By Robin McDurham

In a few short days, the teachers in Waco ISD will be giving our students hugs and high fives and send them home for summer. However, learning does not have to stop for ten weeks. There are several things families can do to engage the brain and prevent summer learning loss. Applying academic skills to everyday activities can keep the learning in the forefront. Wouldn’t it be great if this blog posts could start a conversation with the Act Locally community about how we keep learning alive during the summer? Here are a few of my favorites:

• If you are taking a road trip, consider listening to a book on tape together. If you want to push the learning, do a Google search for book discussion questions ahead of time. Focus on questions that require everyone in the car to consider what the author is trying to convey.
• Give the list making duties to the kids.  By organizing and writing down items on grocery shopping list, packing list, and chore lists, children are using critical thinking skills and taking ownership of family responsibilities. The potential for learning increases when taking the lists further by creating a weekly meal plan, developing a budget, and charting progress.
• Have a yard sale or open a lemonade stand, and put your child in charge.
• Turn on the closed caption feature on your television to encourage reading along with the shows. When they get good at reading the captions, push them by turn off the sound.

Parents don’t have to prevent summer brain drain all by themselves. Several organizations offer learning opportunities for students during the summer. The short list provided below is a snapshot of opportunities provided by Waco ISD campuses and educators:

Elementary Schools

June 6th-June 30th (8:00 am to 3:00 pm- Monday through Friday). Language Acquisition Summer School for all current English Learners in PK and Kindergarten. The program will be presented at Bells Hill Elementary. We have a great plan for the children filled with intense direct instruction in literacy, language, math, and other disciplines! Transportation is available. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Contact the department at 254-755-9525 for more information.

June 6-8, 12-15, and 19^th (8:00 am to 1:00 pm) J. H. Hines Elementary School – Summer Enrichment Program – J.H. Hines is partnering with the YMCA, and other organizations to offer exciting opportunities for students including Tours of McLane Stadium, The Cameron Park Zoo, Waco Wetland, Mammoth Site, World Hunger Relief Farm, Cameron Park, Mayborn Museum, and a Spectacular Science Day. Breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided. 

Saturday, June 10, 2017 (2:00 pm – 3:30 pm) Author’s Alley at the Waco-McLennan County Library- Waco ISD teacher, Mary Evans, will present a lively reading of her book, Thunder and Lightning.  She will talk to the kids about writing a book and what it’s like to be an author. There will be a fun craft for kids to make and take, too.  Books will be available for purchase and signing. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Waco-McLennan County Library.

June 12-15, 10 a.m.-noon  – McLennan Community College summer camps- Cooking with the Rainbow  – This four-day session will highlight stovetop-based recipes for pre-teens and teens. Main dishes, sides, and desserts will be featured while focusing on a “rainbow” of ingredients. Young chefs will be educated about making meals with a focus on both taste and nutrition. Your son or daughter may even offer to make dinner after this week is done! For ages 13 to 17. Class will be taught by Waco High teacher, Wendy Moulds. Cost: $79 Class ID: AVC 5245.01

June 26-July 14 (8:00 am to 3:00 pm- Monday- Thursday) West Avenue Elementary is hosting VOICE Inc. summer camp from 8am-3pm for students enrolled in 1st through 5th grades.

July 10-15 Waco High School Overture Summer Theatre Camp for Kids – Students entering the 2nd-9th grades and may be enrolled in schools other than WISD. We’re producing 101 Dalmatians. We still have “spots” available. Email klynn.childress@wacoisd.org for more information.

Saturday, August 12 (9 am – noon) Family Fest – food, fun, vaccinations & information, school supplies and backpacks for registered WISD students

Date and times to be announced. The Waco ISD Education Foundation awarded a grant to Kendrick Elementary to refurbish the existing outdoor classroom that had become overgrown and unused.  Much of the work will be done this summer so that Kendrick students can start using the garden in the fall. Projects such as building a deck for seating, constructing raised garden beds, and establishing an area for a butterfly garden are on the agenda. Skilled workers and volunteers would be much appreciated.  Local businessman Thomas Arnold, the owner of Central Crushed Concrete, has graciously donated the materials needed for a walking path. This will be another task that will require many hands.  Work dates have not been determined at this point, but anyone interested in helping can call Dina Hoffman at 254-495-0070.

Middle Schools

June 12-15 (12:30-2:30 pm.) McLennan Community College summer camps Pasta and Sauces for Teens – Get a taste of Italian as you learn to make a different sauce for each day of this four-day cooking session for preteens and teens. You will learn about different pasta types and salads as well as finish off your meal by making an Italian dessert! For ages 13 to 17. Class will be taught by Waco High teacher, Wendy Moulds. Cost: $79.  

June 26- July 20^th (9:00am-4:00 pm Monday through Thursday) Bulldog Summer Enrichment Program at Indian Spring Middle School for students attending Indian Spring in the 17-18 academic year.  Activities include a robotics program, kayaking, rock climbing, swimming, leadership training, team-building, arts & crafts, tennis, soccer, kickball, basketball, gardening, hiking, educational trips, and more.

June 6^th – July 20^th excluding July 3^rd & 4^th (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm) – Texas ACE Summer Camp at Carver Middle School campus and Doris Miller YMCA for swimming. The camp is for Carver students who just completed 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Activities involved:  swimming (at the YMCA), gardening with World Hunger Relief, Zumba, Y fitness, reading club, and art.

High Schools

June 5-8 and 12-15 University High School STEM team is hosting Project SOAR a two-week Project Based Learning program that incorporates fun, hands-on activities while learning the important skills needed in Pre-AP, AP, and Dual Credit classes. The two-week program is based on real-world experiences and helps you to develop creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. The theme for this summer is “Destination Mars.” The program is for students in the UHS 2019, and 2020 cohorts Call Ms. Stephanie Bailey at (254) 756-1843 ext. 2196 or Mr. Jeffrey Cunningham at (254) 756-1843 ext. 2124 for more information or to register.

July 17-20 8:00am to 1:30pm. Freshmen institutes- Waco High School and University High School will be hosting Freshman Institutes for incoming 9^th graders to introduce them to high school life.  The class of 2021 will learn about study skills required for success, earning credit, getting involved in campus activities, and building the relationships that will help them navigate the next four years of learning.

A few additional plugs

Monday, July 24: 8 a.m. – Registration for the 17-18 school year begins. Parents may register online or at campuses.

Summer Meal Program –  Any child up to 18 years old can participate in the Summer 2017 program by showing up at one of the campus, city or mobile sites on the days and during the meal time(s) indicated on the SFSP schedule. Sites will be open all summer from June 5, 2017, through August 14, 2017. Please note the dates and times of service at each location. Meals will not be served before or after the scheduled serving times. Meal times and dates are subject to change. Some sites will be closed on Monday, July 3, 2017, and Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in observance of Independence Day. Click here for the list of Summer Meal Program Sites.

So now for the action part for all of us Act Locally faithfuls.  Let’s see how many folks can add to this post by sharing ideas and events for preventing summer learning loss.  Add a comment and pass it along. There are roughly 70 days of summer can we shoot for a new learning idea or event for each day?

Robin McDurham is an assistant superintendent with Waco ISD. Although she and her husband Doug are currently enjoying life as emply nesters, they had a great experience as Waco ISD parents for 16 years with their sons Zane and Dakota. Robin is passionate about providing opportunities for students that make learning relevant. Contact information: Robin McDurham, Ed.D., Area Assistant Superintendent, Waco ISD. 254-755-9601. [email protected].

by Krystal Wilson

The Greater Waco Advanced Health Care Academy is a unique and innovative program that provides a challenging learning environment to foster student success in the healthcare industry while preparing students for future health care careers. A collaborative partnership exists with Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Hospital, Providence Hospital, McLennan Community College, Waco Independent School District and multiple school districts including Bruceville-Eddy, Connally, La Vega, Lorena, McGregor, Mexia, Midway, Riesel, Robinson, and Troy High Schools.  Through this community partnership, students from the Greater Waco area are provided with the opportunity to participate in hands on learning with a specific focus on patient care.  Participating junior and senior level high school students spend half a day at the academy and the remaining portion of the day at their home campus.  During their time at the Health Care Academy, students receive valuable classroom experience, and an opportunity to perform clinical rotations in the local hospitals and nursing homes in the area.  This allows students to work side by side with certified nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses in actual health care facilities.

Our Program

Our program is organized into two distinct pathways.  First year students receive instruction in Anatomy and Physiology, World Health Research and Health Science Clinical and Theory classes.  This coursework allows students to obtain their Texas Nurse Aide certification and attend clinicals at various long-term care facilities throughout the school year.  Second year students explore Pathophysiology and participate in the Practicum in Health Science courses, allowing them to attend clinical rotations at both Providence and Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Hospitals to focus on acute patient care and career exploration.  All students are concurrently enrolled in their traditional high school courses including English, History and Math at their home high school campus to ensure all graduation requirements are met.  Dual credit options are also available for qualifying students hoping to get a head start on college courses.

Our Facilities

We are housed in the newly renovated Viking Hills Elementary where we are equipped to provide students with wonderful lab spaces to practice skills and techniques.  Our twelve bed simulation lab allows students to manipulate programmable and positioning mannequins and complete patient care skills prior to working on residents and patients in clinical settings.  This year we received approval to become our own certified nurse aide testing site. This will allow our students to complete their CNA test on campus, in a familiar location.  Research and the use of technology is an important focus at the academy.  Our computer lab provides access to thirty desktop computers often used for research projects, online activities, and dual credit courses.  We are also equipped with a mobile laptop cart and a science lab with a primary use of dissections for Anatomy and Physiology.

Our Faculty and Staff

This unique program employs healthcare workers with strong content knowledge and industry experience to transition into the teaching profession to work with our students.  Our staff includes a registered nurse, several licensed vocational nurses, a simulation lab coordinator and a laboratory technician.

More Information

GWAHCA opened its doors in August of 2015 and continues to grow.  The academy utilizes community input and guidance from an advisory board to explore ways to meet community needs and serve student interests to determine the best career pathways for future expansion.  Students must apply each year to attend with the application window opening from January-March.  If you would like more information about the Greater Waco Advanced Health Care Academy visit us at www.gwahca.net or check us out on Facebook for the most recent academy pictures and updates.

Krystal Wilson has worked with Waco Independent School District for 15 years serving at the elementary, middle and high school levels as a teacher, instructional specialist and campus administrator.  She lives in Waco with her husband, Clint, and their two children, Grady and Maggie.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Bruce Gietzen

Remember the Jeff Foxworthy TV show “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?”  I remember watching, and too many times the answer to that question was a resounding “No”!

That was old school.  Waco ISD has a newer – and younger version that may make you feel even more embarrassed unless you’re a parent of one of our 4-year olds in the District’s acclaimed prekindergarten program.

Every Waco ISD elementary campus plus University High School has at least one of those early success classrooms – there are 55 in all.  Each and every one of nearly a thousand students in the program get a great start on being smart.

Plus, it’s not just the little folks who learn.  Moms and Dads in those families are having intelligent dinner conversations with their children because of our family engagement plan.

Kids go home with letters – in English and Spanish – that explain the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math they’re learning.  Those letters also include questions parents can ask about the class day, so students barely old enough to tie their shoes can tell Dad how heat can turn a solid into a liquid.

It’s all pretty cool, and apparently state lawmakers agree.  They appropriated $118 million dollars for high quality prekindergarten programming.  Waco ISD got nearly $650 thousand dollars of that to spread over two years, and those funds are making a good program even better.

To qualify to get money, school districts were required to meet enhanced quality standards in curriculum, teacher qualifications, academic performance and family engagement.  WISD was already on board with most of those.

The comprehensive science curriculum encourages learning by doing, and doing it a lot more often. Two years ago Waco ISD teachers reported spending an average of 36 minutes each day on STEM related instruction in preschool classrooms.  The national average was about two minutes per day.

That 6,120 minutes – or more than 100 hours of added STEM learning – led to astounding results.

A 2016 Meadows Children at Risk Pre-K report found economically disadvantaged third graders who attended full day Texas pre-kindergarten had 40 percent higher odds of reading at a college-ready pace in the third grade (the key grade to measure reading proficiency).

Those same students also scored approximately 80 points higher on the 3rd Grade STAAR Reading exam.

I haven’t even gotten to the best part.  If your child qualifies for the Waco ISD program, it’s FREE!

When the state provided the funds to pay for half a day of instruction for these young people, WISD’s Board found the money to pay for the other half.  Thank you, Trustees, for that wise investment in our future!

You should know not everyone qualifies for the program.  Family income is a factor, and so is age.  A child is eligible for enrollment if he or she is at least four years old by Sept. 1, and meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Unable to speak or comprehend the English language;
• Educationally disadvantaged (which means a student eligible to participate in the national free or reduced-price lunch program);
• Homeless (This is more common than you think.  Waco ISD has more than 1,000 homeless kids in K-12);
• The child of an active duty member of the U.S. armed forces;
• The child of a member of the U.S. armed forces who was injured or killed while serving on active duty;
• Is or ever has been in foster care.

There is a teacher and a teacher’s aide in every classroom, which means an 11-1 ratio of educator to student.

What kinds of things will they learn?  Simple science investigations help them ask the right questions, gather information, and make informed decisions.  Then they will knock your socks off explaining their findings.

These young students will study several new vocabulary words each day, and by the end of the year the ones who are learning English as a second language will know 1,000 more words and the correct sentence structure for using them.  By the 2nd grade those kids will be fluent in two languages.

There’s also classwork in reading, writing, fine arts, and social studies – including the importance of voting.   For good measure, preK students also practice basic functions on computers and related digital technologies, which breeds self-confidence.

Interested?  Registration is in May, and if your child is the right age and meets one of those requirements listed above, it’s free.  It’s one of the best investments you can make in your children.

That’s something even a 4-year-old can figure out.  Especially one of ours!

I wonder if Jeff Foxworthy has been to Waco?

Bruce Gietzen made the move from News Anchor at KXXV-TV to the Director of Communications at Waco ISD last June.  He crossed from one side of the media fence to the other to help tell stories about some of the great things happening in WISD, including the efforts to revive the Planetarium at Waco High School.  Bruce is also on the Board of Directors for Communities in Schools and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and he’s a member of the new Communications Task Force for Prosper Waco.  He enjoys Waco with his wife, Dana, and if he had more spare time it might be spent on the golf course.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By K’Lynn Childress

As the directors of the Waco High Musical Theatre Department, we’ve had the opportunity to “go” a lot of places. A few years ago, we went to the jungle with our production of Tarzan. Last year, we traveled to Paris with She Loves Me.  In the early years of the musical theatre program we went to Egypt in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and went into the woods in…well, in Into the Woods.

Last year, as we started thinking about where we wanted to go this season, one place rose to the top of the list very quickly—under the sea. Music Theatre International, the licensing agent for many musicals, made the rights to the stage version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid available at the end of Summer 2015 and we knew that we wanted to jump at the chance to be one of the first schools to produce it.  We couldn’t keep it a secret for long, and announced our plans on opening night of She Loves Me that Fall.

We tend to start planning for shows right away, even when they’re months out, and this was no different. Ideas were bounced around, but when Cory Garrett (Waco High Technical Director) suggested setting our under the sea tale in the world of Old Hollywood, Vegas, Vaudeville and Follies, we knew that our love for spectacle and this classic story would perfectly blend in this concept. Research began with Cory at the design helm, and with student designer Julian Nicholson at his side, we soon had a set design that centered around the classic Vegas-style staircase with plenty of glitz, glam, and glitter thrown in (we REALLY love glitter!).

Dion Grisby, Julian Nicholson

Construction began just after the 2016-2017 school year began, with Julian Nicholson heading up the crews as Student Technical Director and Alex Lujan as Construction Crew Head. An unprecedented number of tech students showed up to every single rehearsal to tirelessly work to bring the design to life. The vast majority of the set was constructed entirely by students, under Mr. Garrett’s oversight. We never cease to be amazed at what these students are capable of doing.

While the set was going up, plans for other technical components were well underway. In a show like The Little Mermaid, you already assume that you’ll be using plenty of fun colors and creativity, but when you add the extra element of setting the story in the world of Vegas razzle-dazzle you end up with quite the job ahead of you. Fortunately, we received a grant from the WISD Education Foundation for the creation of a costume and makeup lab, so we were ready for the challenge.

When all was said and done, we ended up with 108 different costumes for 45 performers. These costumes, designed by Mr. Garrett with the help of Student Designer Dion Grisby, were truly a labor of love. They were the product of multiple orders from Amazon (for individual pieces that were then altered, modified, and pieced together), trips to Dallas for some of the most beautiful fabric I’ve ever laid eyes on, 3 professional seamstresses, 2 choir directors who always swear they aren’t going to make any costumes but always do (Carrie Forehand and Christie Lujan are the BEST), innumerable burns from hot glue guns and dozens of students working together to create beautiful sea creatures, amazing foam wigs and the most fabulous mermaids you’ve ever seen.

This was the most ambitious production WHS Musical Theatre has ever taken on, but we definitely operate with a “great risk—great reward mindset”, and our students never disappoint. This year, we added two locations to our travel list as we went both under the sea and under the big lights of Old Hollywood and Las Vegas. We’re not sure just yet where next year will take us, but we know one thing for certain—we’re so happy to be going there with the amazing students, staff, administration and supporters of Waco High and Waco ISD.

Corey Garrett, Carrie Forehand, Christie Lujan

K’Lynn Childress is the Director of Theatre Arts at Waco High School. She, Cory Garrett, Carrie Forehand, and Christie Lujan make up the faculty of the Waco High Musical Theatre Department. Now in her 6th year of teaching at Waco High, K’Lynn is also the Speech and Debate coach and UIL Academic Coordinator. In the rare times she’s not at the school she enjoys photography, attempting to teach herself calligraphy, spending too much time on Reddit, and Steel City Pops.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]  for more information.

By Brittany Davis 

I hardly make it to the door of the school most mornings before I am greeted by a barrage of questions from eager seniors. This is the time of year when their ‘when I grow up’ dreams take the first step into actuality. This is my favorite time of year. Before the applications, paperwork and testing can begin there are several conversations that seem to be on replay in my office.   

Choosing a College is like buying a car

After working at higher education institutions for the past eight years I have seen firsthand how we try to sell students on our schools however we can; it is a business after all. I once had a student tell me that what sold him on our school was that we had a build your own waffle station in the dining hall….my point being students often get caught up in the details — the fresh strawberries and whipped cream instead of the academics and degrees. So — to reel students back in from the beautifully glossy pages of college catalogs and the build your own waffle stations — I compare choosing a college to buying a car. You wouldn’t go into a dealership unprepared without doing your research or having an idea of what you want, and the same should go for choosing an institution where you will spend the next two to four years. Students should be prepared to answer the following questions before choosing a college:

• Big school or small school?
• Public or private?
• How far are you willing to go from home?
• What teacher to student ratio will you be most successful in?  

College major or degree plan is a major factor in this equation, yes, but according to the National Center for Educational Statistics roughly 80% of students change their major at least once. It is just as important for the campus as a whole to be a good fit. A resource I love for this is the Big Future College Search created by The College Board. It asks students all the hard questions and then provides them with a list of schools that fit their criteria.  

Explore Your Career Interest

Students feel pressured into being definitive in their major choice from day one of senior year and often times that can be counterintuitive as they may overlook an opportunity for which they may be better suited. We had 4 seniors last year that had their minds made up about studying dental hygiene and after visiting campus to tour the program, one of the four was still committed to the program, and the other three couldn’t even finish the tour before they were pale faced and ready to toss their lunch. Which is why I encourage students not only to take campus tours when at all possible, but also take every opportunity to explore his or her career interest. We are so lucky to live in a community where businesses and community members rally around our students and are eager to help them. Students can reach out to professionals in our community to shadow them and ask them questions about their field of interest. Academic Advisors at your campus can also help students get connected. Take the opportunity to get connected, volunteer your time, and you will not only be more sure about your major but also more motivated to complete a degree you are truly interested in. 

Ask for help, and ask often!

The college application and financial aid process is a challenge to navigate and can differ by college. For a first generation college student, this can be daunting and discourage them from college altogether. Thankfully in Waco, we have several campus-based as well as community engagement pieces that are in place to help students overcome these hurdles. Most campuses in our area have a designated college counselor or advisor. University High, Waco High, and La Vega High School have the Project Link program, MAC foundation, and CAP program is also available to McLennan County students. These programs help students through every step of the application process. However, for many students, the application process is just one of the many barriers they will have to overcome to be successful college students and eventual graduates. Just like high schools, colleges also have student-focused resources to help students be successful. After all, colleges are in the business of getting students graduated and if there are significant barriers inhibiting students from completing degree plans it is in their best interest to offer resources to help them be successful.  Most colleges offer, at the very least, supplemental instruction, writing labs, counseling services, and career centers. All of these services are completely free to students! Community Colleges often offer specialized services as they typically serve more non-traditional students with unique barriers such as on-site daycare, student care clinics, and crisis intervention services. Ask for help students, these services are grossly underutilized in most schools. The tools and services are there for you to be successful, you just have to ask! 

Your education is an opportunity to change your corner of the world, be brave and make bold decisions with your future!  

Brittany Davis is an Academic Advisor at University High School. She was raised in a small Texas town and is a recent transplant to Waco, and loving it! As a first generation college student, Mrs. Davis understands firsthand how overwhelming and intimidating the process can be, and strives to use her 9 years of higher education experience to help students feel capable, brave and significant in setting out to achieve their goals. Her favorite thing to do in Waco is going to documentaries on Mondays at the Hippodrome with friends.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Nick Atkins

On February 29th, I received the email. I had been accepted into the MUNY/Webster Intensive, a three-week musical theatre intensive in St. Louis, Missouri. (MUNY is short for the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis.) I would participate in workshops, take classes at Webster University, and 0perform in the MUNY’s production of Mamma Mia with professional Equity actors in front of 10,000 people a night.

Four months earlier, Waco High’s Technical Theatre Director, Cory Garrett, asked me to audition. He believed I could best represent not only Waco High, but also Waco itself. So I began the application process, including preparing three separate videos—a monologue, a song, and a dance performance. I didn’t know at the time that only eleven students from across the country would be selected.

When I walked in to the boys’ dorm, I found myself greeted with high fives, handshakes, and stories of our hometowns. Alex from Canada, Harrison and Miller were both from Kentucky, and the other Harrison was also from Texas. We were told to go to the living room for a “team meeting.” While we were waiting for the girls, we heard thundering from the hallway. From around the corner, six girls came in, squealing in excitement that the last of the group had finally shown up. Brooke and Becca were from Florida, Karissa and Rachel lived in California, Tori was from a small town outside Boston, and Anika was a Rhode Island girl. Of my three weeks in St. Louis, that first day was one of the best. We all sat there in a circle, learning about each other, telling stories from our hometowns, listing the roles we had played in performances. It was that night that I realized how close theatre really brings people together. We all came from different places, different backgrounds.

The next two weeks were hectic, sweaty, and amazing. Every morning, we’d all wake up, get dressed in whatever our color of the day was, and head to rehearsal at 10 o’clock. The eleven of us were in the ensemble, meaning we learned the music for every song, and were on stage numerous times dancing. One day I was on the side of the rehearsal studio waiting for my cue to come on. There was an adult Equity ensemble member waiting with me named Kevin Zak. He noticed how quiet I was and decided to make some conversation. We started talking about theatre and how we got into it. I jokingly asked how many Broadway shows he had been in and he answered with, “Well I was in the original Off-Broadway Cast of Clinton: The Musical.” My jaw dropped. I asked him what part he played. Ken Starr. I met the man that played Ken Starr in Clinton: The Musical.

Our evenings were different each night. We got to see the MUNY’s production of both The Music Man and Young Frankenstein. We had three workshops and got to work on our college audition pieces with choreographer Josh Rhodes, actress Julia Murney, and actress Nancy Opel. One night, we went to a place called The City Museum. At first, I just expected a history museum with exhibits pertaining to St. Louis, but it was actually a giant playground. Three glorious stories of mazes, jungle gyms, and slides. We were all so tired after that, we totally forgot about our midnight tech rehearsal that next day.

At the MUNY, the musicals have two weeks to rehearse and one week of performance. When a show ends, the next musical has a “midnight tech” rehearsal in which the sound, lighting, and set elements are put to the test just hours before the opening. The Mamma Mia midnight tech rehearsal went so smoothly, we were headed home around 11:45. That afternoon, the cast got together for “sweat tech”, a last minute run through of the show in the sweltering St. Louis afternoon.

Then came the fun part. Opening night. We arrived thirty minutes early to get our microphones and costumes ready, and headed to our places. For most of us, our first dance number wasn’t until a few scenes into the show, but a few of them were in the opening scene. After that first scene, they came back with their jaws dropped. It was packed. 11,000 seats, filled to the brim. My first number, “Lay All Your Love”, where I waddled onstage with four other guys in flippers and goggles and did a little dance in front of two leads, I glanced out to the crowd to get a good look and I nearly forgot my dance and stopped right there. I had never seen that many people in an audience. It was truly beautiful.

During the performance week, we took classes at the Webster campus during the day. We all referred to it as “Webster Week”. We took yoga, improv, dance, and acting classes. Lara Teeter, the head of the musical theatre program at Webster, worked with us on college audition pieces alongside Tim Ocel and Ron McGowan. Together, they helped us with every aspect of Musical theatre. I learned things that week that I can use in any part I play. I have already used some of the tips for my part in Waco High’s production of The Little Mermaid.

The one question I always get when talking about this trip is, “What was your favorite part?” That becomes harder and harder to answer every time I look back on it. I learned a lot in the Webster classes, and had a blast performing in Mamma Mia. However, those memories would not have been so amazing if not for the other ten people that were with me 24/7. These people are lifelong friends. Some of the most fun times were at the dorms after rehearsal when we crashed on the couches and talked. We shared every meal together. We would stay up late just to practice dances together so we knew we had it down. These ten people are all so talented; I have no doubt in my mind that they will all do amazing things in the future, not necessarily in acting. They aren’t just great actors, great singers, or great dancers. They are all great people. In our workshop with Julia Murney, she said something that stuck with all of us: “You’re worth more than a 5, 6, 7, 8”.

Nick Atkins is currently a senior at Waco High School. He is involved with the varsity choir, show choir, theatre program, NHS, and mascot at WHS. He would like to thank his family and all of his directors for giving him the courage to pursue theatre. After high school Nick plans on getting a BFA in Musical Theatre.

By Harper Hoover

Young historians around the world will soon begin the process of months of historical research that leads to National History Day. As the competition springs to life for another year, I grow more and more thrilled at the idea of history fair. American history as never been more fun than this (unless presented in rap musical form, of course.) My name is Harper Hoover, and I recently competed at National History Day at College Park, Maryland, where I won first place in the division of Junior Individual Performance. History fair is near and dear to my heart for many reasons, and my journey this past year includes quite a few memorable ones.

Creating a National History Day project takes A LOT of work. It may not be exactly “life consuming,” but I spent many hours on my performance to make it historically accurate, interesting and as sharp as possible. This past year, my performance was on the early history of the National Geographic Society and how it has changed the world as we know it. As a part of my research, I had the opportunity to speak to people involved with National Geographic, such as their archivist staff, and I was able to attend a lecture led by one of their photographers at the Perot Museum in Dallas. When my ATLAS 8th grade class visited the Washington D.C. in May, I was able to visit the actual archives deep inside the National Geographic Headquarters (I even ate lunch there; I recommend their chicken.) The very kind and patient archivists gave me a tour of the thousands of photographs held there, and told me about the history of their photography. The experience was a once in a lifetime, but the best part? Unexpectedly seeing CBS correspondent Mo Rocca in the lobby.

Spending a great amount of time on the computer polishing my research undoubtably made my project stronger, but the competition is by far the best part of history fair. Regional competition held at Baylor consists of performing in the early hours of dawn, then waiting all day for the results to be announced. State brings even more excitement and anxiety, where you have to perform in morning preliminary rounds, and hopefully again in the afternoon finals. Late afternoon brings the awards ceremony with hundreds of nervous teenagers in a confined space (yikes.) Many students go home empty handed, but the others are soon to embark on a very intense, yet very rewarding, journey to Nationals.

Competing at the National level (or even in State finals) is similar to being nominated for an Oscar. Whether you place or not, your project is already in the very top percentage of your competitors. I’ve seen countless projects compete at Texas History Day that are better than projects at the National level from other states. While it may be easy to get caught up in the lights of Nationals, it really is amazing to be surrounded by some of the best young historians in the world, let alone compete with them. Trading state buttons may be the most important social event of NHD, but growing closer with my classmates, competitors and fellow Texans is definitely one of my favorite parts of the experience (but buttons are pretty cool too.) This year, I’ve competed with students from Guam, South Korea, Guatemala and more- people from countries I may never visit, all because of National History Day.

Don’t get me wrong, the competition is grueling and very nerve-racking. I’ve walked into my finals room before thinking, “What are my first words?” “Did I forgot a prop?” “I don’t have enough sources!” Yet, I’ve managed not to pass out at any competition yet. This year, I was very lucky to do well in my performance and to have judges that appreciated my work.

The awards ceremony at Nationals is possibly the most anxious three hours of the entire week. It consists of countless minutes of talking until your category is called. Then your stomach sinks to your feet, and it’s hard to remember you’re “having fun.” The feeling I was overwhelmed with when they called my name was one of shock, excitement and honestly just a lot of confusion. I sprinted down the stairs, whether to keep the ceremony moving or because I couldn’t stand to walk. I had done it!

At the beginning of the last year, my social studies teacher, Mr. Wright, had us write down a goal for the year. I could have written “To pass the STAAR test” or “Make A Honor Roll”, but instead I wrote a goal I thought I couldn’t achieve – to win National History Day. As I share my experience with others or look back at this summer, all I am is thankful. Thankful that the dice rolled my way, thankful for my family and friends who pushed me to do the best I can. I’m thankful for my church and school family, my school district and teachers who give so much so that I can have an opportunity like this, and really thankful for a community that supports me in whatever I do. There isn’t a day that goes by that I regret doing history fair, no matter how stressful it might have been. And I’m thankful that I didn’t give up.

Harper Hoover is currently a freshman at Waco High School where she stays busy with band, choir, school and community theater, and her 3 cats. This was her fourth year competing in the NHD contest, and her second time to make it to Nationals. She would like to thank the Waco Scottish Rite Foundation, the Heart of Texas Regional History Fair and Waco Independent School District for making her journey to Nationals possible.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected]  for more information.

By Travis Cheatham

At Indian Spring Middle School, we describe service learning as “an educational experience that meets real community needs in collaboration with schools and the community.”

What does this look like for us? Volunteers from around our community come to our school to facilitate small groups based on the students’ preferred topics. The word “facilitate” is key. Although some instruction will be required, the main goal is to create an environment where students respect each other, their interests are piqued, and they are challenged to develop their own achievable service project. The groups develop their own proposal and our staff gives a stamp of approval or recommendation for changes.

The foundation for a successful service learning group is strong relationships, and the ability to build and strengthen relationships is the number one qualifier for being a good group facilitator.  According to the Search Institute, a research organization that focuses on what kids need to succeed, relationships are 10x more powerful than demographics as a determinant for success in life. On top of that, students are 21x more likely to be successful in making good decisions during stressful times if relationships are strong. Talk to any non-profit in town – if you want to make a difference in our town, relationships are the way. (The Search Institute has a 50-year legacy of linking research and practice to address critical issues in education and youth development; check them out at http://www.search-institute.org/ )

The Search Institute is quick to point out that relationships alone, aren’t enough, they must be paired with engagement. That’s why a natural second piece to our program is developing group dynamics, trust, and expectations to facilitate engagement. The time that is set aside each week for service learning at ISMS is short and precious. Team members follow the group norms to ensure success of their projects, and high expectations for meaningful engagement pull everything together.

Service comes naturally to early adolescents, but incorporating the rigor of the classroom is as important as doing good. When it comes to curriculum for service learning, development is done as a team. The facilitators work with me and I work with teachers and instructional specialists to see how academic content can be reinforced. An easy example is the Girl Power group. This year they wrote letters to local businesses to encourage them to help support the Family Abuse Center. But these weren’t simply scrawled on construction paper, they were formal business letters that met proper form and syntax. What better way to learn English skills than to give it a purpose?

In May our students selected their favorite meta topics. Our incoming 7^th graders showed the following interests:

While our incoming 6^th graders had their own preferences:

As you can see, there’s interest in a lot of different areas! No one topic took more than 27% of either age group and therefore we are now recruiting facilitators from a swath of different areas.  What if you aren’t a pro in one of these topics? Great! Neither are the kids; it’s OK to be learning about topics together. Volunteers commit to come once a week for about one hour and spend an additional 30 minutes planning for the week. Facilitators must commit to volunteer for at least one full semester, but preferably a full school year (because relationships take time). To help, all facilitators will get training on the basics of service learning and working with our students. Once a month we’ll also have roundtable discussions to share feedback and evaluate.

Long-term, the goal of service learning at Indian Spring Middle School is to provide opportunities for students to apply new knowledge in our community and to foster a sense of empathy and civic duty. With your help, we hope this may be an opportunity that can become firmly rooted here and even spread to other schools.

For more information, contact me at [email protected], or give me a call at 217-553-6943.

Service Learning website: http://www.wacoisd.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=13246&pageId=424889__

Travis Cheatham became the Service Learning Manager for Indian Spring Middle School in February. Before ISMS, Travis was the Executive Assistant at Mission Waco and helped lead a culinary class with the MPowerment job development program. Travis is also the Chef/Owner of Cuppa, Waco, TX a catering and food consulting business that was a regular at the farmers market in 2015. Travis is a ’06 Baylor grad who loves this community and loves to travel with his wife, Amy whenever possible.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Roman Novian

It happens all the time. I meet someone new and during the course of the conversation I am asked what high school I attended. I respond, “University High School!” Then, like clockwork, their eyes grow huge. By now I know what the next questions will be. “Were you scared”? “Did y’all have to pass through metal detectors every day”? And on and on. No, I was not scared and no, we did not have metal detectors and actually, I loved every minute of it!  I will admit, I was definitely scared my first day as a freshman. Of course being an awkward freshman on the first day of school is nerve-racking for anyone, but the rumors and comments from the public surely didn’t help. As the first day turned into weeks and then months I realized that I was in a great place. I started making great friends and becoming involved in many of the activities that were available through the public school system. I realized that all of the negative comments that I had heard over the years were completely erroneous. I received a top-notch education, extracurricular activities that helped me discover myself, and an unparalleled support system from my educators that went beyond the textbook to help me prepare for the real world.

Today, I am one of the top real estate agents in the country. I can certainly say that my time in the Waco public school system has helped me to be the person that I am.

I recently created the Roman The Realtor scholarship fund for local high school students. I believe it is important to give back to our community and there is no better way than education. Through the Waco public school system I was given an opportunity to succeed and I did.

The “Roman the Realtor” scholarship is open to University High School seniors who have been accepted and plan to attend college. Students should be ranked in the top 11%- 25% of the class and have demonstrated community involvement and volunteerism. Specific application requirements will be announced in early 2017. To learn more about the Roman the Realtor Scholarship, please contact University High School and ask for Mindy Place or Lisa Cain. The Waco ISD Education Foundation manages several scholarship funds for Waco and University High Schools. A committee of Education Foundation members, teachers, counselors and/or administrators reviews applicants and selects recipients. Those interested in contributing to or setting up a scholarship may contact the Education Foundation at 254-755-9517 or [email protected].

Roman Novian is a top producing real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Jim Stewart Realtors in Waco, Texas. He was born and raised in Waco and attended Waco public schools. His recent accolades include being among the top 1% of real estate agents worldwide for Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker 30 under 30 award, The National Association of Realtors magazine 30 under 30 award, and Waco’s most loved Realtor by Locals Love Us.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.