Drone League

LaBrae Drone Team Takes Flight

Joins New County League

Team members explain how they built LaBrae's drone and demonstrate how they operate it during a presentation as part of a Trumbull County Drone Racing League event. LaBrae is among five school districts that joined the new league this year.

LaBrae Local Schools is among five school districts that make up the new Trumbull County Drone Racing League.

The league, formed this past year as a collaboration between the Trumbull County Educational Service Center and Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, is a member of the national Drones in Schools program. Brookfield, Joseph Badger, McDonald and Southington also have teams in the league.

The teams competed at PIA and Winner Aviation in April. Staff from each district received training on drone instruction and flying through the TCESC taught by PIA instructors. Students spent several months assembling their drones and learning how to operate them. The drones had to accomplish tasks and maneuver through obstacles, and students created portfolios and video presentations of their drone builds and flying skills.

The TCESC provided drones for each district and covered startup costs. PIA donated $600 to the program.

Student Standouts

LaBrae students excelled throughout the 2021-2022 school year to give us more than enough reason to be #VikingProud! From our Students of the Month Spotlights to our Twenty Under 20 representative to our Class of 2022 Valedictorian and scholarship recipients, our students repeatedly rose to the occasion as academic, extracurricular and life achievers. Here are just some examples:

At Right: Brynley Harris, left, accepted a First Place Community Fund Scholarship Award while Connor Natali, right, accepted a Franklin B. Walter Award at the 2022 Scholarship and Recognition Breakfast sponsored by the Trumbull County Educational Service Center Governing Board in May. At Left: LaBrae High School Class of 2022 Valedictorian Connor Natali, center, joined dozens of Trumbull County graduating seniors recognized at the Trumbull County Superintendents' Association's Annual Valedictorian breakfast in April. Shown here with Superintendent A.J. Calderone, left, and High School Principal Jeff Starkey, Connor plans to enroll at The Ohio State University in the fall to study aerospace engineering.

Student Standouts

LaBrae High School graduating senior Briley Daniels, standing center in the picture above, was named one of the Tribune Chronicle's "outstanding student" Twenty Under 20 Award Recipients! Briley was recognized at the Tribune's annual awards dinner. Olivia Gray (NTHS Secretary), Interactive Multimedia, Hannah McCartney, Education & Family Services, and Alyssa Chaney, Veterinary Science, were honored at the Trumbull County Career & Technical Center's National Technical Honor Society Induction Ceremony.

LaBrae's National Honor Society inducted 14 new members this year. Front Row L-R: Isa’acia Richardson-Box, Julie Bianco, Kennedy Sanderson, Sarah Ochsenbine, Hannah McCartney, Lindsey DeArmitt. Back Row L-R: Kalayah Bradley, Connor Natali, Jacob Nowak, Keith Smith, Dale Khlem, Samuel Bailey, Riley Davidson, Grace Barnhart.

Student Standouts

LaBrae High School 2022 Prep Bowl Champs

LaBrae's High School Prep Bowl Team, above, earned top honors at the 2022 Trumbull County Educational Service Center's Annual Academic High School Prep Bowl

Seniors Aidan Stephens, Ashley Munroe and Devin Carter participated in the 36th Annual Trumbull County Civic Day pictured above with featured guest, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague. Participants learned of careers in public service. Aidan and Ashley shadowed Mrs. Delgado of the Trumbull Veteran's Affairs Department and Devin learned about school operations shadowing Superintendent A.J. Calderone.

BASCOM WELCOMES CAMP INVENTION!

Designing. Building. Problem Solving. Dozens of students in grades K-6 gathered at Bascom Elementary School June 13-17 for this year's action-packed STEM adventure Camp Invention! The day camp was facilitated by LaBrae's own Mrs. Walton, Camp Invention director. Students worked together and independently to create tools they could use for various tasks. For example, one activity involved designing and constructing nets they could use to catch fish. "This year's camp was a great experience, " Mrs. Walton said. "The students had opportunities to be creative and experience learning with handson activities while having fun. It was wonderful to see how they work together or even by themselves to come up with amazing ideas and designs. "

Ohio Vouchers At Center of Scrutiny

Over the last 20 plus years, Ohio's school voucher program has gradually expanded with each passing state budget. What started out in the 1990's as a pilot program designed to help impoverished families trapped in poor performing districts has gradually morphed over time to an ever expanding program that has ballooned to a taxpayer funded expense of $350 million during the last school year. Over the last three budget cycles, the Ohio General Assembly has significantly expanded eligibility criteria and has demonstrated a clear intent in H.B. 290 to make educational vouchers universal for all Ohio students regardless of residence or family income levels. Should universal vouchers become law, all private school students currently not eligible for a voucher would qualify to receive one. It is estimated to cost Ohio taxpayers an additional $750-$800 million per year to fund those students currently in private schools and not eligible for vouchers. School funding experts question if such a move is affordable as it creates a sizeable rebate/refund program for families that already possess the financial means to afford a private education. Legislative leaders espouse the notion that "the money should follow the child" , which would mean Ohio taxpayers are responsible for funding three types of school systems, their local public schools, Ohio charter schools, and private schools. Such a system creates many questions that Ohio citizens should ponder earnestly. For example, should the money follow the child? Will private schools be subject to the same levels of accountability as local public schools? Should Ohio taxpayers fund the private education for families with financial means? If the State diverts millions of dollars to private schools via vouchers, what might be the impact on local public schools? What might be the impact on local property taxes? Will private schools be required to accept all students using a voucher? Does Ohio allow such a transfer of taxpayer funds for other public goods such as parks, police, and fire? These questions are just a sampling of important considerations in the voucher debate. Last year, an ever growing list of Ohio public schools initiated a lawsuit against the State of Ohio over the unconstitutionality of the voucher program. Simply, the belief is that Vouchers Hurt Ohio, the State voucher program is unconstitutional, and Ohio should not be subsidizing private education. You can learn more about the Vouchers Hurt Ohio effort by clicking on the picture below which will redirect you to their website. The unceasing growth of the voucher program has created scrutiny, and in light of an unwilling legislature to curb the growth of the program, the only avenue for clarity on the legality of the program is through the courts, thus the Voucher Hurt Ohio suit against the State.

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