Tag: upper school

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Upper School Traditions

New York State of Mind

By Mark Guerra
Performing Arts Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

This past weekend, 34 Upper School students traveled to New York City for the Winter Break. Over their three days in the city, they saw five shows and attended a musical theater workshop. The annual trip led by Tracy Herron and Mark Guerra has become an event to look forward to for performing arts students. It also allows those outside of performing arts to interact with Broadway performers and develop a greater appreciation for theater. The group was comprised of veteran New York travelers and some who had never flown on a plane before. Overall, the trip provided new experiences for all involved.

After their arrival Friday, students were able to explore Times Square before they attended a Valentine’s Day performance of Moulin Rouge. The musical is an update of the popular 2001 movie starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor. While the plot stayed the same, the songs have been updated to more recent hits. “I loved how the musical used songs that we are familiar with. By the end, I was connected to the characters,” said Sydney Rutherford.

The next morning, students attended a Broadway Classroom workshop with a swing/ensemble member of Moulin Rouge. The students learned a section of the Finale Megamix song, “Hey Ya” by Outkast and then were taught the choreography that went with that section of the song. “We learned the job of a swing in theater. Learning the energy and emotion that goes into performing for an audience daily was a great experience,” said Sophia Ganson.”

Later that day, the students had tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This is a two-part show, about six hours long with a dinner break in the middle. Students were blown away by the special effects that were achieved onstage. “All the magic that the movies needed CGI to create was brought to life right before our eyes with some of the greatest acting and live special effects I have ever seen,” said Keegan Clendenin.

On Sunday morning, students attended a mass at the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They were impressed by the sheer size of the church organ and its gorgeous rich sound.

That afternoon, students were given the choice to attend another musical or spend some time exploring the city. “Shopping in SoHo was one my favorite parts of the trip,” said Kira Willis. “All of the stores were beautiful inside.”

Some students selected Wicked, Mean Girls, or Dear Evan Hansen. Those who attended Hadestown were surprised by Mr. G with an opportunity to go backstage after the show to meet Patrick Page who stars as Hades.“Hadestown was fantastic,” said Spencer Neill. “Everything about it was amazing, but meeting Patrick Page was the most wonderful experience ever. Just standing on a Broadway stage was thrilling. The entire experience was almost overwhelming.”

The students’ final show Six: the Musical is an 80-minute pop rock concert about the six wives of Henry VIII, each singing songs about the trials and tribulations of being married to “Old Coppernose.” “The cast was energetic and I already knew the soundtrack by heart, which it made it all the more enjoyable,” said Lindsey Evans. “After the show, I waited by the stage door and the cast was lovely.”

Throughout the trip, students were able to not only see shows that interested them, but were also given free time to experience the city. This independence enabled students to pursue their interests and be engaged in every activity.

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STEM

Inspired by STEM

On Saturday, January 25, the Lakehill Bionicles participated in its second FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifier for the year at Woodrow Wilson High School. This event was their last chance to advance to the North Texas Regional Tournament. Being close to home, the team had several Lakehill families, students, and staff in the audience cheering them on.

The students began with the Judges’ panel, which boosted their confidence. After their robot, Mata Nui, passed inspection, the rest of the day was filled with match play and additional interviews with judges. The Bionicles ended match play with a 3-2 record.

Importantly the FIRST organization not only values the students’ and robot’s performance in match play, but also the valuable learning experience that happens when the team put hours upon hours of work into their robots. This hard work is rewarded through the judged awards. According to FIRST, “The judged awards give us the opportunity to recognize Teams who embody important values like Gracious Professionalism®, teamwork, creativity, innovation, and the value of the engineering design process.” They also value the teams spreading the word about FIRST, robotics, and STEM concepts. At each tournament, the team gives a prepared presentation in front of a panel of two to three judges going over their design process and outreach activities. The students also turn in an Engineering Notebook that extensively documents every idea and outcome the students have encountered. The judges pay special attention to how the students iterate creative solutions using math, science, and design concepts. The judges want to hear every detail of the students’ journey, from ideas, to roadblocks, to solutions. The judges also look for how the students communicate the mission of FIRST to their communities, become involved with other teams, and get others interested in FIRST, Robotics, and STEM. The students communicated their journey in the judges’ panel, Engineering Notebook, and several impromptu interviews with the judges throughout the day.

The Bionicles placed in three of the five main award categories. The team earned the runner-up for the Design Award which focuses on industrial design from both an aesthetic and functional perspective. The Bionicles were also awarded runner-up for the Collins Aerospace Innovate Award focusing on innovation and out-of-the box ideas. The team was honored a third time as the runner-up for the Think Award, which focuses on the engineering design process, especially the underlying science and mathematics of the Robot design and game strategies.

The final award given was the prestigious Inspire Award. According to FIRST, the Inspire Award is, “given to the team that best embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program. The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team. This team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the playing field. This team shares their experiences, enthusiasm, and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the judges. Working as a unit, this team will have showed success in performing the task of designing and building a Robot.”

Receiving first place in the Inspire Award is the highest honor at a First Tech Challenge tournament, and is the first spot that is guaranteed advancement to the North Texas Regional tournament. The emcee began to read the pun-filled (as required by FIRST) announcement of the Inspire Award winner. “Things went swimmingly for this team today. They shined like the yellow sun bright and well crafted. We were buzzing with excitement about this transformative team. Team 14904, the Lakehill Bionicles!”

The Lakehill Bionicles will advance to Regionals and once again compete for a chance to attend the World Championships in Houston, Texas in April. The North Texas Regional Tournament will take place on Saturday, February 15, at Wylie East High School. In addition to the Regional Tournament, the Bionicles will be taking part in the TAPPS Robotics competition in Waco on March 30.

The Lakehill Bionicles are continuing their work to make their robot, teamwork, documentation, and presentation even better. The team is grateful to Lakehill faculty, staff, and families for their continued support of the Lakehill Bionicles.

Learn more about FIRST Robotics and the FIRST Tech Challenge.

Categories
Uncategorized Upper School Traditions

Hands-on Science

By Mark Guerra
Lakehill Preparatory School, Theater and Film teacher

Lakehill’s annual Biology Trip to the Galveston area was on the brink of cancellation because of Tropical Storm Imelda.  Jeremy Holman, who leads the charge on these trips, worked tirelessly to rearrange all of the travel plans just 24 hours before setting out.

Natural Bridge Caverns, just north of San Antonio, was the first stop. The group of nearly 50 teachers and students hiked 180 feet down into a crack in the Earth’s crust. We learned of the college students that discovered these underground caves in the 1960s, and we were able to see some of the stunning rock formations and bodies of water that have been preserved for all to experience. Breathtaking is an understatement.

The next day was an exploration of two San Antonio sites that were brimming with life. First was the San Antonio Aquarium.  We were first given a tour of the facilities by two of the knowledgeable staff.  The aquarium does not only house water animals, but land animals as well. After the tour, the students were able to explore the space and interact with the animals.  Stingrays and tortoises were fed and petted; everyone got to touch a starfish; and colorful birds adorned the heads and shoulders of the students as fluffy, silky chickens ran amuck at our feet. A few students were able to enter the lemur cages and interact with them as the lemurs ate grapes.

After lunch, we headed over to the San Antonio Zoo. Students got a chance to see some great animals and exhibits. Some crowd favorites were feeding the giraffes and watching the hippos swim.

We spent the final day of the trip at Sea World. Mr. Holman turned into a young boy again, eyes wide with excitement about what the students were going to get to experience that day. We saw a hilarious sea lion show and a fascinating land animal show Pets Ahoy.  Students roamed the park and enjoyed some of the rides and attractions. We reconvened to watch two whale shows, “One Ocean” featuring Orca whales and a separate, Beluga whale show. These massive beauties are a joy to watch as they glide through the water and perform acrobatics. Mr. Holman and some students sat in the Splash Zone. You could see the joy on his face as he stood there, soaking wet, with a grin from ear to ear.

As the Theater/Film teacher at Lakehill, going on the Biology trip was an excellent experience for me to get to know the students a bit better, but what I really learned on this trip is that we have a gem in Mr. Holman as our Biology teacher. His passion for the subject and for teaching meld him into an amazing instructor that I wish I would have had in my high school days. We are so lucky that our school allows us to take our students on excursions such as this one, and I truly believe that is a large part of what makes being a Lakehill Warrior so special.

Find out more at lakehillprep.org.

Categories
College Readiness

College Visits

By Heather Dondis
Director of College Counseling, Lakehill Preparatory School

Having recently returned from visiting four colleges in Utah and five colleges in Massachusetts, and knowing that many families travel for the holidays, I thought that College Visits would be a timely topic to write about.

I highly recommend visiting colleges if time and money allow. Visiting a few colleges before a student submits an application is beneficial because a student can see what the campus is really like and can better imagine themselves there. The experience becomes real. Brochures and guidebooks tend to make most campuses indistinguishable from one another. Experiencing the campus in person and talking to students and faculty help bring a college’s personality to life. With all other factors being equal, many students have reported that “how a campus feels” is what made them decide to apply and attend or not.

So, how does one visit a college? Students should go online to the college’s website and search under admissions/visits. All colleges have an online visit request system. It is important to register online at least two weeks in advance or more, especially if you are visiting during popular school breaks, as tours will fill up. Please also note that some colleges will not be open on national holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Most visits will include a one-hour information session and a one-hour tour. You can often request to sit in on a class, eat lunch with a student, meet with a specific academic department, or tour facilities not on the general tour, such as fine arts spaces or athletic facilities. Some colleges will have an Open House where the faculty and staff from a variety of departments are available all day in sessions and workshops, in addition to a tour and information session.

Before your trip, confirm your visit time and map out where you are going. Sometimes colleges will arrange discounts at local hotels if you are visiting campus or they may have a lodging facility on their campus. Arrive ten minutes early to check in. Some colleges will separate parents and students on the tour, but most will combine them. If it is a large group, the tour guides will introduce themselves and you can pick which one to go with–so if a guide is from your hometown or state or shares your major, that would be the person to follow.

When on tour, note the buildings, classrooms, interactions between students, evidence of school pride, notices on bulletin boards, etc. If you don’t get your questions answered on the tour, be sure to ask your guide or an admissions officer after the tour while it is fresh in your mind. If you are visiting several campuses at one time, details will run together, so be sure to take notes on what you like and don’t like about a campus and note interesting facts. It is recommended that you visit no more than two college a day to avoid college visit burnout. If you are spending a day or two in the area, experience the shops and restaurants around campus and try out the transportation systems if available. Campus life often extends beyond the actual campus.

Also remember that even if you cannot travel far, there may be campuses in your city that you can visit any time. You may discover a hidden gem in your own backyard!

Happy Visiting!

Categories
STEM

Rover Ruckus: Lakehill Students Prepare for Lift-off in Robotics

By Jennifer Herta, Robotics Teacher/Computer Science Chair
Lakehill Preparatory School

It is now almost cliche to say “computers are everywhere.” But what might not be as readily noticed are the numerous computer-connected devices that can be set to complete tasks  autonomously. Internet-connected lights, locks, and air conditioning can run routines that you prescribe. Once only dreamed of in The Jetsons, an iteration of Rosie the Robot Maid exists in the form of robot vacuum cleaners. Autonomous cars are being tested on our roads. Recently, engineers at Google created an AI that could beat the top Go players in the world–a feat thought impossible a few years ago (check out the documentary AlphaGo, it’s a treat!). In the film Jurassic Park, the raptors’ ability to open doors is shown as a leap of intelligence. Boston Dynamics recently achieved this seemingly simple but quite difficult feat by creating a robot that can open doors. Artificial intelligence is a field with much buzz surrounding it.

 

In a world where the existence of robots and AI will continue to become routine, the students of Lakehill can benefit from the exploration of these fields by incorporating robotics into their studies. For this reason, we have started our inaugural year of Lakehill Robotics by competing in FIRST Robotics First Tech Challenge. I chose FIRST because it is an organization that not only fosters students’ appreciation and abilities in STEAM fields, but also fosters a sense of ethical responsibility–which is quite important when determining the trajectory of future AI and robotics technologies. FIRST subscribes to two trademark philosophies. The first is Gracious Professionalism®, which entails the idea that “fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions.” Second is Coopertition®, which is a portmanteau of cooperation and competition. Yes, we will compete fiercely, but we will help each learn and grow along the way.

 

We recently attended our first kick-off event for FTC Robotics. The event revealed the details of this year’s theme: Rover Ruckus. Each year’s theme has some real-world correlation. This year, our intrepid explorers will be tasked with creating a Mars rover that will launch from the lander and collect samples of gold and silver unobtanium. At the event, the students were a bit intimidated by the fervor of their competitors–but I am certain with a few “wins” overcoming the obstacles of creating our robot, they too will have that same level of excitement. In addition to the STEAM concepts the students will learn, the most important lessons will involve teamwork, problem solving, and grit. It is imperative for our students to learn how to experiment, fail, and persevere. I look forward to learning these important lessons with my students this year in FTC Robotics.

Categories
Teaching

Imperfection

By Tamra Badgett
French Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

Nelson Mandela said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Each year, I like to tell my beginner French students a story, one whose message applies specifically to them and one that proves true Mandela’s wise words. Let me share it with you.

While living in Toulouse, France, I had an experience that transformed my perspective on language learning. One day, I stood in the plaza gazing across at a bank of brick buildings. My GPS had falsely said that the electric company, which I desperately needed, should be exactly where my eyes now found nothing but apartments and store fronts. Helpless, I glanced around at the confident citizens of the town, intimidated at the idea of having to converse with one of them to solve my dilemma.

Although I spoke French, according to my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t. My type A personality had convinced me that I had no business speaking the language if I couldn’t do so with near perfection, so I listened, I read, I wrote, and I avoided speaking whenever possible.

Nearby in the plaza, an older gentlemen stood seemingly waiting for someone to join him. Of all the individuals hurrying this way and that, he looked the most friendly. Tap, tap. “Monsieur, je suis désolée mais pouvez-vous me donner de l’information?” The man looked at me kindly but motioned to his ear and shook his head. I began to repeat myself, more loudly this time. The gentleman stayed my gesturing hands with his own, smiled almost wistfully, and again shook his head. With hesitancy, I bent the fingers of my right hand into the word, “Aidez?” The gentleman’s countenance brightened and his eyes grew round. I had spoken in his own language–not French, but sign language. With my extremely basic ASL, I asked the man if he knew directions to the electric company. To match my basic finger spelling, he answered in simple terms and phrases.

What I learned that day, and the message I share with my beginner French students, is that “the basics” of a language are all that are needed to form a connection and to show compassion and respect for someone. I met the gentlemen in the plaza where he needed with my ASL and he met me where I needed with simple, slow French.

It is my belief that I don’t teach French at Lakehill just so my students can add another skill to their college resumes. No, I teach French so they are equipped with the means to live out our Lakehill mission which states that our students serve with compassion. Armed with just the basics, they can, in fact, form connections and help others in our ever more globalized and diverse society. Visit my beginner French class and you will surely overhear incorrectly conjugated verbs, franglais, anglicismes, and bizarre circumlocation. You will hear the students learning to connect with others, and I think that is a beautiful sound indeed.

Categories
Student Perspectives

Ready to Bloom

By Shelby Britton
Lakehill Preparatory School
Marketing Intern, Class of 2019

To be nervous about something means, to me, that I care about it. I want to see it bloom and grow into something beautiful.

Therefore, when I say that college makes me incredibly nervous, it’s a good sign. After all, it’s something completely new and foreign that comes with deadlines every week, application after application, and–just when you think you’re done and that the downpour of responsibility is over–you realize you have to do it all over again with scholarships.

But, it’s not all doom and gloom. I will admit, at first, I was dreading applying to college. I had no clue where to even begin, much less where to apply, but that feeling is actually a blessing in disguise. Sure, I am nervous about college and moving out of my wonderfully comfortable home, away from my family and friends, and leaving behind the places where I have made my memories.

But, now, in this time of emotional turmoil and last-minute applications, I know ahead of me lies fresh ground to plant my roots, and I know that if I’m nervous, I’m about to bloom.

Categories
Performing Arts

Behind the Scenes

By Mark Guerra
Director, Drama Department
Lakehill Preparatory School
When audiences see a play, they are only seeing the tip of the iceberg, In addition to the actors learning their lines, there is much more that goes on below the surface, or, in this case, behind the scenes. The theater tech crew is the silent army that keeps the cast moving with military precision.

Onstage in the Charles Wyly Auditorium, audiences have been treated to some stunning performances this year. Performers fought a killer vegetable and traveled back to 18th century England, but the real magic is what happens before the run of the production starts, and behind the stage during the show.

Leading our fearless team of backstage techies is sophomore Kate Langley. In addition to managing the Girls Basketball team, playing Softball, and keeping up her GPA, Kate is our Lead Stage Manager in the Performing Arts division. Kate and her family dedicate their time and their hands to any needs that our production has from sets to costumes to props. Kate has interned at a local theater and gained a wealth of knowledge from the professional stage managers with whom she has worked during a production of Les Misérables School Edition. This has given her the advantage to know just what needs to be done to keep the flow of rehearsals and performances running smoothly. With Sense and Sensibility, Kate spent hours formulating an entrance and exit plan for all 22 characters and 45 scenes! Not an easy task, but one that truly made the production as successful as it was. In addition to her work this year, Kate also served as Stage Manager for last year’s productions of On Broadway: A Musical Revue, Radium Girls, and Who Is Theo?

Assisting Kate and me is the job of sophomore Sarah Bradley. Sarah plays on Lakehill’s Softball team, but she is dedicated to theater. Sarah performed in a production of Les Misérables School Edition that I directed last summer, but found that she was more interested in being behind the scenes. Sarah has proved her worth working on the fall musical, Little Shop of Horrors, including operating one of the puppets, and not only Assistant Stage Managed Sense and Sensibility, but handled two walk-on roles in the show as well. Sarah is serving as Assistant Stage Manager for my production of Back to the 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical at Theatre Three, where she is working under a professional stage manager. In addition to all of her stage work, Sarah has played a significant role in the re-organization of Lakehill’s costume, set, and props storage. Sarah is also Lead Assistant for Lakehill’s Lower School Drama Club.

This summer, Kate and Sarah will co-Stage Manage a children’s production of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty for the Musical Theatre Academy at Theatre Three.

For the past two years, Reid Chickering has served as my right-hand man (except for when he broke both of them) and Technical Assistant/Teacher’s Aide.  Reid is a senior at Lakehill who participates in Football, Soccer, and Track, but has made time to serve as the Lighting Technician for our Upper School productions. Reid’s initiative and problem-solving skills have kept things running smoothly in the technical booth.

Although Blake Farokhnia has only served as Technical Assistant/Teacher’s Aide for the spring semester of his senior year, he proved himself to be a great assistant and addition to the Upper School Drama team. Blake has participated in Debate for four years, as well as Varsity Football, Student Ambassadors, Science Club, field events for Track and Field, and the Warrior Outreach Organization (WOO).

So next time you enjoy a performance, remember that there is just as dramatic a production going on behind the scenes.

For more information about Lakehill Preparatory School, visit lakehillprep.org.
Categories
Teaching

A Witness to History

By Elizabeth Schmitt
English Teacher, Lakehill Preparatory School

As a teacher, I am committed to bringing history and literature to life for my students. I have organized field trips to museums and plays, but find it most effective when I bring in an expert speaker to share their experiences. This week, I had the privilege to introduce Max Glauben, a Holocaust survivor, to an assembly of the sixth through twelfth grade students. We all sat rapt listening to his testimony.

At Lakehill, our study of the Holocaust begins in sixth grade with the Diary of Anne Frank. It is often difficult for an eleven-year-old to imagine that such persecution could have happened, that people would have to go into hiding. In ninth grade, our freshmen read  Night, Elie Wiesel’s brief, but powerful memoir of his experience in the concentration camps. With Wiesel’s death last year, I was spurred with the urgency of having a survivor speak to our students. As my freshmen read the text and watched Schindler’s List this January and February, a spike in Anti-Semitic threats and desecration of Jewish cemeteries occurred across the United States. I proposed that we have Glauben speak to our students, and it was arranged through the Dallas Holocaust Museum.

Glauben was 11 when the Nazis invaded his homeland of Poland; 13 during the Warsaw Ghetto uprising; and 15 when the war ended. He told his story without embellishments or visual aids. This simplicity made his words all the more vivid. I was struck by his matter-of-fact description of how his father was one of 100 prisoners taken as hostages because 10 others did not return from a work detail. He spoke of last seeing his father lying face down on the ground. The next morning all that remained were his father’s shoes. Glauben knew that his father had been killed, and that he was now an orphan at 13.

His perseverance and will to survive were driven by a phrase in the Talmud, the ancient Jewish legal text: “He who saves one life saves the world entire.” If Glauben could save himself, he would be able to make a difference, sharing his story and speaking for the more than 1,000,000 children who were killed during the Holocaust, including his younger brother.

At 89, he is preparing to make his twelfth trip back to Poland for the March of the Living. (Lakehill senior Zac Aron will be a part of this trip.) He and his wife Frieda have three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. One of his sons, Barry, attended Lakehill.

This assembly was a highlight of my 16 years at Lakehill for many reasons. My connection to the subject matter is personal. My family is Jewish. My father was a radar operator with the 781st Bomb Squadron of the Army Air Corps during World War II. I remember sitting at the dining room table, listening to him describe flying with two sets of dog tags: one identified him as Jewish, the other did not. He was shot down three times over Eastern Europe. I wouldn’t be here without that second set of tags.

Glauben’s presence transformed an abstract into reality for those assembled. The image of the KL tattooed on his arm will live in all of our memories. His story serves as a powerful reminder that every voice matters.

Categories
Student Perspectives

The Right Balance

By Salma El-Feky, ’17
Marking Intern, Lakehill Preparatory School

Going into my senior year, I wanted to do everything I could possibly do and be involved in every activity. I wanted to make every minute of my senior year count.

Throughout the school year, my parents and I would sit down to discuss my schedule and what was going on that week. We also spent a lot of time talking about my future plans.

During those discussions, my parents gave me some good advice: “Be honest with yourself and find a balance between school, friends, and family.” This advice helped me change the way I approached my school work and my extracurricular activities. I realized that I can’t do every single thing, every single time. I prioritized my responsibilities and focused on those that were the most important. With my new focus, I could make a schedule and stick to it. I learned how to better manage my time. In the past, it was hard for me to admit when I needed help. By communicating more with my teachers, I gained confidence and certainty in completing my assignments. Most importantly, I feel better prepared for the future and for the college experience that is just ahead.

High school is definitely a challenge and can be overwhelming – if you let it be. While I wish I could go back and share this advice with the freshman version of myself, I am glad that I received it now and will carry it with me to college.

Enjoy every moment in high school, get involved, and be active–but remember to be honest with yourself and make sure you seek balance in your life. Schedule your school work, but remember to leave enough hours to get a good night’s sleep and enjoy some down time for yourself. This will keep you from becoming stressed and will allow time for you to enjoy the little moments and make memories.

While I was writing this, I received my first college acceptance letter! I am so grateful for my Lakehill experience and the environment that has allowed me to stay positive and focus on my goals. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Salma El-Feky