Wednesday, March 10, 2010

AVID T-Shirts

Any feedback on these AVID shirts?
email me at: david.duez@humble.k12.tx.us
or leave a comment here at this blog.
Front 

Back


It is meant to resemble the rock video games Rockband and Guitar Hero and the fonts are similar to in game fonts.  What we are trying to capture is the college field trip aspect of the program.  

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Agenda: Week of March 8th through 10th, 2010

Quote of the Day:  “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”  - Thomas Edison (1847–1931)

Monday: 
Goal of the Week while working with your Road Trip Nation groups to schedule interviews.
Finish the Invisible Children documentary and discuss.
Also "Motivational Monday" - OK Go music video genius.

Tuesday:
Tutoring

Wed/Thu:
Tutoring
Then, Reflections on Invisible Children.  Watch the "Proof" video from the dvd to see how things are working now with the movement. We are preparing for the March 29th Invisible Children viewing and guest speaker from Uganda.
Also, More "motivation" with OK Go and their latest music video.  Also watch the Ted Talk Dance video:  The XLD

Friday:
Philosophical Chairs.  Discussion question will be chosen in class by the students.
We will also write a note to our "Teacher of the Year."  Each AVID student will write a quick note thanking a teacher, counselor or administrator for the work that they do for us.

Teacher of the Year Voting

Voting for Teacher of the Year at AHS takes place Wednesday and Thursday in Advisory. But, you can vote now if you'd like. The ballot is on the front page of the school website. Or at this link:

This is an award that I was very fortunate to win in 2006-2007, our first year at AHS.  It was a true honor to represent our school and to be chosen by students, faculty and staff.  We have so many fantastic teachers at our school and we are very lucky to have them.  The list of 13 nominees is an amazing group.  They come from each of the four subject areas and electives.  I am very proud of the social studies nominees:  Mr. Scalia (who won last year), Mrs. Diaz, Mr. Bingham, Mrs. Dunn, Mr. Fortenberry and (of course) Mrs. Duez.  It is amazing to see 6 of the final 13 teachers from our social studies team.  Just amazing to consider.  We are a lucky and very talented group.

Please do vote and spend a moment this week telling your favorite teacher how much they mean to you and how much they have helped you.  It means a lot and can really be a nice boost to someone's day.  Right around spring break everyone is exhausted, but it means a lot when a teacher is given a few words of encouragement from one of their students.
Here is a power point of the great nominees:
Toy            

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Invisible Children

On March 29th, our AVID classes are going to be able to see the new Invisible Children video.  We will also have the honor of meeting a Ugandan person who will be visiting our school.


On Thursday and Friday we watched the original Invisible Children documentary.


It brings to mind a book that I love called, "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier."  So I thought I would highlight it here:

A Long Way Gone - Book Website


From the website, about the book:
"A gripping story of a child’s journey through hell and back.
There may be as many as 300,000 child soldiers, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s, in more than fifty conflicts around the world. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. He is one of the first to tell his story in his own words.
In A LONG WAY GONE, Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a riveting story. At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. Eventually released by the army and sent to a UNICEF rehabilitation center, he struggled to regain his humanity and to reenter the world of civilians, who viewed him with fear and suspicion. This is, at last, a story of redemption and hope."

Monday, March 1, 2010

Agenda: Week of March 1st, 2010

Quote of the Day:  "I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me. I'm very important and I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany." - Ron Burgandy 


This week's Agenda:
Monday - 
1. Goal of the Week
2. Road Trip Nation - Due date for the interview to be completed:  End of this six week's period.  Book interviews now.  Spring Break might be a great time to do them.  
3.  Discuss Mock SAT that we took on Saturday.  Kaplan will be back on Tuesday at 3pm - 4pm to give the results.  Blue LGI.
4.  Invisible Children.  We will see the video for IC during 4th and 6th period on Monday, March 29th.  We will discuss IC and watch a video to prepare.


Tuesday - 
Tutoring & Binder Check!  5 pages of Cornell Notes.  You may use Friday's Guest Speaker and also 1 page from tutoring (as long as it's good Cornell).


Wed/Thu - 
We will be taking the English TAKS test during the day.  So tutoring will be light.  If a few students need tutoring we will create groups.  Rest of the class will discuss a topic on college - Is the Cost Worth it?


Friday - 
Invisible Children preview video.



Sunday, February 28, 2010

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

flying kites @ Galveston Beach

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Service Hours for March 6th

Opportunity to gain service hours:

ECOBOT TRIAL (LEGO robotics competition) at Atascocita High School - Mar 6.  We are looking for high school students who might need service hours to help with timing/judging.  The Trials are organized in 2.5 hour sessions (9am-11:30am, 12pm-2:30pm, and 3:00-5;30pm). 
Please see Mr. Duez and he will get your name signed up.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Agenda for the Week of Feb 22- Feb 26, 2010

Quote of the Day:  "Do you believe in Miracles?  YES!" - Al Michaels, calling the end of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey upset of the mighty Soviet Union.

Agenda:

Monday:
1.  Goal of the Week

2.  Watch "Miracle on Ice" story.  This is the 30th anniversary of the greatest sports upset in history.  What did it do for the spirit of our country during a very dark time?


3.  Also Monday we'll continue with Cold Calling practice for Road Trip Nation.

Tuesday - Tutoring - - beginning of six week's period.  We'll concentrate on grades and setting goals for the semester.
Wed/Thu - Tutoring and then "Life Goals" -- we'll get the life goal packet and this essay is the focus of the 5th six week's period.  We will also touch base on Roadtrip cold calling and scheduling of interviews.
Friday - Guest Speaker!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Dual Credit Next Year

Students who are planning on taking dual credit classes next year for the first time will need to be tested for eligibility. Testing will be available here on campus at AHS on Thursdays, Feb 18 and Feb 25 from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. in the RED 1 and Red 2 computer labs. Please see Mrs. Diaz in 1004 if you have any questions.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

RTN: Lesson 18 - "Before You Make the Call"

On Friday we'll do lesson 18 of Roadtrip Nation and we will also practice making cold calls.

Lesson 18 : Before You Make the Call
In the previous lesson, you brainstormed both individually and with your team about whom you want to interview. Before you contact the potential Leaders on your list, you’re going to want to make sure you’re prepared for the cold call. While you can also send an email or a fax to request an interview, we feel that the cold call is the best way to convey your personality and the genuine nature of your request. However, in order to prepare for your cold call, or any initial contact with a Leader, there are a few things you’ll need to have in order before you pick up the phone: you’ll need to coordinate schedules with your teammates, gather as much information as possible about the people who you will be calling, and organize your thoughts by preparing a Conversation Request, so that you can be prepared with the necessary information and make a sincere first impression.

It’s essential to coordinate your schedule with your teammates when preparing for the cold call. Before you’re able to book an interview, make sure that you know the exact days and times your entire team will all be available to meet, so that you can easily know if your schedules sync up with the Leader you contact. Whether you contact your Leader by email by phone, you’ll need to accurately state your team’s availability for the next few weeks. Having multiple options for meeting times increases the likelihood that you’ll be able to meet with the Leaders who inspire you.
The next tip for an effective cold call is to do as much research as possible about your potential Leader.. Find out extra information about the Leader’s background, what his or her company does, or (if you can find it) a little bit about what he or she has done in the past. To find this information, you can begin by getting online. Typing the Leader’s name, or his or her company’s name, into a search engine is usually the first place to start. You may want to ask your family, friends, or teachers if they know about the person. If you can tell a Leader why he or she has impressed or influenced you, you show your preparedness, as well as dedication to your cause and to his or her story. Gathering this information will allow your potential Leader to relate to you, and relating to your situation is the main reason that people will say yes to your interview request.

Finally, to make sure all of your thoughts are well organized before you pick up the phone, you’ll want to have a written document that introduces you and your team, and explains what you are doing and the purpose of your Roadtrip. This document is called the Conversation Request. It may be difficult to reach your Leader on the first try by phone, and in some cases, you may speak to an assistant of the person who you want to meet. Whomever your point of contact is, most of the time you’ll be asked to provide more information about your Roadtrip that can be passed around – so having a Conversation Request prepared ahead of time will clear up most of the questions that you will likely be asked. Often you will be asked to fax or email this document. If your Conversation Request is complete and ready to be promptly sent over to your Leader, it will also increase the likelihood that a Leader will agree to meet with you. He or she will already have a thorough understanding of your purpose.

Agenda: Week of Feb 16 - Feb 19

Quote of the Week:  "How wonderful it is that no one need wait a single moment to start to improve the world." - Anne Frank

Tuesday - Tutoring
Wed (Soph) - Tutoring & then create posters for Kaplan Mock SAT fundraiser.  Also RTN video if time.
Thu (Jr) - Tutoring and spend lunch periods at a table in the cafeteria passing out information about the Kaplan Mock SAT.  Also RTN video if time.
Fri - Roadtrip Nation Mock cold call and Lesson #18 "Before You Make the Call"

Linda Lorelle Scholarship Fund

 Attention:
Important Announcement From
Board of Directors

Scholarship Applications Are Open To
JUNIORS

In

Independent School Districts,
Private, and Charter Schools
within Harris and Fort Bend Counties
(Application Deadline February 26, 2010)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Agenda: Week of Feb. 8 - 12

Quote of the Week:  "It's hard to lead a calvary charge if you think you look funny on a horse."  - Adlai Stephenson

Weekly Agenda:
Monday - Goal of the Week, Road Trip Nation Interviews
Tuesday - Tutoring
Wed/Thu - Tutoring & Discuss Course selections for next year.
Friday - Team Building -- Juniors:  "Boom, Boom, Pow, Pow, Pop, Pop!"  We will do a hand slap game as a team building exercise with our Roadtrip Nation groups.  We will also discuss Kaplan Mock SAT
Sophomores:   "Boom, Boom, Pow, Pow, Pop, Pop!"  We will do a hand slap game as a team building exercise with our Roadtrip Nation groups.  We will also discuss Kaplan Mock SAT AND do a socratic seminar on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a Dream Speech."

Friday, February 5, 2010

AVID @ The Super Bowl

AVID Center tweeted this last night from their Twitter page:

AVID at the Super Bowl! Cody Glenn was an AVID student in Rusk ISD and now he plays for the Colts!

Here is a link to his profile page on the Colts website:
http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=bio&player_id=590

Monday, February 1, 2010

QuestBridge Scholarships for Juniors


QuestBridge Scholarships

QuestBridge is a scholarship program that seeks to award college scholarships to high school juniors who have a strong academic record and an annual household income of less than $60,000. Many past award recipients have also been part of the first generation in their family to attend college. Scholarships are open to all qualified students, regardless of race or ethnicity.” The application deadline is March 29, 2010.

As this scholarship opportunity would be perfect for our AVID students.  The link to their website with more information is www.questbridge.org .  We strongly encourage junior-year AVID students to apply.