The science fair at Baumholder Middle High School April 22 featured as many different creative projects as the 178 students who participated. "The kids are so excited, and they have shown how much creativity and knowledge that they actually have," said Heather Gladney, science fair coordinator.
"The judges are really impressed by the diversity of projects that we have this year. It says tons about the teachers that we have here at Baumholder High School and Middle School. It’s just great," she said.
Gladney added that the student projects were only limited by their creativity. "We have some that used computers, some that brought in their own projects, and what not. It’s just amazing.
"I just hope to continue to do this because these students impressed the heck out of me," said Gladney.
Participation in the science fair was a requirement for students in grades eight through 12 but two seventh-grade students elected to participate and came up with an unusual finding. Natasha Gladney and Jordan Wilson set out to test the cleanliness of typical public places such as restrooms and restaurants.
"We went to Ramstein, to the mall and Burger King, and we swabbed the ice dispensers, the Coca Cola dispensers, the toilets and the door handles and the door handles to the bathrooms. We then put the samples on a petri dish and we let the bacteria grow for two days," said Gladney.
Not surprisingly, the door handles were the dirtiest. "They got a total of 52 colonies of bacteria. The toilet water only got three, the ice dispenser got seven and the soda dispenser got zero colonies of germs," said Gladney.
"In the ice dispenser we actually found bacteria that causes staph infection and strep throat. The toilet was cleaner than the ice dispenser," said Gladney.
Although Gladney and Wilson’s finding may be a little unsettling to some, they did not set out on their experiment with negative intentions. "We were just trying to test how well things were cleaned," said Wilson.
Senior Derek Maltman enlisted the help of Baumholder’s Directorate of Public Works to help prove his hypothesis. "My hypothesis was that if the areas of the Baumholder community show low levels of different types of pollution it is due to the fact that the European Union has strict regulations of pollution control," said Maltman. Although one of his findings leaned slightly against his hypothesis, overall he determined that he was correct in his hypothesis. He supported his hypothesis by gathering. information from DPW and performing several pH balance tests at the Baumholder Lake.
Maltman found that the pH balance at the lake is a little high.
"Regular water on the pH scale has a pH balance of seven, between acid and alkaline. Seven is normal for water and the lake has an 8.5 alkaline count. That is the average from around the entire lake. It’s a little above average but it’s not going to do anything extreme to your body if you’re in it," said Maltman.
Cora Detherow, a freshman, wanted to prove that the dominant eye color in people was brown.
"I found out that I was correct with my hypothesis, that the dominant eye color was in fact brown, followed by blue, surprisingly," said Detherow.
"I tested by going to the teen center and just asking random people their ethnicity, what their eye color was and their parents’ and siblings’ eye color was. From that I determined what their eye color should have been before they were born and I figured that most people’s eye color was brown,"
Detherow said she has always been fascinated with eyes. "Being able to test for myself which color would be dominant was interesting. It was just kind of fun."
Elyse Montang, a sophomore, took to her roller blades to determine what would be the optimal body position to obtain the best speed over a 31-yard course.
"I wanted to see if by changing quickly to the left or to the right, forward or backward, if it would increase or decrease my speed on roller blades," said Montang.
Montang selected this challenge because of her passion for roller blading. "I was injured once but I love roller blading. I do it every day after school, and it makes me happy, so I wanted to do something concerning roller blading. I timed myself to see how long it would take me to go 31 yards, either going to the left or to the right, standing normal, going forward or backward. I had five different ways of doing it. It came out to be that by leaning forward it made my speed increase and by leaning to the right or left it made me slow down," explained Montang.
Eighth-grader Brynn Matthews wanted to prove that purifying water was best when using the old fashioned method of boiling as opposed to UV light exposure, chemical tablets and other methods.
Her hypothesis was, if she boiled water it would be most effective for killing bacterial growth.
"I found my hypothesis was right: boiled water was the most effective method. After I purified the water, I plated it and took a sample of the water and put it on a petri dish. I put it in an incubator and after a few days I would observe it and see which one had the least bacteria," said Matthews.
Keylanna Hunter, a freshman, disproved the commonly accepted belief that caffeine is an energy booster. "My hypothesis was if I gave long-distance runners caffeine, it would decrease the runners’ pace.
"I gave some long-distance runners caffeine and others something with no caffeine and I let them run at the same time, and the ones with caffeine ran slower."
Hunter elected this experiment because when she was on the school track team she saw that her friend always drank soda and other caffeinated drinks. "I wanted to know, does it make her run slower or does it not affect her at all or does it affect her a lot?" said Hunter.
The third- and fourth-graders stood aloof in a classroom at Aukamm Elementary School. They eyed their partners and watched for subtle signals — anything to give one another a sense of understanding.
Smiles. Head nods. Questioning furrows of their brows.
After all, it’s difficult to talk to someone when you don’t know how to speak the language.
"But I don’t worry about that," said Ute Bopp, Aukamm’s host nation teacher about the language barrier students encounter during German-American school exchanges.
"It just works."
During a morning of German-American activities April 22, students — 22 American and 26 Nauheim German Elementary School students — found ways to communicate.
Aukumm Elementary School third-grader Ethan Hybl smiled and pointed during a memory game with his German partners Lara Wendorff and Eva Lugert.
In the gymnasium, Aukamm third-grader Daryl Guerra made use of his German-language skills to better his team’s strategy in a game of knocking down bowling pins.
The day’s interaction went well beyond the usual lessons on German or English vocabulary for animals, colors and numbers.
"Ask your partners if they need to use the restroom," Bopp said as she prepared to lead the groups to the next activities.
Brief exchanges ensued with most children pointing the way and shrugging their shoulders.
"We just want them to make friendships and have a positive experience with Americans and the English language," said Frau Andrea Buss, teacher for the German elementary school students.
For most of her students, Buss said, the day provided the first interaction with American children.
Guerra raced up and down a school hallway with his German partners as he introduced his enthusiastic pals to an American elementary school.
The students created masks, played games, did puzzles and finished a German-American worksheet which asked questions about American schools in the German language.
"I hope that they see that there are differences and to accept the differences," said Bopp as she stood outside the music classroom, the students pushing through an instrumental performance on recorders.
In the art room, Aukamm third-grade teacher Ron Voyer helps to explain to students in German and English how to create a mask. He likes the host nation exchanges, he said, especially when students have their visual "Aha" moments in their interactions.
"This really gets the contact," said Voyer. "And they see they are really no different."
"Just
imagine — it was only 20 years ago that two forces stood facing each other with
nuclear weapons … and you can see what a dangerous situation that was."
For the listeners in Wiesbaden High School’s library, many of whom were not even born when the Iron Curtain cracked open in 1989, guest speaker Uta Thofern’s description of life on the border between East and West at Point Alpha was a look back at something many of their parents experienced first-hand.
The director of the Point Alpha Foundation visited the school Sept. 22 to provide insights about the Cold War and what it was like for those who stood watch on the border near Geisa/Rasdorf.
A memorial to those who lost their lives during the Cold War, the former U.S. Army Camp Point Alpha is now a multi-media museum inviting visitors of all ages for a look back at the tensions that grew in the wake of World War II and the eventual "peaceful revolution" that ended the Cold War.
"We try to keep these times in our memories," said Thofern. "I think sometimes people don’t realize what freedom is … what your fathers did to preserve freedom."
Thofern told the students that two of the members of the Point Alpha Foundation were determined to escape the oppression of the Soviet Bloc as teenagers. She described how as a 16-year-old one of the members "succeeded in escaping by crawling through the minefields." The young man left his parents behind and risked being killed to live in freedom, she said, adding that another member tried to escape at age 19 but was injured in the attempt and caught by the East German guards.
"In the end, freedom came to him" when the Iron Curtain eventually crumbled, she said.
As a U.S. observation post in the Fulda Gap along the border between Hesse and Thuringia, Point Alpha quickly lost its significance with the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. After members of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment departed in 1991, the post stood vacant before being used to house refugees from 1992-95. Being placed under protection as a monument in 1995 led to the establishment of the Point Alpha Memorial which today includes multi-media museum exhibits, recorded testimonials by veterans who were stationed at Point Alpha, observation towers, the House on the Border (an exhibit depicting life in East Germany) and a reconstructed strip of the former border.
"People didn’t want the camp to be torn down," said Thofern. After awareness and money were raised to preserve the monument "we were very grateful that we could save the camp for future generations," she added.
A new exhibition at the Point Alpha Memorial called the Path of Hope focuses on the "peaceful revolution" that occurred throughout the East Bloc, Thofern said. Similar to the biblical Stations of the Cross, the sculptures serve as a reminder of the peaceful resistance to communist dictatorships. "The art project on the actual border, made from rusty iron, symbolizes the resistance in all of Eastern Europe and the belief in freedom and change," she said. "The last station will open in October 2010 marking 20 years since reunification."
"This very close part of history needs to be discussed," she said. "We really feel obliged to remember."
Visitors are invited as individuals or groups to visit the Point Alpha Memorial. It is open April to October daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., November to March daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and December to February Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Entrance is €4 for adults, €3 for students or €12.50 for a family. School groups of 10 or more pay €1.50 per person.
To book a guided tour or for more information call civ (06651) 919 030 or email service@pointalpha.com. Information about Point Alpha is also available online at www.pointalpha.com.
A living museum, poetry recitals and a sea life presentation showcased Smith Elementary School’s talents May 14 at an "Evening of the Stars" event.
Family members and friends were invited to Smith Elementary School for a Parent Teacher Organization meeting, basket raffle, yearbook sales, refreshments, a book fair and to check out their children’s projects.
Books created through the Young Author project were displayed in the library and throughout the school. Students read their books in their classrooms for everyone to hear while other classrooms featured students reading their original poems.
The books will be taken to Smith Child Development Center to be read to children.
Smith Elementary student Autumn Hester said she feels good about the project. "I learned a lot by creating this book. I learned a lot of words," she said.
"It is fun. I like seeing what the kids have done in class. They talk about what they have done when they come home, but now I get to see what they do, and I think it is nice," said a parent.
The gym was full of students dressed as famous people in a "living museum." The students researched the historical figure and then dressed up as that person. After visitors pressed a button on the student, he or she spoke about the history and life of the person.
Soon Kim, dressed as Neil Armstrong, said he learned a lot by researching the well-known astronaut. "I learned a lot. I learned when he was born and what he did," he said. Kim said he was glad his mother was able to come and see the living museum.
Fourth-grade teacher Carolyn Phillips has been hosting the living museum for the past five years. "Each year this activity gets better and better. In order to prepare for the event it takes about three weeks to research the scientist/inventor, create the costumes and rehearse the researched information. The purpose of the living museum is to give the students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with various scientists and inventors as well as using public speaking skills and creativity when designing costumes which match the description of the scientist/inventor," said Phillips.
Evening of the Stars has been an event in the past for Smith Elementary School, but in addition to the usual activities planned, first-grade teacher Louise Gregory held an Evening of the Science Stars for the first year in her classroom.
Huge signs advertising the event were outside the first-grade classroom door. Signs advertised Guido the iguana, newly hatched baby birds, the class’s new science equipment and the science stars in action.
Science activities were on display as parents were guided by science stars around the classroom.
Students from Gregory’s class were dressed in white lab coats and carried electric magnifying glasses. Displays included a giant snail, baby walking sticks, baby fish, a science investigation table, plant display and sea life display.
Throughout the classrooms displays invited visitors to learn more about various science-based themes.
A select few young people at Wiesbaden Middle School achieved the distinction of being admitted to the National Junior Honor Society.
In front of their families and schoolmates the 15 pupils were inducted into the society during a ceremony April 2 at the school.
To be considered for membership the young people were required to excel in the areas of scholarship, citizenship, leadership, service and character.
“We also had to write an essay,” said inductee Amanda Ravensbergen. “It took a lot of thought. I had to tell why I would be a good member for the Honor Society.”
“Lots and lots of kids apply,” said principal Alexia Venglik. “It’s prestigious. It boosts their confidence in their academic ability.”
Admitting that he had not been a good student guest speaker, Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, 1st Armored Division commander, said “My mother would be upset if she knew I was speaking to an honor society.”
Hertling said the ideals of the society are interrelated.
“You can’t have leadership without character,” said Hertling. “You have to lead not for yourself but for others. Think of someone who has made a difference in your life. If that person reached out and touched you; that’s leadership.”
Hertling advised the inductees to consider education a lifelong endeavor. “A good education is not what you have today, it’s what it causes you to want to learn in the future,” said Hertling. “When you want to learn (in order) to make yourself a better person -- that’s education.”
Paying for higher education has never been easy, but a struggling economy presents even more challenges.
Thankfully, in a military community, financial aid and a host of other resources are available to help high school graduates and their parents cover some of the expenses they will face when heading off to college, a technical school or other institution of higher learning.
Wiesbaden High School’s Big Bucks for College program is one of those providing graduates with a financial booster shot to get started.
"It’s an important program because when students go on to college there are always upfront costs … not covered by scholarships," said Bernie Reichel, Big Bucks for College chairperson, explaining that Big Bucs supplies graduating seniors in the program with several hundred dollars each which can be used to help buy a laptop, pay for housing expenses or other immediate needs.
"What they need is an acceptance letter and to perform about 10 hours of volunteer service," said Chris Criley, the high school’s Big Bucs teacher sponsor.
"This is a great way for the community to get together," Criley said. "It’s important to support further education. It’s also important to help these kids have a start with all of their extraneous expenses."
"My son’s a senior," said Percy Black, a member of the Big Bucks support team that meets regularly to plan upcoming fund-raising activities and events. "Hopefully this will help offset the financial costs of college."
Black added that the program also helps students better understand the challenges their parents face in paying for higher education and gives them a stake in the process by inviting them to volunteer as part of the Big Bucks program.
Community involvement is expanding, Black said. "It’s starting to grow because a lot of parents were involved in sporting events and now they’re back. The enthusiasm is great."
A Polish Pottery Big Bucks Bingo event was held March 20 to help raise money for the continuing education of graduating seniors. The event featured food, auctions, prizes and celebrity callers. Participants also sold breakfast during the recent Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Drill Team competition at the school to raise Big Bucks funds.
A couple more Big Bucks events are on the horizon.
The high school’s Drama Club teams up with the Big Bucks program March 27 and 28 during their presentation of Richard Young’s "Ducks at 35,000 and Other Plays." A pasta dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the curtain rises at 7 p.m. The meal will feature salad, bread, pasta and drinks served by seniors. Cost is $4 for children and $6 for adults and must be purchased in advance at the school.
Admission to the play is $5 for adults and $3 for children and can be paid for in advance or at door.
A Big Bucks Family Fun Fest is slated to be held May 2 from 2-8 p.m. at the high school. The event will feature carnival activities, auctions, games, jail, a celebrity dunk tank, student performers from all of the Wiesbaden schools and more.
Criley said the Big Bucks program was launched three years ago, and that year nearly 40 graduates received $500 apiece. Last year graduates were given $300 each, and organizers hope to better that amount this year, depending on how much money is raised.
Parents meet almost weekly to plan fund-raising events. During a session March 11 parents discussed items to be available for auction, various attractions that will be featured during the Family Fun Fest and brainstormed other ways to raise money.
"College is hard enough without them having to worry about their money," said Di Penzien, mother of a high school senior and Big Bucks team member. "Plus they work for it through Big Bucks. … We’re just offering them support. It’s good to know that other people care."
"This is my third time participating this year," said Agnes Clifton, whose son is a high school senior. "It’s great to provide financial support. You always need money for something."
Peter Witmer, school liaison officer, who helped launch the program, said he was inspired by a similar program at Baumholder Middle High School (see Buc Night in Schoolbits).
"We wanted to make this a community event — not just an effort by the school. Also, we wanted to have a noble cause behind it."
Energizing 100s of people through corporate sponsor support, parental and student involvement was the goal, he said. "There’s always an opportunity for people to help out and join in — they can bring their family or come on their own."
With a brand new cast of players, Witmer added that the Big Bucks programs are never the same; there are always new features at the events. "We’ve never done one of these things the same way twice."
For more information, to provide financial or corporate support, or to get involved in the planning of Big Bucks call Chris Criley at civ (0611) 3600 5126 or email chris.criley@eu.dodea.edu.
Boy and Girl Scouts from the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden community are mentoring and tutoring elementary school students as part of their community service requirement.
The goal of the program is for the pupils to achieve a level of confidence in their academic abilities as they prepare to take the Terra Nova tests next month.
"To have this one-on-one experience — they can very clearly see the benefit of their time and effort," said Cadet Troop leader Karen Ravensbergen. "It’s leadership, and they have to find the confidence in themselves to instruct the student."
Boy Scout Will Thrippleton was paired with third-grade pupil Nicholas Barron to work on improving Barron’s math word problem skills.
"Will came up with his own creative method for teaching his student," said Ravensbergen. "He saw the weakness and he devised a rather complex word problem and broke it down step-by-step." The approach demonstrated how to solve the problem, to learn math facts and apply the concepts, she said.
"I just thought of it randomly," said Thrippleton. "Break it down to the itiest, bitiest pieces and then solve it. I made him do it on his own."
"I learned to write down the information and go step-by-step to solve it," said Barron.
"Both of them felt good" after seeing the results of their efforts, said Ravensbergen.
This is the second year the Scouts have offered the mentoring/tutoring program. It is back at the request of Hainerberg Elementary School Principal Dr. Barbara Hickman, who saw the impact on the school’s reading incentive program, Reading Counts.
"Dr. Hickman asked us to do it again because it had really been such a positive experience," said Ravensbergen. "Pupils who had never taken a Reading Counts test were taking them (last year) and getting recognition. Their confidence in reading grew."
Ravensbergen said the Scouts feel as if they have personally invested in the child they are tutoring because they want to make sure their student is successful.
The program targets third-grade pupils who are identified by their respective teacher as being in need of assistance with math or reading. "We also need the parent’s support so that the child can remain after school for the tutoring," said Ravensbergen.
Typically three to four children from each third-grade class participate in the weekly tutoring sessions. There are enough tutors available that they can team up on a one-to-one ratio. The pairs scatter throughout the library, at tables or in rocking chairs and even some with books and paper spread on the floor, working quietly together toward the common goal of personal growth.
Long after most students and teachers have left Wiesbaden High School for the evening, a team of dedicated individuals are hard at work brainstorming and preparing their entry for the 2009 Robotics Contest to be held in Las Vegas, Nev., March 24-29.
“Last year we went as part of the DoDDS-Europe AFNorth team,” said Frank Pendzich, team adviser and an instructor in Engineering Technology and Professional Technical Studies. “We built a part of the robot. This year we’re going with our own robot.”
About 30 students have enlisted in the cause — helping promote, raise funds and perform other vital missions to prepare this year’s entry — with some “14 hard-core students working on the robot, case or programming,” said Pendzich.
“They’ve spent hundreds of hours fundraising and working on the robot,” he said, explaining that the project nurtures a wide variety of educational skills and objectives such as problem-solving; practical applications of math, science and physics; teamwork; leadership; and quality control. “Engineering, by its definition, is learning to solve problems using math and science.”
Various subject matter experts such as engineers from General Motors in Rüsselsheim, the Corps of Engineers Europe Division and Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe Information Technology Division have pitched in to support the Wiesbaden Robotics team.
“One person, one adult, could not do this alone. It takes a team of adults and support from the community and DoDDS-Europe,” said Pendzich. “I’m excited and enthralled that they’re willing to let us go. … to give us a chance to display to the world our students’ technical prowess.”
Members of the team, parents, mentors and others gathered Jan. 3 to share a potluck dinner and view a worldwide webcast of this year’s game design. At that time they learned what challenges they faced at the upcoming competition.
“The biggest challenge is time. They only have six weeks to build the robot,” he said, explaining that with the many issues that arise while working on a project such as late parts arrival, “in essence it’s a real engineering experience.”
“It’s a little stressful. It’s not something you can plan for all year long,” said senior Bajon Julien, a veteran from last year’s team. “Every year the rules are different — nothing’s the same. … When you get to the competition, you don’t know what to expect. You have to work together to win. You get inspiration from the other teams.”
Julien, who said he would like to pursue a career in information technology, said the experience gained while working on the project was invaluable. “I’m not only learning about it, I’m programming it as well. The only thing that really limits you is your creativity.”
Scott Paul, a team mentor and network administrator for DoDDS-Europe’s Information Technology Division, said he appreciated the chance to get involved. “It’s a fun project. This is probably the most advanced I’ve seen, especially at the high school level. This is stuff I was doing in my senior year in college.”
Paul added that encouraging young people to pursue technical studies classes at the high school level was important. “We don’t have enough technical classes in my opinion to match up to foreign competition. There aren’t enough programs and critical thinking.”
Projects such as the Robotics contest go a long way toward promoting those skills, he said, adding that U.S. colleges frequently spend the first two years in “getting kids to catch up. If you can teach them at the high school level they’ll already have a head start.”
“Overall this is a good experience for any kind of engineering,” said senior Cody Fischer, another Robotics contest veteran. “It’s a good boost for college.”
High school junior Gabriela Miranda, who was working on the robot’s optical programming with Julien and Paul, said she was excited about the chance to compete in Las Vegas. “This is my first year. Basically I’m learning everything I have to do as a programmer.”
“We see this as an opportunity to blaze the trail for other schools interested in expending this much effort to teach engineering,” said Pendzich, adding that only two DoDDS-Europe schools will be among the thousands of students competing in Las Vegas.
Not only do students have the opportunity to network with engineers from such prestigious organizations as NASA, they also get the chance to compete for more than $9 million in scholarships, Pendzich said.
It’s a true team-building experience, he added, calling it “gracious professionalism. The competition allows teams to compete against one another, but it also encourages them to work together to meet their goals.”
The competition was founded more than a decade ago by Dean Kamen, inventor, scientist and head of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology organization, to promote future “science and technology heroes.”
As students continue to work on the project in preparation for the competition in March, “we welcome the community to come back and see our progress,” Pendzich said.
She was apprehensive as she stood outside Hainerberg Elementary School early Sept. 2 thinking about the big change about to take place in her life.
"I’m nervous," said Jazmin Bonilla.
She was not a student. Bonilla was at the school dropping off her youngest child, Veronica, for the first day of kindergarten. "I’m wondering what I’m going to do with all of my free time. Maybe I’ll go work out," she said tentatively.
For full-time mothers who have spent most of their waking moments caring for their little ones, the first day of a home that is free of children is a novelty. In some ways the new freedom can be like getting back a little bit of her life.
"I’m thinking of applying for a job here at Hainerberg," said Rachel Rodriguez, who watched as her youngest lined up with the other children according to their class assignment.
Teacher Hilda Jewell said the first full day apart can be a huge transition for some mothers and youngsters. Jewell had a special lesson plan prepared with something for both.
"We will read ‘The Kissing Hand,’ a story about a little raccoon who talks with his mother about his fears of beginning school. His mother takes his hand and kisses his palm and says that whenever he feels lonely he should put his hand to his cheek and that the kiss will jump to his face," said Jewell. "It is a wonderful and heartwarming story to share with little ones."
Jewell had prepared homemade "kissing hand" cookies (hand-shaped with a chocolate kiss in the palm) for her students and planned to give parents a first day gift that included a cotton ball representing the "softness of the gentle spirit of the child," a bag of tea to enjoy during a quiet moment and a note thanking the parent for "entrusting your child to me for the coming year."
Not all of the kindergartners were fearful of their first day at school. Tawnya Harrison said her son Dionis was thrilled with his new school things. "He kept touching his new ‘Diego’ backpack last night." Indeed he looked spit-polish perfect wearing a new jacket, holding the new backpack and sporting a mile-wide grin.
Many parents took pictures or videotaped their child to document the milestone. Others gave last-minute hugs and kisses and seemed amazed their "baby" was growing up.
Then the time came for the teachers and education aides to lead the youngsters away. Off they went — some smiling, some still looking slightly nervous.
And then there was little Veronica, still crying as she headed for the school entrance clinging to her mother’s hand, not quite ready for the big separation.
Just another day in the world of a kindergartner.
Schools will be back in session on Aug. 25 and that means a new year for the Sure Start program.
Now is the time for families who qualify to submit an application. Applications for Sure Start are currently being accepted by Hainerberg Elementary School in Wiesbaden and Wetzel and Smith Elementary Schools in Baumholder. Selections for Sure Start will be made beginning the week of Aug. 18 for the 2008-2009 school year.
Children must be 4 years old by Oct. 31 of the year that they enroll.
Applications are available at the schools or online at www.dodea.edu/curriculum.
"Sure Start is an early intervention program for families in our school community with priority given to children whose sponsor’s rank is in the E1-E4 or GS1-GS4, (GS/National Security Personnel System pay bank 1, rank equivalent) or Non Appropriated Fund, NAF1 or NAF2 range, living and working at military installations overseas," said Peter Witmer, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden school liaison officer.
Department of Defense Dependent Schools-Europe allows sponsors with a rank of E5-E9 or GS5-GS9, NSPS (pay band 1, rank equivalent) or NAF3-NAF4 (rank equivalent) to apply for the program. But Witmer cautioned that "it is with the understanding that priority is given to students whose sponsor is in the first eligibility category."
"This program is modeled after the Head Start program in the U.S. and is designed to assist 4-year-old students to be ready to begin kindergarten when they are 5," said Witmer.
Sure Start is appropriate for all children but primarily serves those considered "at risk" of not doing well in school later in life because of their economic situation, health or family circumstances.
"Sure Start is a bridge between the program and the services that the military community offers," said Hainerberg Elementary School Sure Start teacher Georgene Zaydell.
The program strives for involved participation from the child’s family, the school and the community. DoDDS-E officials said this "multipronged approach to the delivery of services distinguishes Sure Start from all other DoDEA programs." Students receive a quality preschool education, medical, dental and developmental screenings, well-balanced meals and snacks, and involvement from the family, according to officials.
"Volunteer hours are required from the sponsor or parent," said Hainerberg Elementary School registrar Tomekia Williams. "It steers the parent in the direction of learning the importance of being involved in their child’s education."
"The biggest thing (about Sure Start) is giving parents confidence," said Zaydell. "Through the active participation they realize that they truly are the first and foremost important teacher in their child’s life. Children are truly ready for school after being in Sure Start."
"I knew how to do 100 plus 200, you know, because one plus one equals two," said 7-year-old Tidal Rogers, a former Sure Start student. Zaydell added that Tidal was almost ready to begin reading by the time he completed Sure Start.
Before the start of the school year applications for enrollment are reviewed by an advisory committee made up of school and community members. "Priority in selecting 18 children to enroll in the program is given to dependents in the first category," said Witmer. The remaining applicants are placed on a waiting list. If an opening occurs during the school year the same set of criteria is used for filling the vacancy with an applicant from the waiting list.
Junior enlisted parents are encouraged to stop by their community’s elementary school and take the necessary steps to apply for the program and give their child a "sure start" for future success in school.
They huddled over computer screens, conferred over aeronautical designs, slaved over hot stoves and concentrated diligently on any number of other endeavors in Heidelberg’s Village Pavilion April 30 and May 1.
Students from throughout Europe were in Heidelberg to participate and compete in the annual Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe Professional Technical Studies Exposition.
The expo, coordinated by educators, and dedicated to advancing the technical skills of DoDDS-Europe students, is modeled after similar stateside Skills USA and Technology Student Association competitions.
"The competition simulates real-life situations as if they were on the job," said Leslie Jones, Department of Defense Education Activity Business and Video Education coordinator, who was present as a judge for the Engineering Drawing Contest, Computer Aided Drafting. "It allows them to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. In the classroom they learn about abstract topics, and this allows them to pull it all together into something concrete."
"I like designing things on the computer," said Wiesbaden 10th-grader Kelsey Howard as she worked on her wooden aircraft in the Aeronautic Design Challenge with fellow Wiesbaden ninth-grader Austin Baxter. "My main event is computer animation.
"I think the expo is cool. I like building things," she added.
"I think it’s a good way for people to learn how to improve their skills," said Hanau Middle High School’s D’Shaun Carroll as he competed in the Level One Culinary Arts Contest. Carroll and fellow Hanau students Kristen Claus and Shanterra Scott were busy preparing breakfast in the Village Pavilion kitchen as judges monitored every step of the process.
"I plan on being a chef later on in my life," said Carroll, adding that he would like to attend culinary arts school.
"This is like the Department of Defense Education Activity’s Iron Chef (competition)," said Lilia Pellicano, family consumer science and culinary arts teacher at Hanau Middle High School and a judge at last year’s DoDDS-Europe Professional Studies Expo.
As the first and last time the Hanau school, which will close forever in June, has entered the competition, Pellicano said students worked overtime to prepare and to be able to enter both the Level One and Two cooking contests. "We’ve been cooking every single class. We started with the basics of food nutrition, worked on cutting techniques and learned cooking terms…."
Pellicano, who comes from a restaurant family in Texas, said the students were "stoked" to have the chance to display their skills and abilities. "This is our first and our last one. I’ve been cramming this curriculum into one year. A couple of these kids are planning on continuing on to culinary arts school."
In addition to cooking skills, judges watch for overall cleanliness, preparation, technique and how well the students work together, she added.
As students focused on the task at hand in the kitchen, fellow DoDDS participants peered through camera lenses capturing them at work as part of the Photographic Imagery Competition.
Wiesbaden High School posted a roster of newcomers for this year’s photo competition, and the atmosphere for some was cause for anxiety.
"It’s kind of an intense atmosphere because everyone is pretty into it," said Ariel Reichel, Wiesbaden High senior.
"I’m kind of not prepared," said Janelle Rojas, a Wiesbaden sophomore who looked tense as she stood quietly taking things in just after arrival. "I haven’t taken a photography class or anything so I don’t know what to expect."
In 13 photographs, each contestant was to "capture the essence of the expo" without the aid of photo enhancing software.
"We are trying to separate the real photographers from the lucky ones," said Joe Smith, Heidelberg High School teacher. "So if they don’t know what depth of field or blurred action is, they’re not going to get it."
By the end of competition the different skill levels would be discerned, and though the initial impression for some caused worry, the outlook was yet hopeful.
"I hope to meet new people and learn more about technology," said Rick Greenlund, a Wiesbaden junior.
"I’d like to do well in the competition; I’d like to just do something," said Wiesbaden sophomore Samira Almendras.
In addition to the many contests, students also had the opportunity to attend a host of seminars ranging from Satellite Technology to Boat Technology and Design during the two-day event.
Excellence on and off the field
Baumholder Middle High School challenges all students to excel
By Karl Weisel
U.S. Army Garrison Hessen/Wiesbaden Public Affairs Office
Academics and athletics go hand in hand at Baumholder Middle High School.
After celebrating another school year of excellence on football fields, volleyball and basketball courts, at cheerleading competitions and on wrestling mats at the Department of Defense Dependents Schools European Championships, Baumholder students spent March 11-14 measuring how they rank academically against schools nationwide in the Terra Nova testing program.
"Our scores went up across the board last year," said Principal Danny Robinson. "We’ve found that the scores of students who stay in our school for a number of years go up."
Baumholder students and administrators seem united in their praise of a learning environment that encourages cooperation and student achievement.
"This year we have seven Advanced Placement classes," said Robinson, describing the many initiatives including honors classes, the school’s mentoring program, the Elite Eight, Magnificent Seven and various other programs that encourage and highlight achievement. Students in the middle school grades who excel are also permitted to take higher level algebra and foreign language classes, he said.
"It’s a small school [population is about 390 this year], but I like the teachers here," said 11th-grader Todd Harrison, who recently transferred to Baumholder. "By the school being small, it’s very easy to communicate and offers a peaceful environment."
Harrison, who takes AP classes, said the Terra Nova tests "ask good questions. They make you think."
"School-wide we’re always looking for new things to help the kids prepare for the Terra Nova tests," said Mandy Quevedo, school guidance director. "We try to infuse things in the curriculum," he said, explaining that teaching test-taking tips, how to read charts, graphs and diagrams, and concentrating on specific areas of science are not specifically aimed at Terra Nova, but at helping students be more successful overall. "Of course we don’t teach the Terra Nova."
Getting students motivated to really strive on the tests is also important, Quevedo said. "That’s always the trick — getting the kids enthused in it. Some decisions are made from the results. I think the wide majority of students realize how important the tests are."
The school’s Parent Teacher Association is a strong supporter of the Terra Nova experience, said Assistant Principal Chip Bassett, explaining that a project managed by National Honor Society member Steven Billington provided snacks for every student during break periods on Terra Nova test days.
"We’re also rewarding students in June," he said, "with a celebration recognizing both good behavior and scores."
To further encourage all students to strive for higher learning, the school principal said students went through an AP seminar early in the school year aimed at "creating an AP culture" with lessons on how to form study groups and addressing such issues as ethics and plagiarism. "The neat thing about that is, kids who were in AP before bring their unique experiences to help mentor their peers."
"At-risk" students — those who seem to be struggling academically — are also provided encouragement and individual attention, Robinson said. "This school looks at all kids at all levels. Any child who comes in this school, we look at their unique needs and address them."
"The teachers want to help you," said ninth-grader J’Mil Wilson. "They give you homework for a reason. They really care about everybody. … They acknowledge you for everything you do."
Wilson added that he thought the Terra Nova tests were valuable, adding that is was important not to rush through them. "Most important is that they show what you’ve learned."
Coach Carter Hollenbeck, who celebrated football and basketball championships this school year, said encouraging his students to excel academically was a vital part of the equation. "We demand a lot of our students as far as academics. My motto is ‘Family, School and whatever sport I’m teaching’ in that order." In other words, students should take care of their home life, make sure they maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and then worry about sports, he said.
"We believe in the system that academics pay off," Hollenbeck said, adding that it is not enough to help students get into college, but to guide them toward remaining in college and graduating.
"Kids come first," said Hollenbeck, who in addition to coaching teaches world history, honors world history, yearbook and physical education. "When you show the kids you care they’ll do anything for you. … We have a lot of coaches who care and the kids know it."
'Grade Speed'
Computer program gives parents daily look at student progress
By Karl Weisel
U.S. Army Garrison Hessen/Wiesbaden Public Affairs Office
What if rather than waiting for report cards and mid-term conferences, parents could track the progress of their children in school on a daily basis?
Having the ability to see exactly how their young ones are scoring on tests, whether or not they are showing up for classes and what special projects they might be working on would allow parents to play a greater role in the day-to-day support of their children’s education.
That’s exactly what the Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe new online "Grade Speed" program provides. Introduced as a pilot program this school year, Grade Speed enables parents to view student progress from wherever they may be located, provided they have access to the Internet.
"I use it everyday," said the Hanau Red Cross’ Deborah Welch, whose son attends Hanau Middle High School. "I go online — look at the attendance and look at his grades."
Welch explained that being able to play a daily role in monitoring her son’s progress gives her better insight into exactly what he is working on and whether excused student absences are being properly recorded.
"I think it’s the most phenomenal program the school has ever done," she said, adding that while many teens may not feel the need or desire to share with their parents exactly what is occurring in school, the Grade Speed program offers a rare window into that world for parents. "When my son comes home and I ask him, ‘how was school today?’ and he says nothing, now I know if there is something he should be working on or not."
Welch added that now her son also returns home from school excited to see if she has checked in whenever he does well. "He’ll be excited when he gets a good grade."
"Basically we’re in the test phase this year," said Oren Eddie, Hanau Middle High School educational technologist. "After the completion of this test and implementation phase, there will be an evaluation of the program where the findings will be shared, analyzed and reviewed. These steps are just part of the necessary process for DoDDS-Europe to ensure a quality, complete and fully successful planned implementation of the program next year.
"Grade Speed is a parent-teacher-student connection. It’s web-based and accessible 24 hours a day," he said, explaining that the program is just another way for DoDDS to increase the partnership between parents and their children’s school.
"Other schools are using it in the States," added Eddie. "DoDDS is using it to better improve the integration of curriculum with the overall learning process."
Besides grades and attendance, parents can also view assignments.
"Today with technology, more things are available. Grade Speed is one of the ways we’re moving as a society, using new tools. We want to ensure that our children and parents have the same opportunities as their peers stateside — being on the cutting edge," Eddie said.
"If parents see that their children are planning a project or going on a school trip, they can better help their child prepare. This is not an ‘I gotch ya’ program, it’s a tool to improve the educational process," he said.
The program is also user friendly, Eddie said, explaining that parents can visit the school’s home page (www.hana-hs.eu.dodea.edu) and click on the "Grade Speed" link to enter the site after logging in. "It’s confidential and there is a verification process to ensure only eligible parents or guardians may enter."
"If you have access to the Internet you’re able to do this — even if you are deployed somewhere," Eddie said, adding that both parents can have an account.
For links to all of the schools in the DoDDS system visit www.eu.dodea. edu/all.htm. If you can’t find a link to the Grade Speed program on your school’s home page, call your local school for more information about gaining access.
P
uberty, peer pressure and mood swings make early adolescence — the years between 10 and 15 — a challenging time.To draw attention to the ways parents can support these youngsters, the teachers and administrators at Wiesbaden Middle School are celebrating the Month of the Young Adolescent this month.
“This is a special age group. It’s not just about knowing your child — it’s understanding the mental and biological changes that are occurring at this time in their life,” said Deena Brown, an eighth-grade history teacher at the school and organizer of the observance.
The school hosted a parent night Oct. 2 with four workshops covering adolescent issues: understanding adolescence, communication tips, how to discuss sex, and peer pressure.
“The most important thing in the universe for a 12-year old is to be just normal,” said Dr. Frankie Nielson, the school counselor. “They do not want to stand out. They don’t want to be the tallest, shortest; not even the smartest. They want to be right in the middle where it is very comfortable. So they look at each other, constantly comparing themselves against their peers. They’re always looking in the mirror assessing their ears, nose, hair.
“They have this quest of ‘am I OK?’ They instinctively invent an imaginary survival pool. And they want to be right in the middle of the pool,” Nielson said. The worst thing possible for an adolescent, she continued, is to be different, to stand out. To be different is to be a target for ridicule. “Kids are very hard on each other,” she said.
Clothes are a big part of how children decide whether or not they measure up. “Clothes are probably the most important thing in middle school. Why? They want to dress like everybody else,” said Nielson. And if students don’t, they get teased.
One of the most important things for a middle schooler, she said, is to figure out what it takes to avoid being teased. “You’re supposed to come into the fold … you’re supposed to conform.” Conformity, Nielson continued, is one of the definitions of survival in middle school.
Adolescence can be a time of storm and stress. “There is a lot of conflict between parents and children during this particular time,” said Francie Marais, the Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Service counselor at Wiesbaden High School. The conflict is a result of the pushing and pulling that goes on as a child seeks out independence, she said.
“Words are powerful,” said Marais, as she discussed communication tips. “The words we give our children stick with them. We don’t always know how our words are being perceived by our children.”
“We also communicate with body language — that look in our eye,” Marais said.
Everyone has emotional needs — to be loved, to belong and to be valued and recognized, she continued. Children need to be affirmed at home or they are at risk for searching out affirmation from groups such as gangs.
“The first thing you need to do is communicate love,” Marias advised, using phrases such as ‘I’m proud of you,’ or ‘your hair looks great.’ Parents can always find something beautiful and good about their child, she said.
Parents should also encourage their children to talk to them. “It’s important to listen to them … to let them tell their stories and not shut them down,” she said. “By listening to them we know what they are thinking and you know what you need to teach them.
“Take note, pay attention and make sure you’re doing your best to tell them how special they are,” concluded Marais.
The difficult subject of discussing sex with middle schoolers was tackled by Samantha Jablonski, a family and consumer science teacher at Wiesbaden High School. “The goal for today is to create a safe environment for parents to ask questions about answering their child’s questions about sexuality,” said Jablonski.
Children need and want to hear this information from parents, she said, even if they say they don’t, because parents are safe; they care about their children. “You don’t want them getting it from their friends,” Jablonski added, “because their friends are wrong.”
Communication is key. “Your child needs to know they can communicate with you. They need to feel safe to come to you and tell you that someone is touching them on their private parts,” Jablonski said. “Studies show if they have an open relationship and can ask their parents about sex, they will abstain longer from anal, oral and vaginal sex.”
Jablonski said parents should provide the basics of reproductive health for both genders, teach their children how to say no, how to protect themselves and their values regarding sexuality.
Jill Barrett, the middle school ASACS counselor, concluded the evening by discussing peer pressure. “Children learn about peer pressure from us. They see how we’re influenced. They watch us and see how we deal with our friends, our colleagues.
“Adolescence is a battleground — they’re trying to figure out who they are,” she continued. Friends are extremely important to this age group.
Barrett suggested that parents get their children involved in activities and groups that reward them for accomplishments other than how they look. She also said parents should invite their child’s friends to their home and meet their parents.
To help teens resist peer pressure, Barrett said role playing helps. “It is important that they realize they have choices,” she said.
With the school year beginning, parents and children may be concerned about bullies.
Studies show that bullying begins in elementary school, peaks in middle school and falls off in high school. Bullies tend to use either emotional or physical abuse to try to gain power and control over their victims.
Emotional abuse comes in many forms — name calling, intimidation, threatening and teasing. Physical abuse may include punching, slapping, pinching, spitting and shoving.
If parents notice that their child is trying to avoid going to school, pretending to be sick or actually developing recurrent unexplained physical symptoms such as stomach pains, it could be a sign they’re being bullied.
The child could also display significant changes in behavior like going from outgoing and energetic to withdrawn and isolating themselves, or being passive to becoming aggressive, often toward younger siblings or children. He or she may cry more frequently and appear sad. The child’s grades may also be affected.
Parents should listen to their children and acknowledge their fear or anxiety about the bully. Talk about what the child has done when the bully confronts them and what seemed to work and what didn’t. It’s often appropriate for the child to tell the bully to stop and remain firm and assertive.
Other options may include walking away or using humor, such as making a joke. A parent may want to role-play different situations with their child to help them feel more at ease with the next potential confrontation.
Always encourage the child to seek out a teacher or other adult to help diffuse the situation and avoid getting injured or into trouble because they responded inappropriately. It may also help if the child avoids certain areas where the bully is known to hang out. One of the primary target areas seems to be the bathroom.
Allow the child to try to take care of the situation on his or her own. This helps them learn assertiveness skills and improves self-esteem.
If the bullying persists and begins to affect the child emotionally or results in physical injury, contact the child’s teacher, school counselor or principal to ensure your child’s future safety. The most important thing a parent can do is support their children and reassure them that they are not what the bully says.
Allow children to gain confidence in themselves by becoming involved in extracurricular activities. If bullying is a big problem in the school, the parent may also suggest the school implement an anti-bullying program.
Plan healthy back-to-school snacks
By Lt. Col. Danny Jaghab
U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
Oh, the power of those supposedly collectable toys included in fast food meals. It seems those much-desired toys always end up on the floor of the family minivan or between the family room sofa cushions. Now that school has started again, it’s time to plan for and provide healthy snacks to children, so that harried parents will not feel tempted to run to a drive-through restaurant for quick, high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks.
Before giving into cries for fast foods, consider the facts.
· For the first time in history, this generation of children may live a shorter life span than their parents because of complications associated with overweight and obesity. The number of overweight children and adolescents age 6-10 has tripled in the past 40 years.
· More than 10 percent of children between the age of 2 and 5 are overweight, up from 7 percent in 1994.
· Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.
· Rising levels of overweight and obesity are already taking their toll on our children’s health. Type II diabetes, or what used to be called adult-onset diabetes, is on the rise in children.
· Being overweight as a child predisposes children to other diseases earlier in life — diseases like hypertension and heart disease. It may be associated with the rise in childhood asthma. Also, the emotional pain and scarring caused by being overweight as a child cannot be underestimated.
The Food and Drug Administration defines a healthy food as one that is low in fat. It must have less than three grams of fat per serving and less than one gram of saturated fat per serving. It must have a limited amount of cholesterol, not more than 60 milligrams per serving, and low sodium, not more than 360 milligrams per serving for individual foods and 480 milligram per serving for meal-type products. Additionally, an individual food item must provide at least 10 percent of one or more of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein or fiber.
These are some strategies for planning healthy snacks:
· Limit fast foods as an option, or limit your child’s choices to the healthier foods available such as yogurt, salads or fruit.
· Snack on nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.
· Limit high-calorie beverages like soda and juice. Switch to more nutritious items such as low-fat milk. Low-calorie, flavored water is also available in pouches that are popular with children.
· Snack on cheese made from skim milk, yogurt, dried apricots, seeds, whole unrefined grains and green leafy vegetables to meet a child’s daily dietary needs for magnesium.
The cost of fast food is astronomical when considering the health effects of all the fat and calories that come with the food. If the toys are a must, they can be purchased for a child’s collection with an unrelated, healthier food item or without any food at all.