LGU WEEK ONE!

Week one of Little Giant University (LGU) got off to a strong start with 20+ students daily!  LGU is the after school program that meets Tuesday-Thursday, 3:00 -5:15 p.m.  Students receive a healthy snack and transportation on Tuesday / Thursday provided by Waynesboro Public Schools.   Check out the schedule on the blogs calendar!

At the heart of LGU are teachers providing assistance to students.  No student needs to fail a class with positive assistance.  Below Mr. Tyler helps with math.  Mrs. Biggs also helps on Tuesdays.

Students signed up for many activities during week one including Saturday for Science (S4S) who met with new LGU staffer, Rick Lackey, who is a JMU graduate.  S4S students will travel Saturday to the Virginia Science Museum to learn through "THE BODY and BRAINS" exhibit.  S4S students travel twice a month to work on science enrichment with experiences and meeting scientist at local colleges.

Students signed up for the Culture Club, Minecraft and CyberPatriots.  While many activities happened this week, it seemed the highlight was student's working with Mrs. Donnelly making "monkey bread".

Students left with plates of monkey bread to share with their families!  Did it make it home?  

Great job! 

JMU Mentors Prepare to Meet Fall Mentees

Opportunities for mentoring occurs each term.  Mentoring is a committed relationship between a college student and a WHS student for the duration of a term.  During that time WHS students must set academic/personal goals to work on during their time together.  College mentors meet family members and discuss activities before engaging in any actions.  Mentors provide another person to sound off ideas and someone to help with positive decision making.  Activities are determined with between WHS student, their family and the JMU mentor.  In the past activities have included time talking at the park or at Klines, accompanying students for activities at JMU or other planned P&G events, or time spent at a WHS event.

JMU students have spent hours training to be positive mentors with WHS students. Mentors are matched with interested students and meet for the first time during family night (September 18th).  

Ready to go!  

JMU Mentors for Fall 2012 with P&G Staff

Little Giant University Starts!

Little Giant University is the after school assistance program providing homework help, math assistance and academic enrichment opportunities.  LGU operates in the WHS library every week on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursday starting with a nutritional snack at the bell, followed by planned activities.  WPS provides late transportation on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  Check out the calendar on the blog to keep up with dates and times.

Remember - 
Math assistance 

• Tuesdays with Mrs. Biggs
• Thursdays with Mr. Tyler

Returning and new programs

• Cultural Club Informational session -  9/12 (2 trips planned in September)
• Saturday for Science (S4S) Informational session  - 9/13

          - Planned trip - Saturday - 9/15 - Science Museum of Virginia (Richmond)
          - Planned trip - Saturday - 9/22 - The World of Bees (JMU Arboretum)

• Personal Development - Mrs. Donnelly (Making Monkey Bread (9/13)
• Minecraft - Building & Exploring Virtual Worlds  - Mrs. Galenis (9/19)
• Computers - Mrs. Gilber (9/20)

For more information or questions, contact Ms. Cupp, Site Coordinator, 540-830-1396

The BIG Step Transitional Program

Purple&Gold offered a transitional program for incoming freshmen from Kate Collins Middle School this summer! Students were able to be exposed to what is expected of them in high school and got to meet some of they key faculty at the high school.

2012 External Summer Programs

This summer four WHS students participated in two external summer programs! 

three of the four girls after lunch at El Puerto

Two students, Evelyn & Sandra had  the chance to be a part of the Female Institute at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA this summer .  This was a two-week residential program designed to provide intense academic & developmental experience for high school students. They had daily classes in Math, Writing, and History with top tier instructors from across the country. They were able to have a variety of experiences that has encouraged them to work hard this school year with the goal of attending a college/university. 

The other two students Ana & Ana attended the VALHEN Hispanic College Institute at Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA. A pre-college weekend program for Virginia’s high school Hispanic students designed to provide clear and practical college application and financial aid information. The program is based on research and input from Hispanic educators and community leaders. Participating Hispanic role models relate to students’ experiences and challenges, being in some cases, the first in their families to attend college. One of the students mentioned an opportunity to engage with successful Hispanic leaders and that she was informed about her educational opportunities.

We are so proud of you girls!  

P&G Staff

USCI Information/ Información de USCIS

Information in English: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Process

Información en español: Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia

(No hay un video en español)

New Bridges: Update on Deferred Action / Noticias Sobre Acción Deferida

ENGLISH: On Tuesday July 10 a local group of DREAMers hosted an event at Harrisonburg High School to inform the public on the June 15 announcement by President Barack Obama regarding Deferred Action and Work Permit applications for certain eligible young persons. A group of professionals familiar with the immigration system is networking with the goal of offering information and services after more information is disclosed by CIS on August 15 (hopefully). As we stressed in our previous blog post, DO NOT fill out any immigration paperwork right now. Professor Aaron Haas, who is the Director of the Immigration Clinic at Washington and Lee University’s School of Law, kindly shared the following document with NewBridges IRC.

SPANISH: El Martes 10 de Julio un grup local de DREAMers organizó un evento al Harrisonburg High School para informar el público sobre el anuncio del Presidente Barack Obama el 15 de junio sobre la applicación para Acción Deferida y el Permiso de Trabajo para algunos jovenes eligibles. Un grupo de profesionales que conocen del sistema de inmigración se está organizando con el logro de ofrecer información y servicios después que más información esté displonible de Inmigración ojalá el 15 de agosto. Cómo dijímos anteriormente en ese sito web, por el momento, NO llene papeleo de inmigración.El Profesor Aaron Haas, el Director de la Clinica de Inmigración de la Escuela de Ley de la Universidad Washington and Lee, proveó amablemente el documento que sigue a nuestra agencia, PuentesNuevos Centro de Recursos para Inmigrantes.

Deferred Action Consumer Advisory

INFORMATION FROM: New Bridges

WHSV news video

link to video

Students make it on WHSV!

LINK

Posted: Thu 7:03 PM, Jul 19, 2012

A A  

Reporter: Dave Byknish Email

Updated: Thu 10:49 PM, Jul 19, 2012

Back to Community

Students Visit an African Village in Staunton

STAUNTON,Va –- Students from the Stepping to Success enrichment program had the chance to visit a real African village thanks to the Frontier Culture Museum. They were able to perform African drum rhythms the village.

It was thanks to their instructor, Jona Masiya. Masiya is from Zimbabwe and he teaches African music at Shenandoah University.

The lessons the kids learned in Staunton connected them to cultures existing throughout the community.

“I think we are living now in a global village,” said Masiya. “The kids have to care about the culture next door. They have to care about what's happening in other countries because we have a lot of traveling that's going on now.”

He said learning the drums is actually very easy. It is all about observation, listening and imitation. Masiya said he can teach you to play the African drums so well that if you ever visited the country, you would be able to jump right into a drum circle.

The students just finished up a unit on Hispanic culture. The goal is to have them learn about cultures that will help with career and life opportunities. 

Follow Dave Byknish on Twitter.

© Copyright 2012 WHSV / Gray Television Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Massanutten Water Park & Lunch Celebration (Day five of week four)

Students got a behind the scene explanation of the water park before the park opened!

Students watching the WHSV video about their drum circle.

 watch the video and read the article

 The program finished with lunch at Cici's Pizza in Harrisonburg, VA.

This was the first year of the Summer Enrichment Program by Purple & Gold Connections!

To get involved call 540-820-2464 or send an email to purpleandgold0@gmail.com

Spoken Word & African Music/Culture at the Frontier Cultural Museum (Day four of week four)

Students working on their "Spoken Word" assignment. 

They shared their work in small groups and started getting ready to head to the Frontier Cultural Museum. 

Challenge Day & African Music/Culture (Day three of week four)

Solar Oven Smores 

The materials available for students to pick during the Marshmallow & Egg challenges 

Marshmallow Challenge- make the tallest structure out of noodles that can hold a marshmallow

Egg Challenge- Drop and egg from 5 ft without breaking it

Students watching a team test their strategy

 The winning team made this- their eggs were save! 

In the afternoon students continue learning how to play the Mbira & drums. They used the Shekere (shakers) to create a beat for students to express themselves. Watch this video....

Jona Masiya brought his family and showed students how he plays the drums with his two sons

A video of their short performance

Students also learned how to tune a drum and participated in a drum circle. 

Drumming is a group learning experience.

Students got better and learned to follow directions within the drumming circle.

Students learned to play musical chairs to a different beat.

This concludes their last day of learning & practicing before going to the Frontier Cultural Museum to perform at the African Village!