CONNECTIONS, the Walton High School e-Newsletter
Sharing Walton Stories to Inspire and Applaud

May 13, 2016

Missed this Week's Announcements?

Archived E-Blast from Sunday, May 8, 2016

Walton High School Robotics Team Wins State Championship
and World Awards!
 
Walton Robotics has won the Georgia State Champions in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The team's journey began in March where they competed at the Columbus, GA District event. They seeded #2 in qualification matches, were the Captain of Alliance 2, Robot Finalists, and won the "Entrepreneurship Award" for having the best business plan among the 42 teams.
 
The next stop was in Dalton, GA where the team earned the #1 seed in qualification matches. They were the Captain of Alliance 1, and overall Robot Winner. The team once again won the "Entrepreneurship Award" as well as the coveted "Chairman's Award" (the most prestigious in FIRST Robotics). This qualified the team for the State Championship. The team also had a Dean's list nominee (Kenneth Carmon) and Woodie Flowers nominee (Frank Jarrell).
 
At the State Championship tournament in Athens, April 13-15, 2016, the team competed with 65 other high school robotics teams within Georgia. Walton, allied with Global Dynamics from Decatur and East Cobb Robotics, won the robot competition, qualifying the team for World Championships in St. Louis, MO. The team also earned the #1 ranking in the state by earning more qualifying points (327) than any other team in Georgia within its three competitions.
 
The team is just back from an amazing experience at the World Championships where they won the "Gracious Professionalism Award". This accolade is awarded to only four teams out of the 600 that competed at the World Championship. The criteria for the award are based on "substantial efforts to help spread STEM throughout a team's school, community, and the world". This award is significant to the Walton Robotics program as it showcases the hard work the team puts forth during the entire year-round season, specifically focusing on the message of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math).  The team has worked not only in their community and the state through their annual summer camps and hundreds of outreach events, but also worldwide to reach out to underserved areas to spread the word of STEM and FIRST through different areas around the world. Last summer the student-leaders, in partnership with team sponsor Novelis, hosted a free STEM camp in Pindamonhangamba, Brazil.
 
The Walton Robotics team is much more than a group of kids building a robot. The team is structured as a real-life business with different departments within the team. These departments include Business, Communications, Community Outreach, Destination Einstein, Engineering, Programming, STEM Missions and Training. Each season the students go through a rigorous application and interview process to earn leadership positions as well as team membership. Much of the team's success is in part due to their long-time head coach, Brian Benton, Engineering teacher at Walton, along with the many mentors and amazing sponsors (Novelis, GE, T-Sheets, Lockheed Martin, UTC, PBWorks, Georgia Power, Win-Tech, and Automated Logic).
 
The team's accomplishments are based on the overall mission of helping students develop personal and professional skills inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and promote STEM as fun rewarding pathway to a brighter future. If you would like to learn more about the Walton Robotics program, be sure to visit Walton Robotics.
Eileen Mittleider
WHS Robotics Club Parent Volunteer
 
WHS ROBOTICS TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS
WHS TENNIS TEAM TAKES STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 
AAAAAA State Champions
Last Saturday, the WHS Women's Tennis Team defeated Etowah 3-1 at the Clayton County International Park, clinching its 4th straight state championship.  Walton has won 14 of the last 16 AAAAAA State Championships and Coach Anthony Foti was thrilled with the win. "I'm very proud to keep up the tradition. We started the season with only two returning players. The team has gotten better and better and better during the season, and we really hit our stride in the playoffs. I'm so impressed with how the team has grown and the level of play they brought to the Championship." Congratulations, Raiders!
 WHS Relay for Life Team Raises $5000
WHS Relays to Fight Cancer
Saturday's Cobb County Relay for Life event at Jim Miller Park was a great success!  WHS's 60+ team members joined other teams from across the county, raising money to support the American Cancer Society's fight against cancer.  The team was spearheaded by the Principal's Leadership Committee and included students, parents, and teachers, all working towards the eradication of this disease.  Walton's team raised $5000 through grill days, t-shirt sales, donations, and the sale of the Nature and Life book produced by WHS students.  The team dedicated their donation to the loving memory of Cara Seckman.
IN THIS ISSUE
Robotics Team Wins State
Tennis Team AAAAAA Champs!
Relay For Life Raises $5K
Healthy Tips for Exam Time
Artists Chalk Up Another Win
WaltonStrong
 
Healthy Habits Increase Performance on Exams
 
Did you know that incorporating health habits in your lifestyle can improve performance and concentration? Set aside time to take care of your body and brain during your exams to reap big benefits on your final grades!
 
1.) Make time for exercise! Not only does exercise help to improve sleep patterns, just 20-30 minutes will reduce stress and allow you to go into your study session energized with more focus.
 
2.) Go for balance! Make your carbohydrates complex and add some protein to your meals and snacks. This will keep your blood sugar levels stable and will decrease hunger and cravings- two things you don't need when you may already be stressed!
 
3.) Eat at regular intervals. This will keep your energy level up and reduce the temptation to fill your body full of empty-calorie snacks. Empty calories lack nutrients your body needs and will usually leave you craving more in a very short time! Try smaller meals/snacks more often.
 
4.) Drink water! Dehydration will make you feel fatigued and less focused. And try to keep caffeine and sugar to a minimum. These two can cause jitters and unstable blood sugar (and lead to an energy crash!).
 
5.) Get enough sleep! Your brain needs sleep to process information and to flush out toxins accumulated during the day. Pulling an all-nighter will leave your brain fuzzy. Keep it sharp by giving it the rest it needs.
 
Prepare your brain and your body for exam day so you can bring your "A" game to your finals!


WHS Students Win $500 in Sidewalk Art Competition

Students Display Prize Check

Congratulations to Ms. Kathleen Petka's Art Students: Cassie Helsel, Nick Froemming, Cassidy Kim, Sari Leff, Mia Reilly, Jenny Lin, Laurie Weinstein, Longna Liu, and Cece Lu for winning 1st place in the "Chalk 1 Up for Safety Contest at the High Museum of Art on Saturday, April 30th!
 
Their winning piece was titled, "Step Out of the Shadows" and encouraged the viewer to get involved and help others.  Chalk up another award for the talented students in the WHS art department! 
 
WHS's Sidewalk Chalk Entry tt

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