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Archived e-Blast from Sunday, Nov. 16

   Walton Robotics Team Battles in

    "Varsity Sport of the Mind"

The thirty-nine member WHS Robotics team welcomed school officials, sponsors, mentors, and parents to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of their new "build site" on Nov. 7, 2014! This 19,000 sf facility, provided by sponsor Taylor & Mathis, is the home for Destination Einstein (DE), a joint venture between Walton HS Robotics and Georgia FIRST.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded by Segway inventor Dean Kamen in 1989 to celebrate science and technology and encourage young people to devote themselves to becoming STEM leaders. Kamen's strategy utilizes an international robotics competition "to engage students in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, inspire innovation and foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication and leadership." 

Rishi Raj, Executive Director of the WHS Robotics Team, believes the innovation and competencies of 21st Century STEM workforce are being developed in the FIRST program today. "It starts with us," he explained, and the WHS team takes its role as an ambassador for STEM and a mentor for younger teams very seriously. Last year, the team participated in some 50 outreach activities logging over 11,000 hours, including mentoring teams at Dickerson, Dodgen and Sope Creek. They also host 3 emersion summer camps each year for all levels of FIRST competitors. WHS served as peer mentors to start-up teams Pope and Mt. Pisgah, even allowing them to participate in the initial design phase of the robot.  At a World Congress Center exhibition involving presentations and demonstrations to over a thousand K-12 Atlanta students, the WHS students were privileged to guide a blind student through his first encounter with robotics and experienced the thrill of introducing him and so many others to the excitement of science and technology. 

In addition to the appeal of the robots themselves, the team has developed other strategies to generate interest in STEM. "Flat Walt", a life-sized Iron Man figure, always attracts a crowd and provides an opportunity to talk about FIRST. Travel-sized Flat Walt cut-outs are distributed with promotional literature to kids who are encouraged to take photos of themselves with F.W. while on a learning adventure and send them back to the team. So far, Flat Walt has visited every continent except Antarctica, and Rishi disclosed discussions are in progress to imbed F.W. with a research team stationed there!

The T-shirt Cannon infects the crowds at every appearance! Developed by the team a few years ago to inject science and technology into WHS team sports, the cannon fires t-shirts into the enthusiastic audience at a variety of events. As an example of the ways the team constantly innovates and pushes the envelope higher, they produced a video and entered The National Football League's, "Together We Make Football" Contest. Winners will be announced this morning! Click here to view the WHS Entry (Prepare to be impressed!)

Walton competes at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) level. A problem set is presented to the team, and they use a standard "kit of parts" during a six-week timeframe to build and program robots to enter into competitions designed by a committee of engineers and professionals. The participants work with their mentors to develop a solution through many hours of trial and error in a process as close to "real world" engineering as a student can get. Yet even in the competition, there is something different about this sport. Rishi's explanation of the process is peppered with FIRST-speak. Concepts like "gracious professionalism" and "coopertition" encourage high-quality work and fierce competition with mutual respect and empathy. Innovation, design, and team work are rewarded at the same level as the problem solution. Learning, striving, and excelling together form the bedrock of the FIRST philosophy and the cornerstone of the Walton Robotics Team Mission. Case in point: one of the top goals for this year's team is to see a Georgia team on the Einstein Field of the World Championships. The new build site plays a critical role in this strategy. WHS Robotics' Destination Einstein partnership with Georgia FIRST creates a permanent practice field that is offered to all Georgia teams to test their robots, hone their skills and stimulate the competition environment so that Georgia will be sending seasoned players into regional, national and international contests. Destination Einstein Video

Increasing female participation in STEM programs is another goal of FIRST. Rishi proudly reports girls make up 42% of the WHS team and the team has had female executive directors for 4 of its 7 years.   GIRLSFIRST, an all-girls robotic event that included a Q&A with women in professional STEM careers, christened the new build site and encouraged more girls to get involved in robotics now so they will be a part of the STEM workforce later. 

Rishi also points out that FIRST is more than engineering and programing. Brian Benton, WHS Engineering teacher and Robotics Team Coach who started the program 7 years ago, agrees. "These kids do incredible things. They work with mentors to develop presentation skills, learn to create a business plan and budget, meet with prospective sponsors, produce videos and create websites, and gain management/leadership skills along the way that will serve them throughout their lives." Company Sponsor TSheets recently twitted, "If you haven't heard of @walt2974, you should check them out: Amazing high schoolers rocking robotics!" 

We agree...Visiting WHS ROBOTICS will inspire you!

WHS Orchestra Program Collects National Awards and Creates Lifelong Music Lovers 

Dr.Perry Holbrook, the head director of the Walton Orchestra program, declares, "Our goal for the orchestra program is to develop a love of music that lasts a lifetime."  During his 14 year tenure at Walton, he has done just that, growing the program from 125 students to 295 students!  Sara Grimes, a Walton alumna-class of 2003, has been the assistant director at Walton for 5 years.  Together, they direct 7 different orchestras.  Three are audition only (Chamber, Philharmonia and Sinfonia).  Two are freshmen orchestras (Dorian and Aeolian) and two are upperclassmen orchestras (Ionian and Locrian).  All of the orchestras perform four concerts a year. Additionally, chamber music groups perform throughout the year.

WHS Chamber Orchestra has been chosen as a National Winner in the 2014 Mark of Excellence competition!  Last spring the Chamber Orchestra recorded Edward Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for string quartet and string orchestra, and the Bach/Stokowski Air for a G String. After rigorous adjudication, this recording was awarded the designation of National Winner, one of five in the country awarded the highest honor and the only winner from Georgia.

Over spring break, the WHS Orchestra will be traveling to the Czech Republic and Austria for 10 days. They will be performing in the Schönbrunn Palace, the summer palace of the Habsburg monarchy where Mozart performed, and in Dvořák Hall in Prague. A trip highlight will be a special joint concert with Carmel High School (Indiana) at Esterházy, where Haydn premiered many pieces

The Walton Raider Orchestra Guild (WROG) is the booster organization that supports the Walton Orchestra through many fundraisers including the fall Patron Program. Chris Ronchetti serves as booster club president, and without parent support, the orchestra would not be able to keep such high standards. Ronchetti says. "It is an honor and a privilege to be the Walton Raider Orchestra Guild president for the 2014-2015 school year!

The WHS Orchestra students are like none other! Their talent, accomplishments, and character continue to astonish me whenever I am around them.  I have been blessed to meet so many wonderful people in this role... our phenomenal directors, our hard working WROG Board and, of course, our one and only students.  I love to attend performances and look forward to accompanying them on their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe this spring! I especially value the impact this group has had on my son, Luke.  The WHS Orchestra is a "home away from home" for him, and when he graduates this year, I will look back with gratitude for all he has gained as a musician, a performer and a young man from being a member of the WHS Orchestra!  Please, if you have never been to a WHS Orchestra concert, be sure to put one on your list! You will TRULY be amazed!"

The WHS Orchestra means different things to different students. Some plan careers in the field while others simply enjoy the music. Connie Li, an orchestra senior who intends to major in music education in college declares, "Orchestra is a place that fosters creativity and intellectual development. I am inspired to become an orchestra teacher so I can impact future students and help cultivate the next generation's love for music."  Robert Morgan, a senior who plans to major in finance, but still play bass, says, "I made a lot of life-long friends through the orchestra program. Not only do I get to play amazing music like Beethoven, I have leadership opportunities." Madeleine Deisen, freshman violinist reveals, "I really like high school orchestra. Compared to middle school, we play more interesting music. Even though we have intense rehearsals, it is lots of fun!"  

Notable awards include four selections to perform at the Midwest Clinic, two selections to perform at the National American String Teacher Association Conference and eight selections to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference. 

Additionally, the orchestras have traveled and performed internationally; performing in three European concert tours  The international performances included cities of Austria (Salzburg, Vienna, Graz), Germany (Berlin), Czech Republic (Prague), and Italy (Ascoli Piceno, Sienna, Vienna, Cremona). Walton string quartets have also performed in Spain (Salamanca). Other notable performances include the National School Board Association Conference, the San Francisco International Music Festival, and the Orlando Festival of Music.

We hope to share our music with you soon!

Sara Grimes

Assistant Director

WHS Orchestra