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The Warrior Weekly
Issue: #22 February 12, 2009
In This Issue
Celebrating Seniors
A Perfect Union
Lakehill Gives Back
Classroom Connections
Sports Snippets
What's Happening
Lakehill In The News
Quick Links
Lakehill Calendar
Lakehill Home Page
Ren Web
Lunch Menu
CELEBRATING SENIORS 
Senior Day Offers Fun for All
senior dayWith graduation still more than three months away, and much to accomplish before their final walk, seniors took pause recently for a fun-filled day of merriment, reflection, and celebration. Lakehill's annual Senior Day, held this year on February 5, honored members of the senior class and gave them an opportunity to be acknowledged for their contributions and to share their fondest memories of Lakehill.

Prior to the assembly, seniors began their day with a treat from Starbucks and were later joined by their parents for one "last lunch," catered by Freebirds, in the Lakehill cafeteria. The all-school assembly opened to an explosion of color and sound, with blue and green balloons decorating the stage and Senior Day spirit pennants adorning each seat in the auditorium. The cheerleaders pumped up the spirit with specially selected senior cheers.

The program included opening remarks from Headmaster Roger Perry and the introduction of each senior by class sponsors Evan Matthews, Susie Brigham, and Heather Dondis. Audience members were selected from every grade level to pose questions to the soon-to-be graduates, allowing seniors the opportunity to share their hopes and plans for the future as well as funny and poignant moments they will remember from their years at Lakehill.

Each senior left a "legacy" by handing down a personal Lakehill memento. This year's lucky raffle winners inherited such cherished items as Imani Heard's green wig from Trek for Tech and Brian McElrath's crutches, first debuted in Back to the 80s. From autographed volleyballs and t-shirts to handmade blankets and artwork, each senior left behind a personal treasure. Senior Day concluded with the singing of Lakehill's Alma Mater, led by members of the Upper School Choir.
A PERFECT UNION
Mini-Musical Enlightens and Entertains
4th musicalLakehill's fourth grade mini-musical, "Shh! We're Writing the Constitution" was performed on February 6 for Lower School students and parents.

The play, which coincides with the fourth grade American History unit, is the story of how our Constitution was created. It focuses on the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the trials and tribulations of the delegates as they worked to create an ordered system of government.

The cast featured the fourth grade students as delegates to the Convention, and included Noah Bernstein as George Washington, Case Ritter as James Madison, Spencer Gatreaux as Alexander Hamilton, and Tessa Schreiber as Benjamin Franklin. The students were under the direction of Linda Booth.
LAKEHILL GIVES BACK
Students Pledge 400 Acts of Service
My Turn Day.1
Lakehill students became united this week in a single cause: to be part of a positive change on our nation. The
premise was simple. Find a cause, make a pledge to give back to your community, and on February 10, tell everyone about it. Lakehill students came through in record numbers, committing to nearly 400 good deeds to benefit their community.

Students filled out pledge cards sharing what they would do to improve their community. Throughout the day, cards were posted on a bulletin board in the Upper School hallway until soon there was no space left.

Many students centered their pledges around helping those less fortunate, with visits to nursing homes, soup kitchens, and hospitals topping the list. Others vowed to help animals, through the SPCA or Paws in the City. Many focused on the environment, pledging to drive less, walk or bike more, turn out the lights when not in use, pick up trash, and recycle.

But despite the plethora of good causes, one thing was consistent: the students' desire to do something for their community and their belief that whatever they did would make a difference. In the end, isn't that the whole point of service?

Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.' Students at Lakehill know that change comes about when people join together behind a common cause and start doing. Let's help them spread the word.
CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
Invention Convention
invention conventionFostering the development of important science skills is a key component of Lakehill's fourth grade curriculum. Students are given a variety of opportunities to solve problems, think creatively, experiment, and work with data throughout the school year. The Invention Convention is a much-anticipated event that gives students an opportunity to demonstrate these skills independently as they invent a new way to solve an everyday problem.
 
This year's Invention Convention, held on January 29, tested students' ability to link simple machines together in order to perform a task, such as cracking an egg or picking up a dirty sock. In preparation for the event, participants were encouraged to identify a need or to solve a problem. Once a need or a problem was identified, students were directed to use problem-solving and creative-thinking skills to link wedges, pulleys, levers, wheels and axles, screws, and inclined planes together to perform the task and solve the problem. After careful planning, students were required to build their contraptions out of scavenged materials, such as toys, cardboard, Styrofoam, and scrap wood. A maximum budget of $10 was allowed.
 
Inventions were officially judged for creativity, use of simple machines, and the ability to explain what steps in the invention required the most trial and error to perfect. If a particular mechanism failed to work as planned, students were given credit for the step if they could explain how they would adjust or replace the malfunctioning part in order to fix the machine. Students learned that inventors do not usually get it right the first time, and that plans and models must often be modified in order to achieve the end result. Numerous parents, faculty members, and Lower School students were on hand to watch the inventors display their inventions and answer questions.
 SPORTS SNIPPETS
TennisMixed Tennis
February 17
Lakehill at Ovilla Christian - 3:00pm
February 19
Lakehill vs. Corem Deo - 3:30pm
February 20
Lakehill at Fairhill - 2:30pm

Varsity Baseball
Febr
uary 20
Lakehill at Westlake Academy - 5:00pm




Varsity Golf
February 19
Lakehill at Brook Hill - all day

 WHAT'S HAPPENING?
calendar
February 13 - 16
Winter Break - no classes

February 17
College Night for Freshmen - 6:00pm
Mrs. Dondis will discuss PSAT scores as well as introduce topics
related to the college process itself.  All freshmen and their parents are encouraged to attend.

February 18
Upper School Black History Month Presentation - 10:30am
Michael Dulan, a member of the school's advisory board, will speak to students on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.

February 24
PFC Speaker Series - 7:30pm
The Lakehill Parent Faculty Club (PFC) Speaker Series presentation "Ice and Fire: Social Aggression" by Marion K. Underwood, Ph.D. has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 24 at 7:30 pm in the Wyly Auditorium. Free child care for children ages 5-12 will be provided in the Lower School Library during the discussion. If you would like to reserve a child care spot, please contact Tina Simpson.
Leading to success.