First Lady Tells Students to Set Goals

Kansas’ First Lady Mary Brownback spent one year attending Landon Middle Schools.  Yesterday she returned to spend some time talking with female students at the school.  She talked to the students about setting goals.  One goal she encouraged them to set was to graduate from high school.  She talked about being involved in school activities and volunteering as ways to help them set long term goals and to help decide what to do with their life.   She also answered questions from the students.  One wanted to know what it was like to live in the governor’s mansion while another asked about her husband the governor and her children.

Students Curious About Cats

Two very unusual looking cats were the center of attention at Quincy Elementary School today.  Two animal caretakers from the Cedar Cove Feline Sanctuary and Education Center at Louisburg, Kansas, brought an African serval and a baby bobcat for the students to see.  Fifth grade students had visited the sanctuary earlier in the school year and had read a book about big cats.  The caretakers explained to the students about the cat’s habitat and talked about the differences of placing the animals in a sanctuary as opposed to a zoo.

Students Win Skills Awards

Students from Topeka Public Schools helped Washburn Tech capture 14 first place, 21 second place and 12 third place awards in the annual Kansas SkillsUSA competition in Wichita.  More than 1,100 students participated in the event in 60 occupational and leadership skills.

Joseph Gonzalez from Topeka High School won 2^nd place in the advertising design category.  Brett Sidesinger from Topeka West won 2^nd place in cabinet making.  Eric Pahmahmie of Topeka West won 3^rd place in welding fabrication.

Washburn Tech serves post-secondary students as well as students from 16 high school districts in Northeast Kansas.

Thelma Galvez a Woman of Excellence

For 24 years, the YWCA’s Leadership Luncheon has been a special event to honor and recognize women who make significant contributions to the Topeka area community. This year, Topeka Public Schools nominated Migrant Facilitator Thelma Galvez for a Woman of Excellence Award in the Education category.

Ms. Galvez is committed to helping the migrant student population achieve their goals and earn their high school diploma. Her role includes advocating for students by fostering positive relationships with school staff and community agencies. In addition, she leads programs to strengthen parent involvement and improve the home to school link for migrant students. Ms. Galvez has worked as the TPS migrant facilitator since 2010. Prior to that, she worked in the TPS English Language Learners program. Before joining Topeka Public Schools, she was employed at the Greenbush Education Center as a regional migrant recruiter and at the Kansas Department of Aging as an SHICK outreach specialist.

Ms. Galvez has volunteered with MANA de Topeka and received an education award from the organization in 2007. She has also volunteered for Meals on Wheels and Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas.

More information about the Woman of Excellence program can be found at http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=8nKFITNvEoG&b=7966321

HPHS Student on SADD Leadership Council

Highland Park High School student Miranda Deeds-Rookstool has been chosen to serve on the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) National Leadership Council for the 2012-2013 school year.  She will join six other students on the council.   Council members advise the SADD National Board of Directors on various issues and represent the organization at local, regional and national events.

Miranda, a junior at HPHS, is president of the school’s SADD chapter and serves as president of the Kansas SADD Student Leadership Council.   “Miranda has been an exceptional leader for SADD in Kansas, working tirelessly to ensure that teens are aware of the perils of underage drinking and other drug use.  We are confident she will thrive as an educator and an important advocate for teens nationwide,” said SADD State Coordinator Maria Torrez Anderson.

SADD is a national school-based, peer-to-peer prevention, education and activism organization committed to empowering young people to lead initiatives in their schools and communities.