4G n Thursday, March 12, 2015 n theadvocate.com n The Advocate
Four Baton Rouge girls sweep 2015 STEM Expo grand awards Advocate staff report Four girls from Baton Rouge middle schools swept the grand awards Feb. 28 at the 2015 Louisiana STEM Expo at Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School. Jasmine Gray, a sixth-grade student from McKinley Middle Magnet School, was the first grand award winner with her demonstration, “Cornstarch Experiment.” Monica Deras, a sixth-grader at Kenilworth, took the second award with her “Tornado Tube and Fountain Connection” project. Anusha Zaman, an eighthgrade student from Glasgow Middle School, was the third grand award winner with “Hookah vs. Cigarette Smoke,” and Carley Whitty, a sixth-grade Kenilworth student, took the fourth grand award with “Wimhurst Machine.” Dozens of students participated in the expo, which was open to all middle school students in Louisiana. A spokeswoman for one of the expo’s partners, the U.S. Navy Recruiting District in New Orleans, said the STEM Expo is an important event to encourage students to get involved in science, technology, engineering and math activities. “The Department of the Navy is committed to identifying, attracting and preparing our nation’s students in the STEM fields with a the goal of meeting the global workforce challenges of tomorrow,” said Dr. Yvonne Simmons, education program manager for the re-
MANDALAS Continued from page 1G
Photo provided by MARK LAMBERT
The 2015 Louisiana STEM Expo grand winners, from left, Carley Whitty, fourth place, Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School; Anusha Zaman, third place, Glasgow Middle School; Monica Deras, second, Kenilworth; Jasmine Gray, first, McKinley Middle Magnet, receive awards Feb. 28 from U.S. Rep. Garret Graves. cruiting district. “We salute Kenilworth for being a leader in this field, and the Navy Recruiting District-New Orleans looks forward to supporting Kenilworth’s future STEM events.” Students competed in several categories. Winning first-place honors were Zoe Patton, Hailey Hansberry, Alacya Derozen, Julia
Rodriguez and Mystique Price. Second-place awards went to Justin Simpson, Stephen Jackson, Angel Caine, Serenity Hines and Angie Patton. Winning third-place awards were Breanna Robinson, Zyan Booker, Devin Batiste and Louis Smith. Fourth place went to Roquan King, Jamar Beckwood, Cady Drake, Kolby Trosclair and
Kyrah Anderson. In fifth place were Trayonjarnae Stewart, Zakia Stewart, Alisha Paudel, Joshua Bibbins, Asia Robson, Emily Garcia and John Pembrooke Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School is a state-sanctioned charter school with an academic focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
which first requires several sheets of decorative or colored paper folded into fourths. She trimmed the outside edge of one piece of paper, cutting a pattern of her choosing along the nonfolded sides, then unfolded it to reveal a perfectly symmetrical circle divided into fourths by the fold lines. She repeated the process with the other sheets of paper, this time cutting random shapes out of the squares to form identical pieces that she pasted, in order, to each quadrant. “And it makes beautiful, beautiful, beautiful pictures,” she said. “We’ve come to every program here at the museum since she was 2 years old,” Faulkner said. “We’re here at least once a week. I believe the experiences she’s had here have allowed her to go to WHAM (Westdale Heights Academic Magnet) and be successful there.” Nikki May, who is rela-
tively new to the museum, brought her two children, Finley, 8, and Rex, 6. They all work on separate mandalas, but May admits, she’s learned a lot from her children’s more carefree approach to the art. “I tend to overthink it,” May said, laughing, while Rex stood at her elbow, making and passing along shapes he’d made. Once they come together, May said, “it’s a really cool thing to see.” The art classes almost always include some element of science to them, Frazier said. “The two are not as far apart as many people think.” While technically for children ages 6 to 12, Frazier said, “we often have younger children in the class. And older, for that matter.” Classes are offered the second Saturday of every month, said Douglas Kennedy, communications coordinator for the museum, along with many other programs for children of all ages. For more information on programming, visit the museum’s website at www.lasm. org.
Mary Kay director earns pink Cadillac Escalade Advocate staff report Mary Kay Independent National Sales Director LaRonda Daigle drove away from Gerry Lane Cadillac in a pink Cadillac Escalade on March 3, the fruits of her success in the organization. This achievement marks Daigle’s 12th car earned from her sales numbers for the company and her 11th pink Cadillac. Mary Kay independent sales force members earn the use of a pink Cadillac by meeting and exceeding goals set within their Mary Kay businesses. When Daigle went to her first Mary Kay party with her aunt in 1993, she thought she’d be the last person to jump on the Mary Kay bandwagon, she said. But when she started in the business, she said, she began to see the culture as less about sales and more about empowering women, both with products that make them feel beautiful
CUT
Continued from page 1G a harder time understanding what was happening, she said, and it was Perk who helped him through. “And me. When I was really sick, she would make my favorite meal, which was peanut butter and jelly with root beer,” Vicknair said. Watching her daughter, a single mom, round up the support of an entire student body for her and other breast cancer patients, Vicknair couldn’t be more proud. In truth, Perk said, the credit for the fundraiser goes to her students. When she starts off the year, Perk said her goal is to forge her students into a family. “I want them supporting each other. It’s fine to be competitive, and they are, but when they see each other struggling, the kids who get it will jump in and help each other out.” That applies to everything from the classroom to personal and family problems, she said. All she had to do was tell her students how helpless she felt when her mother was sick for the second time. In response, Perk and her students started the Baton Rouge Kids Fighting Cancer Race for the Cure team in 2010. “I asked them what they wanted the goal
and with financial independence through sales of those products. Daigle became an independent beauty consultant in 1993 and, as a direct result of her accomplishments, became sales director in 1994 and a national sales director in 2014. As an independent national sales director, Daigle provides education, leadership and motivation to other Mary Kay independent beauty consultants. Daigle is proud of her business record, she said, and looks forward to new challenges and opportunities with the company. Since the Career Car Program’s inception in 1969, more than 150,000 independent sales force members have qualified or requalified to earn the use of a Mary Kay career car. Nearly 6,000 Mary Kay career cars are on the road nationwide, with more than 1,300 of those being the Mary Kay pink Cadillac.
Photo provided by DOUGLAS KENNEDY
These mandalas were constructed by using a technique similar to paper snowflake-making, using paper shapes pasted to a base in a symmetrical pattern. Photo provided by LARONDA DAIGLE
LaRonda Daigle poses with the pink Cadillac at Gerry Lane Cadillac on March 6. Daigle, a Mary Kay independent national sales director, won the use of the car thanks to her sales success.
Mollee Vicknair, a two-time cancer survivor, poses with a pink flower given to her and other survivors as part of a fundraising event at Southeast Middle School. Vicknair inspired the annual fundraiser started by her daughter Michelle Perk’s class.
the team, she said, and provided a catered lunch at the Perkins Road Community Park and a day of rock wall climbing after the race. She doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon, nor will her students. “They look forward to this all year,” Perk said. “We’ve gone from a team of two to more than 100. So there’s no telling. Each year, we keep multiplying and getting bigger. Last year, we were at 60 people; this year 100, and hopefully next year, we’ll be Advocate staff photo by at 200.” C.J. FUTCH “I’m so proud of these kids. Now I want them to win a medal. to be, and one of my students, ers and parents. Most of the stu- If they come in first, second or Chauncy Honore, yelled out, ‘10 dents’ entry fees were paid by third place, they’ll get a medal, grand!’ Now, keep in mind, this supporters of the team. Aside and I want them to have that is a Title I school — kids here from learning the benefits of tangible reward for their hard don’t have a ton of money. But I volunteering and getting in- work,” she said. To help Kids Fighting Cancer didn’t tell them it was too high; volved, Perk said her students I didn’t discourage them. I said, are learning that they can set reach their goal, donate at www. and meet goals that seem too batonrouge.info-komen.org/ ‘OK. Let’s do it.’ ” At the end of three weeks, they big, if they set their minds to it. goto/brkidsfightingcancer. Donations will be accepted But it’s also a day of fun for had met their goal, and Perk cut her hair. For the next few years, everyone. Winn-Dixie sponsors through April 7. they just did fundraising and had an annual presence as a team at the Race for the Cure, walking in honor of Vicknair. $ 00* Over the years, they’ve added both team members and survivors to their group and, since * exp. 3/31/15 Perk’s hair had grown back, • 38 Hr Educational Course* went for another $10,000 goal. • 14 hr Pre-Licensing Course “We’re well over $10,000 now,” • DMV Road Skills Test Perk said — more than $30,000 in all. Call Today (225) 301-0077 This year, the school had 75 7118 Antioch Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70817 students participating in the www.TigerDrivingBR.com March 7 walk, plus a few teach-
Save 75 NOW!
Lake Sherwood V i LL age
A Retirement Community
Vacation Style Living at Lake Sherwood Village A lakefront 55 and over community offering a worry free, luxury style environment. All amenities are offered within steps of your own private apartment furnished with your favorite things. Be free to spend quality time with friends and family and entertain guests. Enjoy great food, housekeeping, security, and transportation. Entertainment including shopping, dining out, religious services, and a variety of excursions are all in reach with affordable monthly rates.
To schedule a tour or for more information call 225-296-0803 4101 Plaza Tower Drive Baton Rouge, LA www.lakesherwoodvillage.com