Published: August 08, 2008 10:23 pm      

8-9 Education in brief

Orchestra to offer car wash

The Edmond North High School orchestra will host its annual car wash on Aug. 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wal-Mart on Danforth and Santa Fe. Donations are appreciated for this fundraising project to support the Edmond North Orchestra.



Francis Tuttle tobacco-free

Francis Tuttle Technology Center became tobacco-free on Aug. 1 as a part of the district wellness plan. With an emphasis on creating a positive and healthy culture, free of tobacco, the policy prohibits the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco on all school district property.

A significant portion of Francis Tuttle’s student population is comprised of high school students, whom state law has prohibited from using tobacco for many years. This policy merely extends the state law to create a totally tobacco-free environment. Implementation is a cooperative effort of administrators, faculty, staff and students, and applies to employees, students and visitors at all campus locations, including inside vehicles on all school grounds.

Francis Tuttle’s staff wellness plan was implemented earlier this year to encourage regular exercise, (self) diet monitoring and annual physical exams. The district has also arranged several healthy lifestyle education programs, such as a variety of “Lunch and Learn” presentations and “Weight Watchers at Work,” which have been well attended.



Bishop McGuinness golf tourney benefits athletic programs

Bishop McGuinness Irish athletes and coaches greeted 112 golfers as they arrived at the Silverhorn Golf Club clubhouse July 25 for the 2008 Clancy’s All Sports Tee-Off Golf Classic.

Players enjoyed a 4-man scramble with a shotgun start, a luncheon in their honor and an awards ceremony. Prior to the ceremony, several drawings were held for door prizes which included gift cards at local merchants and golf paraphernalia.

Awards were handed out for first and second place.

For the second consecutive year, the team of Pete Penner, Billy Garrett, Jason Davey ’96 and Bryan Schones won 1st place in the Championship Flight. In second place was Terry Flinton ’73 along with sons, Ross Flinton ’06, Keller Flinton ’08 and McGuinness senior Jackson Flinton.

Capturing 1st place in Flight A was the group of Richard Cudjo, Carter McBride ’76, Mark Pruitt and Russell Hollingsworth. Second place went to the team of Gabe Savely ’93, Brian Yost ’93, Jarred Nelson and Matt Savely ’95.

Proceeds benefit the Irish athletic programs which won a record eight state championships last year.



Local student attends engineering and robotics conference

Curtis Jungels, a senior at Edmond Memorial High School, attended the 2008 Congressional student Leadership Conference on Engineering and Robotics in Boston, sponsored by LeadAmerica. The CSLC is a college-accredited invitational leadership program for academically talented and promising young leaders from across the United States and internationally. Curtis joined other exceptional high school students with records of academic achievement and extracurricular or community involvement who were invited to participate in the summer program. He was nominated to attend the conference by Jacci Gantz, his honors English teacher at Edmond Memorial.

The CSLC on Engineering and Robotics is a 10-day leadership program in which students explore the potentials and challenges in some of the most dynamic technologies. In a hands-on learning environment, Curtis and fellow students competed in a series of increasingly difficult engineering challenges that encourage critical thinking and collaboration.

In the Robotics Simulation, students designed, constructed and programmed an automated machine that performs functions operated by the team’s rules and protocols. Throughout the program, students learned about material logistics, mechanical stress, design strategies and more.

LeadAmerica is the nation’s premier youth leadership organization. With a commitment to providing quality leadership education, LeadAmerica empowers teenage leaders and instills in them ethical and principled leadership values, attitudes and skills. Each of its high school conferences is college-accredited and its programs are approved activities of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. LeadAmerica sponsors the Congressional Student Leadership Conference for high school students, the National Junior Leaders Conference for middle and junior high school students, Ambassadors Abroad international study programs in China, Australia and Europe, and Washington Summer Scholars, a college-level academic program held in partnership with American University.