a desk lamp.
- If your child prefers to study with music, make sure the music is instrumental. Some background here. While students often say "It helps me concentrate," they are often fooling themselves.
- If possible, make sure your child is not in front of any screens one hour before bedtime.
Requirement Reminder
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA in core classes
- Display exemplary citizenship
- Complete minimum of 5 hours of community service per academic year
Thurston
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA
- Participate in at least one extracurricular activity beginning 10th grade
- Take five AP courses (one of which must be AP Lang & Comp)
- Apply to at least four 4-year institutions
- Complete a capstone project
Academic Support
Pierce
Weekly Study Session
Wednesday in the Media Center 3:15-4:15 pm
Homework Clinic
Monday - Friday, 7:50-8:20 am
Mondays and Thursdays, 3:15-4:10 pm
Thurston
Weekly Study Session
Thursdays in the Media Center, 2:45-3:45 pm
After school tutoring
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in Room 505, ` 2:45 - 3:45 pm
Advisory (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:33 - 11:17)
Silent study time on Mondays, travel to your teachers in the classes in which you are struggling on Wednesdays and Fridays)
Pierce and Thurston Schedule an appointment with Mr. Parsons or Mr. Hughes Make an appointment at this web address: goo.gl/05Wo2h Mr. Parsons is an alumnus of the program-class of 2012; he’s been in your shoes and he wants to help! He can help with homework, study skills, organization, etc.
Online Resources for Academic Support
Quizlet: Flash card website with content from every class and level on the academic spectrum
Khan Academy: Free educational videos covering a wide variety of math and science concepts from grade K-12
Hippocampus.org: Free educational videos and tutorials for students struggling with every subject between grades 6-12.
GoConqr: Social media site created for students to connect with other students working on similar topics, and to help each other study and provide tips.
The South Redford Eagle Scholars Program
Email: rory.hughes@southredford.org
Website: www.eaglescholarsprogram.org
Location: 26249 Schoolcraft Avenue, Redford Charter Township, MI, United States
Phone: 313-444-2590
Facebook: facebook.com/eaglescholarsprogram