October 29, 2019
Your monthly news & updates
From the Headmaster
Hispanic Heritage Month is a nationwide celebration with a focus on diversity and every state, city and organization has its own special way of celebrating. At the end of September, the Muniz Academy was honored to receive the Community Partner of the Year Award at the annual El Mundo breakfast held on Sept 27 th . A video featuring our school was shown to the roomful of notable guests assembled in the Park Plaza ballroom. Enjoy the video below!

Classroom Highlights
October is College Tour Month
At Muñiz Academy all students have the opportunity to visit local institutions of higher learning as a way of preparing their mindset and purpose for life after high school. Sites visited during this month included: Benjamin Franklin Institute for Technology, Bunker Hill Community College, Cambridge College, DUET, Emerson, Emmanuel, North Bennet School, Suffolk, UMASS Boston and Year UP



Extraordinary Expedition
Sam Caraballo 9th grade class visits VERTEX Pharmaceutivals, Inc.
As part of the new, expanded college and career focus that is taking place at the Muniz Academy, Mr. Caraballo arranged for his 9 th grade Physics class to visit Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in South Boston. Vertex is one of the first biotech firms to use an explicit strategy of rational drug design rather than combinatorial chemistry. Our students had a vibrant experience in seeing science at work!

From the Student's Perspective
Emmanuel Abreu, 12th grader, had the distinct pleasure of teaching one of his MMA teachers, Ms. Laura Gersch, how to use a chain saw safely, to cut wood precisely! We have a new cohort of 12 students who have elected to finish high school and prepare for careers in a different way. This cohort alternates their academic classes and YouthBuild courses every other week. Students attend classes in building trades and construction. Their work will result in the attainment of a National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) certificate. Emmanuel and his fellow students in the program were in the position of teaching their academic teachers new knowledge and skills as well as standards for use of different pieces of equipment used in construction. Wow! Their teachers were impressed!
Enmanuel Abreu next to Ms. Laura Gersch. She was observing her student mastering the circular saw blade at YouthBuild Boston.
School Spirit
9 th grader, Rancell Soto chose to express an important part of his identity in his drawing of a baseball. Right on Target for living in Boston!
Assembly for Hispanic Heritage Month 

On Friday, October 11 th , as a part of the new monthly AREYTO (community meeting) schedule, a number of Muniz Academy students took to the auditorium stage and expressed their thoughts and feelings on the themes of Identity and Places of Origin in artistic ways.
Ms. Alice Viera’s 11 th grade SSL Class presented “Chanted Verses” by Jose Marti.
Five students from Ms. Marilu’s 11 th grade Humanities class presented original poems in Spanish. One poem “I am from the country of eternal spring” was written by Ashley Martinez about her beloved Guatemala (original version in Spanish).
 
I am from the country of eternal spring

I am from the country of eternal Spring
Where the National bird is the Quetzal.
Where the weather is neither cold nor hot
Where the trees are always painted a phosphorescent green
I'm from where tortillas are never missing from the table,
Where families always sit at the table
To eat and talk.

I am from where parents teach principles and
Values ​​to their children.
I am from the country where the afternoons are eternal,
Full of love and happiness.
Where anyone can truly let
Their imagination fly.

In this country all people are free.
Free of discrimination
Free of racism
Free from bad vibes.

This beautiful country has made me who I am today.
I am a respectful person
A strong person
A determined person
A person with values
A fighter
A happy person
And, a caring person towards those who have earned my love.

For me, my country is worth gold.
I not only love the way of life
But also for all the values ​​they have instilled in me
Thank you land of eternal spring,

For your beauty
For your culture
For your people
And, for your values.

I'm from the country that I would never change for anything in this world
I'm from Guatemala.
(Click Spanish Version button above to read the Spanish version)

Ashley Martínez Hernández
Marilú Alvarado-Hernández - Humanities in Spanish Teacher
September 19, 2019