E.A. Young Academy is a not-for-profit, private academy created to generate transformative changes to meet
the needs
of the K-12, gifted, talented, and high ability scholar.
The Source for Firehawk News and Information
Vol. 5 Issue 7 - December 3, 2016
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A Look Ahead
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Mark Your Calendar:
Dec 5&6 Firehawk Players Performance/K-9 Gallery Night
Dec 9 Aphelion @ Kindred Coffee 5:30-9 pm
Dec 10 Barnes & Noble Fundraiser
Dec 12 Grade 8 Field Investigation: Mission Arlington
Dec 14 Market Day
Dec 16 Early Release/Gingerbread Challenge!
Jan 4 Back to School
Jan 11 MS Field Investigation: Red Door Escape Rooms
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Firehawk Family Campaign
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WE NEED YOUR HELP
The Firehawk Family Campaign officially kicked off on October 17 and has now been extended to December 15! Our audacious goals for this campaign are:
- 100% participation from our Firehawk Faculty and Families
- Raise $125,000 of the $200,000 Annual Fund Goal
UPDATE - $65,000!!
We hit our goal of Fifty by Friday! In fact, we are at $65,000! Mannequin Challenge activated! We are at 52% of our Financial Goal! THANK YOU! This means
we are only $10,000 away from reaching our second goal: a faculty versus scholars silly string war! Mr. Lyda says, "Bring it!" Turn in your pledge forms or donate online!
We hope that every parent will make the Firehawk Family Campaign a philanthropic priority. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact anyone in administration for assistance. We look forward to partnering with you on this critical campaign!
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The Mystery of Edwin Drood Dinner Theater
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The Firehawk Performing Arts Players are proud to present "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" for two shows only! Join us Monday, December 5th or Tuesday the 6th at 7 PM. In this Young Academy Dinner Theatre performance of the hit Broadway Musical, you'll get to finish the story Charles Dickens didn't! It's the only show in town that ends differently every night, depending on what the audience decides. Make your reservations today to join us for a rollicking good time and outstanding British fare provided by The Londoner of Colleyville! Visit
http://www.eayoungacademy.com/edwin-drood
for tickets and information.
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FLARES Scrip Program
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We are using
Scrip, a gift card fundraising program to raise funds for the school! The deadline for ordering gift cards this month is
Thursday, Dec. 8th at 12pm
. Please note that this deadline only applies if you are ordering physical gift cards. You may purchase ScripNow (electronic gift cards) and/or reload previously purchased physical gift cards at any time.
If you haven't created an account yet, go to www.shopwithscrip.com, select REGISTER at the top of the page and then "Join a Scrip Program." Use enrollment code 3E73163F53175 when prompted. Once your enrollment is complete, select the SHOP menu option to browse gift cards available from hundreds of retailers. Select the DASHBOARD menu option to manage your account, including setting up PrestoPay (debits your checking account for all purchases). All purchases must be paid for by either PrestoPay or by check (made out to FLARES). If you are purchasing physical gift cards and paying by check, please be sure to drop your check in the FLARES box (located in the front office of the school) by the deadline.
Thank you for your support and happy shopping!
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Student Article: The Keahi Spirit Shop
Raquel Garcia, Grade 11
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Welcome to the Keahi Spirit Shop: a hive of activity and commerce that opens every Payday Friday at EA Young Academy and is named after the mascot of EAYA (keahi means fire or flames in Hawaiian). Every two weeks, scholars of all grades flock to the gym to receive their paychecks. Those who have seen the new shipments of fun products displayed in the shining library windows often take out material hawkeyes from their accounts so that they can visit the Spirit Shop. Thus, the most popular store in town (the only one in town, for that matter) is in a constant state of chaos when open. Overseeing this chaos is Katarina G., Firehawk Store Manager extraordinaire, who calls her job "an ever-changing adventure full of excitement." When asked what about her job surprised her the most, Katarina replies, "the constant enthusiasm of my employees never ceases to amaze me." Katarina also explains that from the behind-the-counter perspective, transactions and marketing become greater challenges than one would expect. When asked what Keahi Spirit Shop marketing is, Katarina answers that it involves highlighting specific products when consumers walk into the store and also arranging the product selection in a visually appealing manner. When asked whether she'd like to run a store when she is older, Katarina replies, "I'd certainly be able to!"
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101 Donations Initiative
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To help give our faculty the tools and supplies they need to provide these awesome learning experiences and adventures for our scholars and to help maintain our school environment, we are excited to announce the
101 Donations Initiative!
What kind of items are we talking about?
EAYA faculty members compiled a list of items needed in the classroom, then we placed those items on a Dalmatian (get it? 101 Donations?) on the bulletin board in the hallway near the restrooms. Each Dalmatian is an item that our Faculty have identified as a need either in their classroom or in the school as a whole.
How do I know what kind, type, color, quantity, etc. to buy?
On the back of each Dalmatian, we have outlined important information pertaining to that specific item. This includes an item description, desired quantity, vendor, and estimated cost.
What happens after I buy the item?
Once you make the purchase, please bring the item to the front office. We will be tracking the donations in hopes we can reach our goal of 101! When you bring in the item, we will also provide you with a donations receipt.
Note: Please do not give the donations directly to the faculty member that requested the item. Please bring the item to the front office so we can document we received it, provide you with a donation receipt, and then we will distribute the item to the appropriate faculty member.
Wow, you guys are really clever, how do I participate?
Select and remove a Dalmatian from the 101 Donations board in the main hallway. Be sure to take it with you so we do not get duplicates of the same item.
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Visual Arts
Julie McGhee, BA MEd
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Scholars in visual arts have been looking at winter art pieces from various famous (and not as famous) artists and using these as inspiration to create winter pieces that reflect what winter means to each individual scholar.
If you haven't had a chance to peek at the art gallery for
grades 2-8, please be sure to check it out. The studio art gallery will be displayed in the library during "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." Several of the scholars' art pieces will also be available to view at the Barnes and Noble Book Fair on Saturday, December 10th.
Thank you so much for your paper roll donations! We had a tremendous response to this request, and have received plenty for now. When we run low, I might ask again :). Thank you again so much for supporting visual arts!
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Student Article: The Communications Department
Katarina Garcia, Grade 9
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The Communications Department is in charge of writing, designing, editing, and embellishing content that goes into the yearbook and the Talon. The Writing Department has two sections: class writing and Fiery Hills writing.
Class writers write a few sentences about what is happening in each of their classes and are occasionally assigned to write about events. Ashlyn G., a class writer, says that the best part of her job is "being able to analyze what happens at this awesome school. It lets me stop and actually look at what's happening." She says that she would definitely recommend her job because "it's a very fun and interesting job that, especially if you are a writer, can become a hobby. Having jobs that you really love in the mix is pretty relieving." The skills you require to be a class writer include a good memory, recording accuracy, and time management. Our writers feel that they can improve when it comes to time management and working with deadlines. The popular opinion is that deadlines are difficult to work with, but vital for class writing.
Fiery Hills writers, like myself, are assigned to write articles about a different job or department in our Fiery Hills community every two weeks for the Talon. To do so, we interview scholars and research about those jobs. Raquel G., the other Fiery Hills writer, says that she chose this job because she "wanted to practice writing non-fiction in a news reporter fashion." When asked what her favorite part of the job was, she replied, "I like narrating the happenings of EAYA in my own style." She recommends the job to creative people with a sense of humor. When asked what skills you require to be a Fiery Hills writer, she replied, "Good time management, a sense of fun and wit, curiosity, and skill with deadlines." She feels that she could improve how she interviews scholars and that she has and yet has not mastered this job. Writing with a deadline is "a challenge to get used to." When the conversation turned to interviews, she said, "coming up with questions is harder than it appears, but it pays off."
Where would we be without our writing managers? Our managers answer our many questions and remind us of our deadlines. Lindsey G., one of our writing managers, says, "I, personally, really enjoy writing, and being the writing manager gives me the opportunity to help others grow in their writing." She answers that the best part of her job "would have to be the ability to work with some of the younger kids, and help them construct articles about their classes." When asked if she would recommend her manager position, she says with much enthusiasm, "Absolutely!" Like the other jobs in the writing department, you must be good with deadlines but, unique to the manager position, "You have to be able to manage a group of people." When asked what she needs to learn about her job, she answers that, "Being familiar with what's happening in the school definitely helps when you're assisting a scholar with their work." Lindsey G. says that deadlines help her work.
The Writing Department is full of readers and authors. When asked why she chose to be a writer, Ashlyn G. responded, "It's quite amazing how you can explain something with the stroke of a pen." All of the EAYA writers prefer to write fiction on their own time, and most write fictional stories as a hobby. Writers' preferences between typing and writing vary depending on what they are working on. Writing is considered by all of the writers to be an independent job. Though we ask for advice and submit our work to the managers and editors, we do the writing itself. All of the EAYA writers consider writing as a career, side-job, or hobby for when they grow older. Personally, I, Katarina G., would love to write as a career.
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Math Lab C
Kerensa Prostek, BS MEd
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In Math,
scholars have been working on the practical application of fractions. They will be researching how to prepare a four course dinner and the respective recipes. With their knowledge of multiplying and dividing fractions, they can modify the recipes as needed. Finally, scholars will complete their project using their budget skills to compare the best place to purchase their items.
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Math Lab D
Allison Ross, BS MEd
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Scholars began a new project entitled Theme Park Tycoon. Through this project, scholars will use and develop expressions and equations related to the operation of a theme park. After working through hypothetical scenarios, scholars will research theme park ride logistics and admission fees then create a theme park of their own, showcasing expressions and equations relating to the details of their parks.
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ELA F
Allison Ross, BS MEd
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Scholars began a new project entitled It's "Just" a Mystery. Through this project, scholars will explore concepts of justice and mystery within novels, short stories, and poems. They will then show their understanding by writing their own mysteries and developing an escape room for other scholars, which challenges them to solve puzzles by applying their literary knowledge in order to escape. Scholars will hopefully have the chance to meet with an expert at Red Door
Escape Rooms during our field investigation on January 11th!
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Sixth Grade
Brenda Edins, BEd
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Science/Social Studies: Scholars began a new project entitled "Resourceful Transformations." Through this project, scholars will synthesize their learning related to the people and land in Latin America and Europe. After exploring culture, government structure, geography, along with physical and earth science concepts, scholars will identify an existing problem regarding the use of energy resources in a given area and create a corresponding action plan to solve the problem.
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Seventh Grade
Allison Ross, BS MEd
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Scholars began a new project entitled "Time Traveling Biomimicry." Through this project, scholars will synthesize their learning of US geography, economics, history, ecosystems, and the earth and human activity. They will do so by engineering a useful structure influenced by the natural world that would serve to benefit the US population in a given time period and geographic region.
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Upper School
Angie Byrnes, BA MBA
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During our Project and Life Management class (PALM), Noah gave an excellent presentation about nutrition and the importance of eating right and exercising for a healthy heart and mind.
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EAYA Running Club
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EAYA's Running Club is open to scholars in grades 4-12. We encourage all our scholars to be active but the physical demands of running club merit the decision to limit participation. Our scholars will have an opportunity to run with their classmates during their HP classes in addition to our new Saturday morning runs. Coach Mike invites all scholars in grades 4-12 to join him at Bear Creek Park each Saturday morning at 8 am. We also need several parent volunteers to join us each week. Please follow the link below to sign up as a running club volunteer. All volunteers will need to be background checked as well. Check your email or ask Aimee for a background check form. EAYA Running Club t-shirts are available for purchase - use the link below to order your shirt. Shirts are $15 each and are made of a dry wick/fit athletic material that will stay dry throughout a run.
Here is the link for v
olunteer sign-up and T-shirt ordering
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Running club participants are encouraged to join their fellow Firehawks at a few community fun runs & races. We have several planned in the coming months. Information for each run is listed below. Participants can choose the distance they are comfortable running in each race - each run offers a mile fun run and 5K while others offer even greater distances.
Feel free to reach out to Coach Mike directly with any questions about Running Club (mpetruso@eayoungacademy.com).
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And now, photographic evidence of autumnal joy.
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You're welcome.
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FLARES News
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If you are a Firehawk parent and haven't yet joined FLARES, please go to this link to pay your dues, get involved and purchase spirit wear!
You can sign up for reminders from FLARES to be sent directly to your phone by following these directions:
1. If you want to receive notifications on your phone, go to this link. Follow the instructions to sign up for Remind. (You will be prompted to download the free app.)
2. If you don't have a smartphone, or would just prefer to receive a text, you can sign up by texting @hbh83 to 81010. If this doesn't work, try texting @hbh83 to 817-310-8427.
*Your FLARES membership includes an associate parent membership in Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT), our state's gifted organization, and a Firehawk directory!
All parent volunteer hours should be recorded on the
Track it Forward
website. This information is needed for grant applications that are processed during the year. Please log your hours
! You can also download the Track it Forward app!
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Community Fundraising Info
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AMAZON SMILE:
Be sure to connect EA Young Academy to your Amazon account by going to Smile.Amazon.com.
TOM THUMB: EA Young Academy participates in Tom Thumb's Good Neighbor Program. Our school ID is
13241.
KROGER: EA Young Academy participates in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. Visit
this link and apply the school's ID number to your Kroger Plus Card. The school ID is
47813.
Please also continue to collect Box Tops. You can submit them in the office.
SHUTTERFLY: When you purchase at Shutterfly through the storefront link, the school receives 13% of the sale (which is much higher than the Amazon Smile percentage)! Customers can still use Shutterfly's coupons! Check it out here!
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Barnes & Noble Fundraiser NEXT SATURDAY!
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Our Annual Barnes & Noble Book Fair is next Saturday, December 10! FLARES is still looking for volunteers so if you have some free time and want to spend an hour or two volunteering at this event, we'd love to have you join us. If you don't have time to volunteer but would like to stop by to shop, mention EAYA at the register so we can get credit for the sale. Online orders count too! Use book fair ID #12019311 when checking out and invite your friends to do the same!
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TAGT Conference
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EA Young Academy was proud to send a fabulous representation of our parent, faculty and student population to the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) Conference last week. Kimberley Davis presented with her daughter, Audrey, a ninth grade Aphelion officer in a breakout session called "Mother/Daughter Take on Overexcitabilities, Multipotentiality, Perfectionism and other 'Gifts.'" Mrs. Raymond presented with Audrey and other Aphelion officers and members, Lindsey G., Lindy L., Jordan H., and Quincy H. in their presentation titled: "So Much to Give, but How? But Where?" which discussed their affiliation with MGEF and their charitable efforts through Aphelion. Mrs. Raymond and Ms. Oveross presented "AP Capstone: The Ins and Outs of Implementing a Culture of Innovation and Rigor."
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APHELION
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Join our Aphelion group on December 9 at Kindred Coffee for a
night of poetry and performance, jewelry, handmade art, and gift-wrapping! Aphelion is the name for the non-profit that some of our scholars created last year. Aphelion supports equitable education globally. This event will feature live music from Bliss! Proceeds from purchases go toward the education of two young girls in Africa that we support through the
Maasai Girls Education Fund. Do some holiday shopping while making a difference!
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K/1 QUEST
Mimi Turbeville, BA
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K/1's Market Day work has begun! We have decided on a product and named it "Fluffy Pets"! We will be making our pets in QUEST class over the next week or so. Advertisements are due soon, so we tackled that task earlier this week. As we filled out our business plan, we decided to minimize costs by doing signs, which are an inexpensive yet effective method of advertising. We also had to decide on pricing, which took some negotiating for us all to agree! Ryan, who has participated in a couple of Market Days already, is venturing out on his own with a cookie business! Krish offered to help make his advertisement sign.
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K-3 Advisory
Mimi Turbeville, BA; Erin Austin
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K-3 enjoyed a day at the ballet on Friday! The performance of the Nutcracker was absolutely magical! This field investigation supported both our Social Studies unit about how stories teach lessons and illustrate creativity as well as our focus in Performing Arts, where we are exploring different ways to perform stories (puppet shows, theater, ballet, mime, etc.).
As an added bonus, we got to meet one of the ballerinas after the performance! She spoke to us about what it takes to be a dancer, costuming and stage presence. She answered some great questions from our scholars, too! Another one of the ballerinas was a family friend of Olivia A.! A huge thank you to our drivers: Janette, Avani, and Marle. After the performance, we stopped at the Botanical Gardens for a picnic! This beautiful place was also magical! We saw so many wonders of nature, including a Monarch Butterfly chrysalis! It was a great day of learning outside of our classroom!
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4/5 Maker Lab
Evan Fuchs, BS
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In 4/5 Maker Lab, scholars were given a tinker kit to help them develop skills such as assembling pieces and working together as a team. They were so excited and did a fantastic job!
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4/5 Advisory/Science & Social Studies/QUEST and ELA!
Kerensa Prostek, BS MEd
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In Advisory, scholars are working on
Market
Day this week! Market Day at EA Young is where scholars provide a good or service and other scholars
are
able to purchase these items with our Fiery Hills currency, the Hawkeye. Market Day will be December 14!
In Purple Cord, the scholars did a great with the bake sale! They earned $250.00! There were two other groups that are
continu
ing
to work
on their
fundraising
ideas.
In Social Studies/Science, scholars are designing a terrarium to reflect their knowledge of the water cycle. They will need to present this to the Native American elders in our simulation to show their understanding.
In QUEST, scholars are learning about the different types of research from our resident expert, Mattie Oveross! Ms. Oveross has been using Pokemon Go as a way for scholars to anchor their thinking about the different types of research. For ELA, scholars are now starting a new novel,
Indian in the Cupboard
. This novel is part of an action-packed series that follows the adventures of a Native American and Omri.
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Spanish
Marilu Rosales, MEd
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Spanish has been busy as we have been working on building our vocabulary banks! This week, we focused on fruits and vegetables. We have been exploring different kinds of fruits and vegetables. "Cual es tu fruta favorita? Si ordenas un platillo que tiene tomate, zanahorias, apio, cebolla, jalapeƱos y chile verde; que le pondrias a tu platillo?" We have been exploring questions as well that have to do with the vocabulary words. We also started an activity that I am excited to share with you in the next couple of weeks. It is an activity titled "Deseos NavideƱos."
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Honors Biology
Carol Raymond, BM BMEd MEd
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Scholars began their study of cellular respiration and photosynthesis. They created memes and posters demonstrating the common misconceptions about photosynthesis.
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Algebra II
Carol Raymond, BM BMEd MEd
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Scholars enhanced their study of quadratic formulas by creating rockets and calculating the height and speed of the rockets using the projectile motion formula. They also discovered that Javert would have had to fall from a bridge over 1000 feet high to be able to hold his note for as long as he does in
Les Miserables. Finally, scholars began their study of cubic functions by exploring how changing dimensions of boxes changes the volume of the rectangular prisms and derived a cubic formula for the changes.
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