Purple & Gold Connections
Fall 2012

After a busy summer, fall programming began with lightening speed.  Below you will find some of the activities that occurred.  The primary purpose of all programming is to provide an opportunity for students to improve their academics, learn outside the classroom and be exposed to learning opportunities that help them grow towards being mature adults who make positive life decisions.

Many of our activities are science, math and technology based.  WHS students don't need to love any of these subjects to participate in activities designed to expose and enrich their in class learning experiences.

Science Museum of Virginia

WHS students explored the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond.  It was a windy day, but sound travels regardless!  Check out their webpage - http://www.smv.org/

Students explored the power of water as staff member Rick Lackey explained how water allowed the heavy marble sphere to move easily with their hand pushing efforts.  This was before they went to something BIGGER!

Even with water, it took all of them to move the larger stone!

All this fun and we haven't even entered the Museum yet!  One of the continual science efforts made through Purple & Gold is helping WHS students understand the impact of energy management to our global experiences.  Students got to see an actual electric car station outside the Museum.

How far can an electric car go on one charge?

Did you know Virginia Tech has one of these on their campus!  Check it out - http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2013/01/011413-outreach-inncharger.html 

Inside science exploration included exploring distance & speed by rolling balls through different processes, exploration of centrifugal force, illusions, and distortions.

Why can't I stand and spin?  Centrifugal force!

Whose face is being superimposed? 

Guess what this is?

Science on the sphere!  This presentation focused on cell phone use.  Where it is lighted up indicates the use of cell phones in the United states and into Mexico/Central America.  The east coast is bright!

While not indicated here, the primary purpose of the visit to the Science Museum of Virginia was to explore The BODY exhibit that showed the internal parts of the body in a colorful anatomy lesson.  We could not take pictures, but would encourage others who hope to work in medicine, or who might have an injury to see this amazing exhibit.  In the end -- what a day!

Where are all the bees?

This program took WHS students to the JMU Arboretum to meet Mike who operates a bee hive business providing pollination care to several local farms.  Mike showed students how honey went from hive to the table. The presentation included a discussion of hive collapse, as in where are all the bees?

No part of the process is wasted as bee wax is turned into candles though heating.

Not only did students learn about the importance of bees to our local farms and agricultural industry, they learned about the bee busy weaving in the entrepreneurial spirit of the speaker who started learning about bees as a child and learned to make it his business. WHS students had an opportunity to take some honey home at the end of the day.  Special thanks to Mike for giving up his morning for the students and staff member Rick Lackey for putting this activity together.

Hummm... good!

Girls Night Out

A fun overnight experience on JMU's campus included swimming and a bunch of fun! Special thanks to the JMU mentors for all the assistance and site coordinator Ms. Cupp for spending the whole night with the students!

History of My Skin with Mexican performance artist

Nina Yhared

Students and JMU mentors were asked to stretch ourselves as we watched, and some participated, in this performance art activity.  Performance art is many things with opportunities to be on stage with the artist as "art" is made, to ask questions of the artist, and to observe.  We left with many questions and perhaps this was the point.

George Mason University College Trip 

WHS students traveled to Patriot country.  Ms. Henao set this trip up before she moved and planned a wonderful GMU panel  of diverse students to share their journey into college.  These students talked about preparing and working hard so that grades are not an issue for being admitted into a good college.  The GMU students lead a campus tour, sharing some of the information and uniqueness about their school.

Longwood University College Visit

Students attended an exploration of Longwood University majors upon arrival.  Students could take with current LU students about their experiences as a college student.  There was a large room discussion about admission requirements prior to students taking tours of the campus.  While other students explored various parts of the campus, this set of students were treated to a special tour of the nursing department by Melody Eaton, PhD, Director of the Longwood University nursing program. After students listened to a presentation about the nursing program, Dr. Eaton took WHS students upstairs to a simulation floor that showed who LU prepared its nursing students for the various types of  patient care they might experience in their professional life.  WHS students got to watch "high fidelity patient simulators and the digital audiovisual system" at work. Students could feel, see and hear the patient simulators breathing, while being exposed to the technological hub of patient care where patient simulators vital signs were monitored.

Special thanks to Dr. Eaton for taking time with WHS students. 

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History   

We could have spent days in this amazing museum exploring its various exhibits!  This is just a little taste of what is there.  We hope to return for some more time here.  Here's two things every woman might want?!?

The Hope Diamond
Estimated worth in 1910 was about $150,000  

The Hope Diamond's estimated worth is $250 million dollars if sold in 2011

The Carmen Lucia Ruby is another beautiful gem of the museum 

Whose that across the way?

Students explored all types of wildlife from the ocean, desert, plains - from various countries too!

Art work in the Africa section was especially moving

Relaxing as we wait for the bus after a long day

Eric Thomas, Motivational Speaker 

WHS students attended motivational speaker Eric Thomas presentation to JMU athletes and other community members.  Mr. Thomas shared his story of planning a life of college sports while a high school student, how his life plan was changed after an injury in his senior year.  Funny and practical students seemed to enjoy meeting Mr. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas loves encouraging students to have a plan and a back-up plan!
Preparation leads to opportunity

Thanks Mr. Thomas for taking time to acknowledge and inspire our students!

Special thanks to the JMU Mentors who provided mentoring support for WHS students throughout the term and who attended many of these events with the students.

Fall, 2012 

What a semester!  

What's up for Spring 2013?

Little Giant University (Tuesday-Thursday, 3:15 - 5:15 p.m.)

A new set of JMU Mentors

Workshops by JMU Interns

Saturday Morning Science

Aboriginal Art at VA Tech 

CyberPatriots

Si Se Puede!

Historical Black Colleges & University College Fair

Festival of the Book with the Honorable Representative & Civil Rights Leader John Lewis

Washington DC Black History Tour

Expanding Your Horizon's Young Women's Conference

Celebration Latina!

If you are not registered, get involved!  

As Mr. Thomas said - "opportunity comes to those who are prepared".  

Academic help is always available through LGU.