Granite
Hills Students Examine US Legal System
Granite Hills Teacher Brendon Sexton & Students with Hon. Jeffrey T. Miller at Conclusion of Mock Trial |
On Wednesday, March 15, 30
students from Granite Hills High School participated in the Southern District
of California's Open Doors to the Courts program. This national program
welcomes thousands of students into local federal courthouses around the
country. The local event was divided into three segments: Credit Abuse
Resistance Education (CARE), hosted by experts in the field of bankruptcy law;
a Legal Careers Panel; and a mock trial in which students acted out all the
parts from defendant to judge.
The purpose of the CARE
program is to train young men and women to intelligently manage their credit
and to keep them from ever seeing the inside of a bankruptcy court. A local
bankruptcy attorney taught Social Studies teacher Brendon Sexton’s students the
pros and cons of student loans and credit card hazards to avoid as they begin
their own financial journey.
The students next heard
from Assistant U.S. Attorneys, a U.S. probation officer, a court interpreter
and other court personnel, who each discussed their individual roles in the federal
justice system. These professionals also shared information about the education
and experience required to attain these positions.
Finally, the students participated
in a scripted mock trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey T.
Miller. The trial focused on the illegal importation of drugs over the U.S./Mexico
border, a common issue tried in San Diego's federal courts. Overall, the day
emphasized the importance of civic responsibility, good citizenship and
impartiality to these young men and women preparing to leave high school and
enter the adult work force.
Junior
Achievement “PitchFest 2017”
Grossmont Students Dress to Impress for PitchFest 2017 |
On Monday, March 20, 2017,
18 students from Grossmont High School’s English for Business classes attended
the Junior Achievement PitchFest 2017. In total, there were 22 teams from
around the county. The students presented their ideas for a new product or
service and were judged by a panel of six professionals, including employees of
OtterBox.
Each team had six minutes
to pitch, and the judging panel had four minutes to ask questions. Out of the
six Grossmont teams from Mrs. Thren’s and Mrs. Ginn’s classes, four have been
selected to go to the second round of the JA Company Program on April 20. Each
advancing team from the March 20 PitchFest can receive a check in an amount
ranging from $200 to $500 to build a prototype of their product. Winners on April
20 will continue to the final competition in Washington, D.C.
Mount
Miguel JROTC’s 44th Annual Military Ball
Dr. & Mrs. Glover with Cadets at Mount Miguel's JROTC Military Ball |
On Saturday, March 25, my
wife and I attended the Mount Miguel JROTC Matador Battalion’s 44th
Annual Military Ball at the Town and Country Resort.
The importance of a
military ball is ceremonial in nature, but has value as a means of preserving
and honoring US Army traditions and customs. It is an occasion that promotes
unit cohesion.
I’m very impressed with the
caliber of the students in the program. Earlier this month, the program
achieved the highest rating, Honor Unit with Distinction.
The Mount Miguel High
School Army JROTC program was established in 1967. It is a leadership education
program aimed at helping high school students become leaders. Students practice
teamwork, discipline, and gain real skills, including resume building and
public speaking that will assist them throughout their adult lives.
Every year, Mount Miguel
High School Army JROTC produces leaders who succeed both inside and outside the
classroom. Students acquire a breadth of knowledge in several fields, including
drill and ceremony, history, and leadership skills.
Monte
Vista Participates in MESA Day
Monte Vista Teacher Brian Carpenter with MESA Club Students at SDSU |
Last month, Monte Vista
Math teacher Brian Carpenter's Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement
(MESA) Club competed in their first MESA Day at San Diego State University
against the other San Diego County MESA schools. The MESA Schools Program
prepares California students for college in science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) majors. It helps them excel in math and science to become
competitively eligible for academically rigorous colleges and universities.
At MESA Day, Monte Vista's
student teams coded and designed a prosthetic arm, built a balsa wood airplane,
designed an egg carrier to be dropped from from 60 ft and made a balsa wood
bridge for strength.
The students also completed
age-specific mathematics exams. Student Travis Kulhanek took first place in the
math test for 10th graders. Danielle Kelsey, Ami Sanders and Lea Sanders took
third place in the senior team math exam (even without a calculator that was
allowed), and Brad Iglesia, Katy Clark, Luiz Gonzales, and Rubisela Gonzales
took second place in the technical paper for the prosthetic arm
competition!
Congratulations to all of
our student winners who will advance to regional competition on April 1.
Grossmont
NJROTC Marksmanship Team Earns Multiple Awards at the NRA Sectional Rifle Match
Grossmont NJROTC Marksmanship Team with Awards |
The performance of the day
went to Cadet Paulina Mendoza, firing in her first ever match. Not only was she
a member of the second place Grossmont Team, she also earned an individual
award by placing second in the Kneeling Position, earning a trophy.
El
Cajon Valley Hosts Faculty Follies this Friday/Saturday
A Recurring Skit from Faculty Follies Past, Real Woman and a Cheerleader |
El Cajon Valley is hosting
its 35th annual show to raise money for scholarships. I will be joining the
performance on Saturday.
Tickets are $5.00 at the
door, and show time is at 7:00 p.m. tonight and tomorrow.
Dr. Tim Glover
Superintendent