News from Synergy Academies

Synergy Academies' Online Newsletter

June/July 2010

SYNERGY SPECTRUM
Educating Students in South Los Angeles

Thank you for being a H.E.R.O. for our students!

LEFT: Synergy at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Greetings!

City Hearts National Honorary Chairperson, Jane Seymour, with Synergy Scholars

Synergy Academies believes that only by working more effectively together can we eliminate the achievement gap and create educational equity for all students.

As a result, we welcome the opportunity to partner with other like-minded individuals and organizations in order to empower the inner city with quality public schools and programs.

In this issue of Synergy Spectrum, read about the various partnerships we have had this school year. One of our partners, City Hearts, was founded by Sherry Jason and her husband, Bob Jason. City Hearts has provided free after school arts classes in Shakespeare, Musical Theatre, and Puppetry for our middle school students.

If you have not yet had a chance to participate in one of the many Synergy activities we held this past year, we welcome you to get involved in the upcoming 2010-2011 school year! If you are unable to volunteer, then please consider making a financial contribution via our website (PayPal or mail) so that we can continue to bring out the best in our students.

We're all in this together,

The Synergy Academies Family

Partners Inspire Young Synergy Scientists

Synergy Academies has partnered with many organizations because it wants to help the nation become a leader in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) by getting students involved in these fields at an early age.

Earlier this school year, Synergy partnered with the Kids' Science Challenge to provide free science workshops to students in grades 3-6. Our students engaged in hands-on science activities that focused on the following themes: Sports on Mars, Detective Science, and Bio-Inspired Design. One fifth grade student shared that thanks to these workshops, he now wants to become a bioscientist.

Another exciting partnership that Synergy formed last school year was with Iridescent. For the past two years, Iridescent has trained students from the University of Southern California to teach science and engineering lessons to our middle school students. Additionally, Iridescent has provided family science workshops where our students engaged in science projects side-by-side with their parents and siblings.

Contact Meg Palisoc, Teacher, Co-Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, to partner with Synergy Academies in 2010-2011.

Volunteers Needed This Summer

Synergy is looking for volunteers to help with two summer painting projects. Our middle school needs to get ready for the next school year, and our elementary school is getting ready to move from an old campus onto a new one. Be a part of these exciting transitions!

* Campus Painting Prep (Elementary and Middle School)
     Mon., July 19 through Thurs., July 22
     1:30-4:30 p.m.

* Paint Synergy Kinetic Academy (Middle School)
     Tue., August 10 and Wed., August 11
     7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

* Paint Synergy Charter Academy (Elementary School)
     Tue., August 17 and Wed., August 18
     7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Email synergyacademies@gmail.com to volunteer for one or more days.

In This Issue

Partners Inspire Young Synergy Scientists

Volunteers Speak at Synergy's Career Days

Science Fair Focuses on Current Scientific Challenges

Thank You to Our HEROES

Thank you to everyone who was a personal H.E.R.O. to our students this year!

You've been a H.E.R.O. if you volunteered for one of our programs and activities, donated to our organization or to our Washington, D.C. trip, provided pro bono services, partnered with our schools by providing after school programs, field trips, or school performances, and even if you just talked about Synergy to a colleague, family member, or friend.

HEROES at the Washington Monument

Synergy's middle school students are taught to be a H.E.R.O., which stands for

     Honest
     Exemplary
     Respectful
     Open-Minded

So, thanks again for being a H.E.R.O. for Synergy!!!

Shout Out to Our Partners

We thank the following for providing Synergy Academies with free programs or pro bono services:

* A Place Called Home
* California Charter Schools Association
* Center Theatre Group
* Charter Schools Development Center
* City Hearts
* City of Los Angeles
* EXPO Center
* Inside Out Community Arts
* Iridescent
* Kids' Science Challenge
* Los Angeles County Museum of Art
* Los Angeles Music Center
* Los Angeles Social Venture Partners
* Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
* Million Trees LA

* Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP
* National Council of La Raza
* Occidental College
* Passport to Haiti
* Phi Delta Kappa International
* South Park Recreation Center
* Target
* TEAMS/AmeriCorps
* The Schonfeld Family
* University of California, Los Angeles
* University of Southern California

Synergy at Disneyland

As their final elementary school trip before going on to middle school, Synergy Charter Academy's 5th grade students who have worked hard and have been great citizens are rewarded with a visit to Disneyland. Special thanks to the Schonfeld Family for their generous support of this magical trip!

Join Synergy's Board of Directors

Synergy Academies is looking for volunteer board members to join our dynamic team, especially those with finance, accounting, or legal backgrounds.

If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please contact Meg Palisoc at megpalisoc@gmail.com or at 323-459-5463.

Volunteers Speak at Synergy's Career Days

Both Synergy Academies' schools held their first Career Days this past June.

The purpose of Career Day is to provide our inner city students with an opportunity to explore a specific career by interacting with actual professionals from different companies, organizations, and occupations.

Thank you to everyone who shared about their careers with our students!

Synergy Charter Academy's (elementary school) Career Day Speakers:

Allison Bajracharya (California Charter Schools Association) · Jon Gray (City National Bank) · Lisa Kaskel (City National Bank) · Gregory Kazolas (CEDAR Foundation) · Leigh-Ann Kazolas (CEDAR Foundation) · Kenneth Michael (UPS) · Michele Stroman-McGuire (City National Bank) · Chris Welton (Oversee Domain Services)

Synergy Kinetic Academy's (middle school) Career Day Speakers:

Imaginhr Cantero, II (intelligent Global Marketing Approach - iGMAinc) · Kevin Cheung (Activision) · Trace Devai (Writer, Composer, Dancer, and Singer) · Dorsay Dujon (Living Art Los Angeles) · Shirley Ford (Parent Revolution) · Andy Garcia (Ucan2 Financial Solutions) · Gabe Rose (Parent Revolution) · Shonda Michael (UCLA Health Systems) · Eric Roth (USC) · Janelle Ruley (Middleton, Young & Minney) · Carlos Santini (After School All Stars) · Nicole West (3D Visions)

Check out more Career Day photos on Synergy Academies' Facebook page.

Science Fair Focuses on Current Scientific Challenges

Synergy Kinetic Academy's second annual science fair focused on creating solutions to current events such as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and learning about the importance of alternative energy sources such as solar energy.

Since the majority of our middle school students are brand new to a Synergy school this year, this was the first time that many of them participated in a science fair.

This year, students were able to choose between two categories: 1) Theoretical, which required that the students use their knowledge and the reference materials given to them by their teachers to propose a project they would not actually build, or 2) Experiential, which required that the students actually build a model showing how it actually works.

Special thanks to the following volunteer science fair judges: