News from Como Park High School

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Compiled by ERIC ERICSON, Social Studies Teacher

• Cadets from Como Park’s Marine Corps JROTC began their summer with a week of activity and training in Wisconsin. The Cadet Leadership Course was held at Fort McCoy from June 13-17. Participants spent time hiking, rappelling, and competing in obstacle course challenges. They also gained experience in a leaders’ reaction course and a land survival skills course instructed by a certified professional guide. The 37 cadets concluded their trip with a fun-filled day at a waterpark in Wisconsin Dells.

•The Page Education Foundation announced its 2016 Page Scholars who will receive financial support as they pursue post-secondary education. In return for their awards, the recipients will help develop positive attitudes about education among elementary and middle-school children by volunteering as tutors and mentors in their communities.

Page Scholars from Como’s class of 2016 are Rosa Chautla Suastegui, Ebisa Gelatta, Israel Guzman Castillo, Zahro Hashi, Hser Htoo, Civastina Kyewaa, Khun Myo, Beatrice Owuso, Isabella Rosa, Jahel Salazar Barrientos, CharDay Vincal, Abaynhe Worku and Pa Houa Yang.

• Boys and girls from the Como Soccer teams are volunteering their time and energy this summer coaching and leading young players in the community through the Northwest Como Rec Center “Soccer Stars” program. Soccer Stars is held on Tuesday nights at the Como Park Picnic Grounds. There are over 30 participants in the 4-6-year-old age group, and over 20 participants in the 7-11-year-old session which follows.

Coaches Jonah Fields and Kyle Johnson work with Como Park High School players to create fun activities that help young players get comfortable with the soccer ball, develop skills and build relationships through the game. Service is an essential component of Como Soccer, and giving back to the community is rewarding for the dozens of high school players that provide it.

• Como AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, and ELL History teacher Eric Erickson was selected to attend the Foreign Policy Association Teacher Training Institute in New York City. In sessions led by prominent policy experts, 36 teachers from the U.S., Mexico and Canada discussed Middle East Realignment, Migration, the Korean Peninsula, U.S.-Cuba relations, NAFTA, the United Nations, and Climate Change.

Presenters included ambassadors from Canada and South Korea, Mexico’s representative to the U.N., and journalists featuring David Sanger of the New York Times, and Jonathon Alter of NBC and long time senior editor of Newsweek. The culminating event of the week was the Statesman Dinner at the St. Regis Hotel honoring Ernesto Zedillo, the President of Mexico from 1994-2000, for his leadership and commitment to global diplomacy.

Como High President ZedilloPhoto left: Como teacher Eric Erickson met Ernest Zedillo, former President of Mexico, at a Foreign Policy Association event to honor Zedillo in New York City. (Photo submitted)

The Foreign Policy Association was established in 1918 to promote citizen education of global affairs. The Teacher Training Institute prepares teachers to tackle complicated global issues with their students and expand their educational networks.

• Ten Como Park teachers spent the first week of their summer developing new resources at the AVID training held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, and is a strong support system for many Como Park students taking rigorous coursework.

Como teachers use AVID techniques across all grade levels to incorporate and integrate skills that help students become college ready. AVID’s researched based study strategies help students analyze and interpret key concepts, and also organize essential information.

Teachers at the training attended sessions in their content areas and specialized in strands most applicable to their students. Participants included Allison Hartzell, Liz Paone, Shelly Storelee, Robyn Asher, Erica Boulay-Ali, Donna Norberg, Kia Thao, Suzanne Susens, Deb Hansmeier and Cindy Fischer.

• Members of the Como Robotics Team represented Como at the St. Anthony Park Arts Festival in June and made some positive community connections. Additionally, members of Como’s National Honor Society helped young visitors with the creation of arts and crafts in the children’s area of the festival.

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