Assistance With Alonso’s Success Academy
One of the best kept secrets at Alonso High School is the Saturday Success Academy.
Ask your high school student if he or she knows about it and you might hear, “Oh, that’s just for students who got in trouble.”
This, however, is not totally true! The Saturday Success Academy is for students who may need some extra help on assignments or exam reviews, students who are making up missed work after absences and any student who is worried about not passing the FCAT or EOC exams. The Success Academy also assists students in making up courses they’ve been putting off and students wishing to avoid ISS (talk to your assistant principal).
The Saturday Success Academy is held at Alonso High School from 9 a.m. to noon. The remaining dates for the academic year are April 6 and 27 as well as May 11 and 18. The following subjects are available: math, English, reading, science, Credit Recovery, College Readiness, social studies, ESE, foreign language, ACT/SAT, and Industrial Certifications. You do not need to sign up; you simply just show up! The courses are taught by Alonso teachers and the Success Academy is free!
The Alonso Archeology class goes on some great field trips. They have visited cemeteries, the Titanic exhibit, and other interesting places. For a future field trip, its teacher, Ms. Kate Tancrell, is in need of metal detectors. If you have given up finding lost treasure and are no longer in need of your metal detector, please contact Ms. Tancrell at kate.tancrell@sdhc.k12.fl.us. She will very much appreciate any assistance in finding metal detectors for the class.
Once again the Alonso PTSA is looking for next year’s leadership. Chantel Reda has done a fantastic job these past two years as president, but would like to find new participants on the PTSA executive committee and board. She will be happy to assist the new PTSA president in learning about all that is involved. If you are interested in a leadership position or just want to help out, please contact Chantel at redatampa8@aol.com.
By Jean Keelan
Ravens Compete at District Swim Meet
Go Raven’s swim team!
So far this year, the girls on Alonso’s swim team have broken eight Alonso swim records. In the lead for breaking these records are three fantastic freshman! Paige Carter, Kendall Clarke, Madison Rattner and Taelor Gutcher all compose the record-breaking relay that has performed so well.
As of this writing, Alonso’s swimmers will participate at districts on Oct. 26, where they hopefully will qualify for regionals and eventually state finals. The Alonso swim team is coached by Jason Philpot.
Alonso can also be proud of the Alonso Team Mentors Club. The 43 students in this club visit Lowry Elementary School every Wednesday afternoon to mentor a second grade student in the H.O.S.T. program. The club members spend an hour completing homework, reading, playing hangman and tic-tac-toe, and having a fun time with the elementary students. The high school students stay with their assigned second-grader all year (and years beyond) to build a relationship. In return the Alonso teens receive community service hours. Many of the teens, however, realize after a couple of weeks that they are earning more than just community service hours. They are making a difference in the life of a young person who looks forward to their visit every week.
The teens also find that they look forward to the time they get to spend with their mentee. It’s a win-win situation for the mentor and the mentee! Ms. Christine Lindbak is the Alonso Teen Mentors Club Sponsor and also teaches AP Environmental Science and Biology Honors. The community thanks Ms. Linkback for her leadership within this wonderful program!
By Jean Keelan
Alonso Dancers Host Camp Oct. 9-10
Alonso invites you to join the Touch of Class Dance Team’s Annual Junior Dance Camp on Oct. 12.
The Alonso Junior Dance Camp is an amazing opportunity for young students interested in being part of a dance team, a pre-game football show and a high school halftime performance at Alonso High School. The camp is for girls and boys in Grades 1-8. On Oct. 9 and 10 they will come to Alonso after school to learn a dance with our Touch of Class Dance Team. Then they will perform the dance with the dancers and the Class Act Band during our pre-game performance and halftime show.
Participants will also receive a red Junior Dance Camp shirt this year to wear during their performance. Finally, pictures of their experience and their big dance sister will be mailed out the following week to capture all of the special moments they had while performing on the Alonso High School football field.
Please go to http://www.alonsodance.com to find out more information and submit a request for a Junior Dance Camp packet and return it by Oct. 1 (the deadline may be extended to accommodate WOW readers). We hope to see our young dancers on the field with us on Oct. 12!
In other performance news, Alonso’s Theater Group will be performing Legally Blonde the Musical on Oct. 5 and 6. You can purchase tickets online by going to the Alonso Web site, selecting “Alonso Websites” then selecting “Alonso Theatre Program.” Alonso’s theater program is known for their award-winning shows so don’t miss out!
It’s shopping time at Alonso! Alonso’s school store is open periods five and six during lunch. It sells lots of Raven merchandise, such as T-shirts, shorts, baseball caps and other items, so send your Alonso students to school with a little extra cash.
If you’re still in the mood to shop, you may want to buy the Alonso yearbook online as it will be less expensive than purchasing it at school at a later date. To order your yearbook online, go to http://www.yearbookorder.com and enter order code 2290.
By Jean Keelan
Alonso Debuts New Web Site
Alonso’s Web site has a new look! The new Web site, http://alonso.mysdhc.org has m,ore information that students and parents can access, including breaking news, an activities calendar and information about the July 10 Alonso Sports Introductory meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the school auditorium.
If you’re counting down the days until school starts, here are some things to think about. First, we welcome all freshman to Alonso. Your GPA will be very important to getting into the college of your choice. It’s time to start building a high school resume of extra-curricular activities that will set you apart from the crowd. Don’t know what you want to do yet? Check out the sports and clubs available on the Alonso web page.
Sophomores, keep building a strong GPA; if you haven’t gotten involved in extra-curricular activities, it’s not too late to get moving!
Juniors, this is a very important year for you. While colleges look at your whole high school experience, much more consideration is placed on junior year. Start preparing for the ACT and SAT by doing the question-of-the-day online. Go to the free, Web-based preparation courses (a schedule is available in the Guidance Department). Last, seniors, please visit Alonso’s Web site for a month-by-month action plan for charting your course to college. Click on the Guidance link and read the Senior Handbook.
Another way to get ready for the new school year is to attend Students Organized and Ready (SOAR) Gap I Summer 2012 program at Alonso from July 30-Aug. 2, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet the coaches, administrators, teachers and student leaders from every grade level. Learn about traditions, class expectations, AP preparation skills and methods of receiving help. To print a registration form for this program, go to http://academicprograms.mysdhc.org/GAPI and send the form to Ms. Morgan, AVID Coordinator, Braulio Alonso High School, 8302 Montague St., Tampa, Florida 33635. Set yourself up for success by attending this great program!
The Alonso Swim Team is seeking new members. Attend the July 10 fall sports meeting to learn more about the team and get the necessary paperwork to participate. The first practice is Aug. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at West Park Village pool. There will be voluntary practices at the YMCA starting July 3 at 7 a.m., every Tuesday and Thursday. Contact Coach Jason Philpot for more information.
Ravens Accomplishments Mark Year’s End
As Alonso’s year winds down, students, faculty and staff are reflecting on the students’ many accomplishments.
A new club that emerged this year is called Club 180. The club’s advisor, Janelle MacLean, a West Park Village resident, stated the mission of the club is “to promote reading progress through changes toward positive school-wide climate and culture.” The club has received national recognition by Scholastic, Inc. and Ms. MacLean was named 2012 Scholastic Outstanding Educator for High School Stage C. Club mentors offered independent reading suggestions, testing tips and reading strategies to students who wanted to increase their reading abilities. They formed discussion groups and student-led data chats. Many former students in this club elected to receive extra tutoring to improve their FCAT scores. Way to go, Ms. MacLean, for an awesome program!
The History Club, led by Ms. Dylana Robertson, had eight seniors compete in February’s Hillsborough County Fair, qualifying them for the April 29 State History Fair at Tallahassee Community College. They competed in two categories: Group Performance and Exhibit. The participating students were: Deanna Bousalis, Sydney Brennan, Cameron Garrett, Victoria George, Cassie McKenzie, Amy Mildebrath, Aleah Nelson and Nicole O’Hara.
Other club news comes from the Alonso Science Honors/Engineering Club and Alonso Robotics Team, advised by John Carnahan. In February Alonso fielded its first ever Envirothon team, which competed at St. Pete College in Seminole. There were 22 teams that were each tested in five categories. Alonso High School earned the high score on the Current Environmental Issue test. Alonso’s team consisted of Deanna Bousalis (captain), Drew Mertzlufft, Janna Royal, Sydney Russell and Alicia Valverde. Cameron Carson competed on a multi-school alternate team that earned the high score on the Aquatic Ecology test.
Meanwhile the Alonso Engineering Club competed in multiple events at the Science Brain Bowl at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in March. These events included mousetrap car (in speed, distance, and humor categories), trebuchet, science quiz bowl, science poster and chemical equation balancing. The quiz bowl team made it to the third round of competition. Omar Lopez and Miles Massey won third place medals for their mousetrap car in the speed category.
In the sports arena, Alonso seniors making baseball news are Juan Bracamonte and Ryan Valdes. Bracamonte and Valdes were selected First Team All Western Conference American Division. The Alonso baseball team is led by Coach Landy Faedo.
Last, we express our heartfelt gratitude to PSTA President Chantel Reda and Treasurer Lisa Rodriguez for their dedication and hard work. The Alonso PTSA is looking for new leadership for next year. If you have the time and energy, please contact Chantel Reda at redatampa8@aol.com.
By Jean Keelan, PTSA Corresponding Secretary
Alonso Artists Win Praise
In March Alonso’s performing and visual arts students showcased their work in a big way!
Bright and early on March 12, Charley Belcher from Fox 13 came to Alonso High School to showcase Encore Theatre Group’s production of their one-act play Avenue Q. If Sesame Street had a comical, risqué adult version using similar puppets, Avenue Q would be it. Only Encore’s version was much more appropriate, suitable for the high school audience. Mindy Foskey, a theater mom, hand-made each puppet, which would have made Jim Henson proud. When Encore brought the play to regional competition, it won first place at the Florida State Thespian Festival. Encore’s full play of I Love You Because was chosen for a main stage production at the festival, which was also quite an honor.
Then, on Wednesday, March 14, the one-act plays were showcased at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Between regionals and state, Alonso’s Encore Theatre’s production of Avenue Q had built up quite a stir. At the state competition, approximately 450 students were turned away at the door because the theater was full. Encore’s production of Avenue Q received a full standing ovation as well as a superior rating (the highest honor) from all of the judges. To see clips from Charley’s World on Fox 13 go to http://www.myfoxtampabay.com
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Bravo, Encore! And we offer a special thank you to Lisa Vorreiter, Encore’s advisor and theater teacher.
In the visual arts arena, several Alonso art students were chosen to exhibit their work at the Dalí Museum’s Student Surrealist Art Exhibition for Middle and High Schools. Peter Tush, Dalí Museum Education Curator, judged this year’s show. Out of 231 submissions, 104 art pieces were selected. Art media included oils, pastels and photography. Alonso senior Haley Reda submitted a mixed media piece of photography and paper collage entitled Life After Death, a perfect fit for the exhibition’s theme. The artwork will be exhibited until April 8 at the Dalí Museum.
By Jean Keelan; Photos by Chantel Reda and Mindy Foskey
Girl Scouts Participate in Blanket Drive
In the midst of winter’s chilly nights, a troop of Westchase Girl Scouts helped spread warmth and love.
Girl Scout Troop Number 1231 made comforting fleece blankets this winter and donated them to the Crisis Center of Tampa. Some of the Scouts visited the Crisis Center facility over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday break. They toured the facility while learning about all the great services the Crisis Center offers our community. The distribution of blankets is just one service the center provides. The blankets are used to comfort children, adults and the homeless.
The Crisis Center has a blanket campaign and would love to hear from anyone who is willing to donate a warm, snugly, comforting blanket! Their ambulances also carry blankets and offer them to our homeless citizens during critically cold times.
The Girl Scouts of Troop 1231 learned a very valuable lesson about our community "outside their bubble."
By Linda Calderone
Ravens Win Top DECA Awards
In a fall competition, a number of Ravens were recognized for their marketing skills.
Ms. Harmon and Ms. Alonso, Club Advisors for the Distributive Education Career Association (DECA) from Marketing and Fashion/Sports, would like to congratulate the 32 DECA members who competed at the District 8 DECA competition on Nov. 30. There were over 800 student competitors in 30 marketing events and a number of Alonso Ravens returned with top prizes.Michael Rankin won first place for Human Resources Management. Stephanie Habryl and Shane O’Shannon won first place for Sports Marketing Team. Izzy Brookman and Michael Snow won third place for Finance Team Event. John Hawes won first place for Sports Marketing Promotion Plan, and Joe Gainey and Jamie Smith took fourth place for Sports Marketing Promotion Plan. These DECA members will be representing Alonso High School at the State Career Conference and Competition March 1-4 at the Disney World Hilton Resort in Orlando. Go, Ravens!
Another club that is making Ravens proud is the Robotics Team, led by Alonso science teachers John Carnahan and David Price. The 2011-2012 team is comprised of three teams with approximately ten members each. This is the fourth season for Massive D (Defense), FTC Team 3073. Forced Applied, FTC Team 3837, is in its third season. SWAG (Students with Awesome Game), FTC Team 5416, is in its first season. All three teams competed at the Hillsborough School Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 12.
SWAG finished as the fourth-ranked alliance captain but ended up losing in the semi-finals. SWAG also set an Alonso robotics milestone by being the first team to earn a judged award.
The coaches would like to thank the following people for their contributions to the team’s success: Alonso alumni Silas Potter and Blake Burton, who were volunteer assistant coaches and college mentors; parents of the team members; Rockwell Collins for providing a FTC Rookie grant that provided the third team with a $1,000 kit of robot parts, and Clanton Welding, who generously donated over $200 of galvanized steel sheet to aid in the construction of the robots.
By Jean Keelan; Photo by Patricia Alonso
Jean Keelan is a resident of The Greens. She thanks John Carnahan, Jean Harmon, and Patricia Alonso for submitting the information for this article.
Alonso Baseball Tournament Jan. 8
It’s not too late to help make Raven baseball stronger! The Eighth Annual Alonso Baseball Tournament will be held Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Westchase Golf Club. The official tournament sponsors are Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Kevin Carter Foundation.
Other sponsorship packages are available. To participate in the tournament, the Golfer Package is $100 and includes dinner and awards banquet. Dinner packages for adults are $15 and children under 13 are $10. To be sent an electronic copy of the registration, please contact Coach Landy Faedo at 356-1525, Ext. 291.
Congratulations to the Alonso Theatre Department for doing a fantastic job at the District Individual Events competition held in October. Alonso brought home 18 superior ratings. The overall district average of superior ratings was 30 percent and Alonso was at 58 percent. In addition to the 18 superiors, six acts were chosen as Critical Choice Showcase winners: Cameron Garrett for solo musical; Calen Croweder for monologue; Atlanta Foskey, Cameron Garrett, Abby Daner and Justin Lynch for small group musical; Abby Daner for solo musical alternative; Abby Daner and Jenny Totcky for duet musical alternative; and Kenya Broadnax, Ilexis Holmes, Alisa Davis, Robyn Stephens, Karla Soriano, Geena Addison and Jasmine Murrell for ensemble acting. Stay tuned for The Little Mermaid running in the spring semester.
The other shining stars at Alonso are the JROTC Female Raiders. They finished third overall at the State Raider Challenge Competition in December.
Are you wondering who won the Race Trac Rivalry Bowl and its $3,500 award? Alonso did! The winner was announced at the football game on Nov. 11. Go Ravens! Way to show your school spirit!
Seniors, get ready for your final semester at Alonso. Save these dates! Rehearsal for graduation will be held on Saturday, June 2, at 11 a.m. Graduation will take place on Wednesday, June 6, at 9:30 a.m. at The Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Remember, seniors, finish strong!
By Jean Keelan
Alonso Opens Preschool Program
Alonso High School is looking for Little Ravens! Alonso has started a preschool program for children ages 3-5. It is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 8:45-11 a.m.
The cost is $40 per month (cash or money order only) along with a one-time $5 insurance fee. The curriculum focuses on kindergarten readiness and socialization skills delivered in a nurturing, developmentally-appropriate environment. The adult staff is fully certified by the Florida Department of Education and the high school students have been partially certified and are working towards their four-year certification through the Department of Children and Families.
If you are interested in this program, please fill out an application in Alonso’s main office. Contact Ms. Swati Jani at 356-1525, Ext. 554, with questions.
It’s time to start thinking about ordering your Alonso yearbook and securing an ad for your senior. The yearbook will be created under the supervision of Laura Pratt, English 1 Honors and Journalism teacher. To order your student’s yearbook, go to yearbookordercenter.com or contact Ms. Pratt at laura.pratt@sdhc.k12.fl.us.
If you’re in the mood to buy other books, Alonso’s Media Center will hold an online book fair from the end of November to the second week of December. With the cold weather just around the corner, why not cuddle up with a good book? Check out Alonso’s Web site for more information or contact Ms. Tasha Lohman at tasha.lohman@sdhc.k12.fl.us.
Want to know everything there is to know about the Alonso Girls’ Volleyball team? Check out http://www.maxpreps.com which, contains all the statistics about the team. Coach Francesca Chupela is leading the girls’ volleyball team and it’s a close year with eight wins and eight losses as of Oct. 11. Hang in there, Ravens! We’ll be cheering for you!
Another Alonso organization we are very proud of is the Alonso High School Army JROTC. Alonso’s JROTC is one of the top battalions in its program and the sixth largest in Florida. It has consistently scored above others in the rigorous three-year inspections, both times receiving the highest possible decoration, Honor Unit with Distinction. If you have any questions, please contact Major Charles Organ at charles.organ@skhc.k12.fl.us.
If you would like to contribute to Alonso’s news for WOW, please contact Jean Keelan at jmkeelan@verizon.net. We would like to support all happenings at Alonso.
By Jean Keelan
Alonso Needs Support in Race Trac Rivalry Bowl
Braulio Alonso High School is off to a great start as academics, athletics, clubs, and organizations are already filling the calendar. By mid-September, the Alonso football team already had three wins under its belt. Go Ravens!
Please visit Alonso’s Web site (http:alonso.mysdhc.org) to read more about all athletic events.
Appearing at the Sept. 9 football game was Jeff Meeks, Development Supervisor with Race Trac. He was there to promote the Race Trac Rivalry Bowl, a friendly competition between area high schools to earn money for them. Alonso and Sickles are the paired rivals for our area. To support Alonso, all you need to do when you get thirsty is go to the Race Trac on Linebaugh Avenue and Wilsky Boulevard and purchase a soft drink or bottled water and tell the associate you would like to support Alonso in the Rivalry Bowl (other Race Tracs may be participating, so please ask when you go to the counter). The contest will run until Nov. 7 and the winner will be announced at the Alonso-Sickles football game on Nov. 11. The school with the most purchases will win $3,500 and the other school will receive $1,500, so it’s really a win-win competition.
The Alonso Theatre Department has exciting events planned for October. On Friday, Oct. 1, a car wash fund-raiser will be held at the 7-Eleven at the corner of Countryway Boulevard and Linebaugh Avenue. It will help support this year’s productions: I Love You Because (November), Avenue Q (December), and The Little Mermaid (February). To help watch your kids during an upcoming teacher planning day, the Theatre Department will provide a Kids’ Camp on Oct. 21. On Oct. 22, come by Tanya and Matt’s Froyo (next to Stone Chase in Westchase) to enjoy some frozen yogurt while you listen to karaoke singers. The entertainment will last from 7-10:30 p.m. We thank Tanya and Matt for donating 20 percent of proceeds to the theatre department. On Oct. 29, look for the theatre department’s booth at Westchase’s 20th Anniversary Party, where food and drinks will be sold. To learn more about Alonso’s Theatre Department, visit their Web page; a link to it can be found on Alonso’s home page.
If you would like to contribute to Alonso’s news for WOW, please contact Jean Keelan at jmkeelan@verizon.net.We would like to support all happenings at Alonso.
By Jean Keelan