| Greetings!
We hope you are enjoying a happy and healthy 2010! The spring semester is off to a great start and our staff is busy preparing to open our first elementary school this summer. Check out all the great things happening at KIPP Austin.
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| First KIPPsters Accepted to College! |
 Recently, school history was made at KIPP Austin as a member of our first class of KIPPsters, the class of 2010, received his first college acceptance letter! Edward H. was accepted to The University of Texas at San Antonio and Sam Houston State University. This is a huge accomplishment for Edward and invaluable to us at KIPP Austin to show all the current KIPPsters that their continued hard work and perseverance does pay off. Since the day Edward received his acceptance, many of his classmates have also received letters from schools like Howard University, Florida Memorial College, Texas Lutheran University, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Baylor University. Way to go class of 2010!
Getting underserved students to and through college is KIPP Austin's core mission, and the main reason KIPP Austin was established. Our students, teachers, and staff spend every minute of every day striving to accomplish that mission and are so excited to see our students reaching their goals.
We know that this is just the beginning and many more letters of acceptance will be coming in for the class of 2010 and those after, but we will all remember this first letter and Edward as he continues his journey through college and beyond. |
Activities outside the Classroom Walls
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In the four days leading up to Thanksgiving, KIPP Austin Collegiate students participated in their second annual fall intersession. Principal Carrie Donovan started intersession at the high school last year to give students an opportunity to participate in a series of programs and field lessons outside the normal academic and elective offerings. It gives students a great opportunity to experience different fields of study that could develop into future degree paths in college as well as time to complete service learning projects with various community-oriented organizations in Austin.
This year's opportunities were kicked off November 19th with ninth grade students designing two wall murals, landscaping, gardening, and creating a campus recycling station. The tenth graders provided community service at the Hands of the Earth Farm with Urban Roots. They also began one of many art projects by painting a 18' x 7' canvas to represent their Cardinal Pride, which will later be posted in the high school gymnasium. The next day, the freshmen visited St. Edward's University while the sophomores traveled to Waco, TX to visit Baylor University.
As Intersession continued, freshmen worked with volunteers from Junior Achievement, an organization that teaches youth about production, marketing, and capital investment while competing online with a fictional product. In addition, Austin LifeGuard conducted a sex education workshop to empower students with accurate information to help them make healthy decisions in life. On the last day, sophomores learned to play lacrosse from Southwestern University lacrosse players and competed in a Cardinal tournament. Then, motivational speaker, Kesha Dirkson, was on campus that afternoon to lead a workshop on public speaking. This workshop worked to prepare our college-bound students for oral presentations and college/employment interviews.
Students will participate in another intercession in the days leading up to spring break in March 2010. What a great opportunity for these KIPPsters! |
Students Explore the Wonderful World of Art
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KIPP Austin Academy of Arts & Letters fifth graders are back to school after a well-deserved winter break and are excited to get back into the classroom, especially the art classroom. In their first semester, students were introduced to art by discussing questions like "What is Art?" and "Who is an Artist?". They then delved right into the good stuff with lessons about Color Theory as they learned how to mix 36 colors from the primary colors, black, and white. The art teacher, Wilhelmina Peragine, says now the students love to point out the color choices of various artists and works.
Students then explored lines by learning a variety of strategies to communicate feeling and create realistic representations of what we actually see. Students enjoyed learning about Leonardo Da Vinci and mimicking drawings he made in his sketchbook using their line strategies. Led by Ms. Peragine, students ended the first semester moving from 2D to 3D by first learning about shape and then form. Colored chalk was the favorite medium of many students as they drew Georgia O'Keefe-like vegetables with organic shapes and brilliant color.
Now that students are back and ready for more, they are beginning a unit on landscape and will soon be painting the oak grove outside the art room, Plein Air (aka, painting outside)! Other units this semester include: "Nature as Inspiration" where students will explore pattern, balance, and variety; "Who are You?" where students will complete self portraits, and "Masterful Musings" where students will emulate artists works as a final project.
Also, as part of the schools partnership with the Austin Museum of Art's program, Seeing Special Things, 50 students have Still Life drawings on display. Students will also take part in six more field lessons to the museum this semester - an experience they relish - to participate in guided tours as well as "hands-on" time in the family lab.
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Sincerely,
KIPP Austin Public Schools
"If your plan is for a year, plant rice. If your plan is for a decade,
plant trees. If your plan is for a lifetime, educate children."
~Confucius |
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Volunteer with Us!
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Join the Uplift Austin Community Volunteer Day at KIPP Austin Collegiate
Come help our students implement the landscaping project they designed to improve their campus.
The event takes place on Saturday, February 20th from 10:30am to 3:00pm. We are seeking folks who enjoy digging, planting, and other forms of gardening-related physical labor. No special skills required.
If you have your own gardening gloves or tools, please feel free to bring them! Water and light snacks will be provided.
Please RSVP to our Site Coordinator, Adrienne Clements, at adrienne@upliftaustin.org
We hope to see you there!
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