From Across the State 1 And the Band Played On
With schools temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roma ISD’s Varsity Mariachi program turned to technology to keep the instruction and rehearsals going. Gathering via videoconferencing software, the students were able to practice and perform together while still staying safe at home. Their first virtual performance not only showed the students thriving despite the distance but also proved to be uplifting for others: It went viral and was shared more than one million times on Facebook.
Arkansas
romaisd.com
When COVID-19 closed schools across the state, educators utilized technology not only to educate students but also to help keep students connected with teachers and classmates. One example is Pflugerville ISD’s Wieland Elementary School, which held virtual spirit days. Each morning, Principal Jared Stevenson posted a prompt to the school’s Facebook page naming a different theme. Students would then take pictures of themselves participating and post them to the thread. They celebrated hat day, sports day, and pajama day as well as activity-based prompts. School leaders said it helped students interact and feel more normal about the strange situation they were in.
Louisiana
pfisd.net
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4 High School Pitmasters
In a city famous for its barbecue, some high school students are learning skills that could one day make them the next great pitmaster. Once a month, before school, students at Juan Navarro High School in Austin ISD meet for hours around the barbecue pit, practicing their craft. The club, which started four years ago, is led by agricultural science teacher Tracey Cortez. The students learn the fundamentals of smoking barbecue, including firing up the smoker, seasoning meats, and monitoring the cooking process. The team has even competed in statewide competitions against other schools and has placed in at least a dozen categories. austinisd.org
2 Keeping Spirits Up © Photos courtesy of Roma ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Austin ISD, Waco ISD, Burleson ISD, and Wylie (14) ISD.
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5 Galactic Military Oath
Fourteen Waco ISD students recently swore to protect and serve their country with some out-of-this-world help. They were just a few of more than 800 students who took the Oath of Enlistment at over 100 locations across the country. Col. Andrew Morgan, an Army astronaut broadcasting from the International Space Station, led the students in the oath. During the ceremony, Morgan floated the various flags of the U.S. military branches and then did a flip to show the lack of gravity on the space station. wacoisd.org
6 Helping Protect Medical Workers
Gaming for a Job
Students in Burleson ISD are getting hands-on training to prepare for jobs in the billion-dollar video game industry. The district created an “esports” academy that allows students to learn science, math, and language standards through the lens of video games. The district aims to help students earn STEM certifications that would make them employable immediately after graduating.
A group of students at Wylie High School in Abilene are using their knowledge of engineering and their school’s equipment to lend a helping hand to those fighting COVID-19. Students from the engineering and robotics class are using the school’s 3D printer to create face shields to protect medical workers. The students can produce about 20 a day, which are then shipped to the Abilene Regional Medical Center. wyliebulldogs.org
burlesonisd.net
ATPE NEWS 9
