Student-athletes from all five Des Moines high schools qualified for this week’s 2012 Iowa State High School Track and Field Championship. In fact, 55 DMPS students qualified in 27 different events at the state meet, which runs from Thursday through Saturday at the Drake University stadium.

Congratulations and good luck to everyone competing for a state title.

For more information on the state track meet, visit the Iowa High School Athletic Association or the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.

The following are DMPS student-athletes competing at the 2012 Iowa State High School Track and Field Championship:

EAST HIGH SCARLETS

BOYS

• 400 meter dash: Terrence Karlar
• 4×100 meter relay: Moussa Kuyateh, Terrence Karlar, Craig Taylor, Rico Gafford
• 4×200 meter relay: Moussa Kuyateh, O’Ron Manson, Craig Taylor, Rico Gafford
• 4×800 meter relay: Steve Ukpan, Tre Wiles, Salat Jones, Grant Jones
• 4×110 shuttle hurdle relay: Rico Gafford, Brandon Long, Blake Cunningham, Craig Taylor
• Wheel Chair 100 and 200 meter dash: Austin Lee

HOOVER HIGH HUSKIES

GIRLS

• 200 meter dash: Reanna Lewis

BOYS

• 800 meter run: Matt Pearson

LINCOLN HIGH RAILS

GIRLS

• Wheel Chair Shot Put: Cassy Bash
• Wheel Chair 100, 200, and 400 meter dash: Cassy Bash

BOYS

• 100 meter dash: Vybert Greene
• 200 meter dash: Jordan Cheatem and Vybert Greene
• 400 meter hurdles: Trenton Jones and Elijah Young
• 4×200 meter relay: Jordan Cheatem, Vybert Greene, Jordan Bryson, Andrew Caulker
• 4×110 shuttle hurdle relay: Elijah Young, Sajen Vogel, Roy Patterson, Trenton Jones

NORTH HIGH POLAR BEARS

GIRLS

• 100 meter dash: Lola Gweah
• 200 meter dash: Lola Gweah
• 4×200 meter relay: Lola Gweah, Kenya Williams, Shantell Cortez, Richelle Jimerson (Mikayla Carey and Jassmine Treager = alternates)

BOYS

• 4×100 meter relay: Kajuan Davenport, Solomon Cooper, Darryn Brooks, Emmanuel Zeo

ROOSEVELT HIGH RIDERS

GIRLS

• 100 meter dash: Agnes Sayeh* and Erin Hawkins*
• 200 meter dash: Jalynn Roberts-Lewis and Erin Hawkins*
• 400 meter dash: Agnes Sayeh*
• 1500 meter run: Emma Houston and Megan Schott
• 3000 meter run: Emma Houston and McKenzie Carney
• 100 meter hurdles: Destani Welch
• 400 meter hurdles: Hannah Goodwin
• Discus: Taylor Wells
• Shot Put: Alexa Hunt
• 4×100 meter relay: Destani Welch, Makenna Schnack, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Agnes Sayeh* (Erin Hawkins and Sara Musa = alternates)
• 4×200 meter relay: Destani Welch, Makenna Schnack, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Erin Hawkins (Agnes Sayeh and Sara Musa = alternates)
• 4×800 meter relay: Emma Buchanan, Megan Schott, Elizabeth Fisher, Emma Huston (McKenzie Carney and Julia Robinson = alternates)
• Sprint medley relay: Destani Welch, Sara Musa, Makenna Schnack, Agnes Sayeh* (Erin Hawkins and Receva Duos = alternates)

NOTE: Roosevelt’s Erin Hawkins will not be competing due to an injury. Agnes Sayeh will not be competing due to a conduct code violation.

BOYS

• 400 meter dash: Bryant Johnson
• 3200 meter run: Grant Suttie
• 110 meter hurdles: Sydne Davis
• 400 meter hurdles: Sydne Davis
• High jump: Jack Fritzjunker and Bryant Johnson
• Long jump: Cameron Williams and Sydne Davis
• 4×400 meter relay: Cameron Williams, Jaquan Patton, Bryant Johnson, Sydne Davis, (Jack Fritzjunker and Colton Marcellus = alternates)
• Distance medley relay: Cameron Williams, Jaquan Patton, Bryant Johnson, Jack Fritzjunker (Grant Suttie and Ashon Green = alternates)

Members of the North High Academic Decathlon team pose after being recognized at a recent School Board meeting.

Congratulations are in order for the North High School Academic Decathlon Team after its most successful year in more than a decade of competition. The way things are going at the school they may have to change their name from Polar Bears to Scholar Bears!

Led by coaches Archie Cook and Mark Schmidt, North led Des Moines schools and the rest of Central Iowa in state and national competitions.

The North team placed first in regional competition held at Drake University, edging out Johnston High for the second year in a row. North competed against 12 schools in Central Iowa in the large school category and came away with 35 individual awards. 

At the state competition, the team placed 5th and earned 15 medals, including eight for Julius Temble who placed third overall in the individual standings.               

The team earned the right to compete in the national online competition by achieving the highest score of medium-sized schools at the state level. They finished 7th nationally in that division with six individual medals.

National Medals 

Julius Tembe: 3 medals (1st in Super Quiz (social science); 2nd in art; 3rd in economics)

Cody McKeehan: 2 medals (1st in economics; 3rd in Super Quiz (social science))

Shad Corbin: 1 medal (3rd place in science)

State Medals

Julius Tembe: 8 medals (1st in art; 1st in Super Quiz (social science); 3rd in language and literature; 1st in science; 2nd in economics; 2nd in interview; 3rd place overall)

Cody McKeehan: 3 medals (3rd in essay; 2nd in language and literature; 2nd in Super Quiz (social science))

Shad Corbin: 2 medals (3rd in Super Quiz (social science); 3rd in interview)

Brian Schulze: 1 medal (2nd in essay)

Sasha Phillips: 1 medal (2nd in speech)

Trista Behrendsen: 1 medal (1st in speech)

Yesterday another ceremony was held at that very same spot to reenact the recent retrieval of a time capsule that was tucked away a century ago in the building’s cornerstone. Beneath a canopy of old oaks that may have been saplings when the home of the Scarlet first opened its doors the school band played the fight song and an assembled crowd that was an appropriate mix of alumni and current students chanted along. Governor Terry Branstad came over from his office nearby at the State Capitol and spoke briefly. Notable among the alumni was Mary Shipway, a member of the class of 1931 who was born in 1913.

The ceremony and a banquet that followed later in the day are two of the keynote events during Alumni Week at East. As Governor Branstad noted, the school’s alumni association is reputed to be one of the strongest anywhere. During the banquet 63 members of the Class of 2012 were awarded scholarships that totaled in excess of $100,000, thanks to the group’s efforts.

It’s not easy to fit a century’s worth of change into the nutshell of a copper box and solder it shut for posterity. Most of what was salvaged among the East artifacts could best be described as remnants – of a silk 46 star American flag, an East High pennant and a Bible among other tokens of bygone times. Phonographic recordings of the 1912 student body yelling school cheers were long since melted and various other documents were badly decomposed. There were some intact Des Moines newspapers, priced at a penny, like the one with the headline ballyhooing East’s defeat of West High, the forerunner of Roosevelt, in football by a score of 24-2. Some things never change; that same newspaper had an ad announcing that Younkers was having a sale. There was a calligraphic “History for the building of the new school” recorded on parchment. It detailed how East students circulated petitions and even helped transport voters to the polls in support of a bond issue to finance construction.

With an eye toward the century ahead a new box of mementoes will replace the first one as part of Homecoming festivities next fall. Suggestions are being taken now for what should be included in the next batch. Something in recognition of the school’s recent state titles in girls’ athletics would seem fitting. A basketball probably wouldn’t fit but there ought to be room for a softball!

Tens of thousands have received their diplomas at East and several hundred more will join the ranks of graduates later this month. That collective Scarlet spirit is as unsinkable as the items in the time capsule were perishable; as enduring as Oreos!

You can especially feel it during Alumni Week at the school, like a ghost released from a sarcophagus full of remains.

IT IS – EAST HIGH!

Photos of the East High Time Capsule Ceremony

A discussion underway at the Community Conversation at Callanan Middle School.

A small but inquisitive group of a couple dozen people gathered in the Callanan Middle School cafeteria for the third in a series of five “Community Conversations” geared toward the review and possible revision of the “Graduate Ends” - or the expectations for students when they finish high school – the district adopted five years ago.

The fourth meeting is tonight at Hiatt Middle School and the final one is slated for Thursday night at Harding Middle School. Both begin at 5:30 PM.

The town hall sessions are in addition to a survey the district conducted via both direct mail and Infinite Campus of parents, students, staff and the public as part of ”The Great Conversation” with the community that kicked off in January when noted education author Jamie Vollmer spoke in a crowded Boardroom at Central Campus.

As was the case in 2007 when the School Board originally solicited community input as to what should be the expectations for a DMPS graduate, this follow up process is being facilitated by State Public Policy Group (SPPG). In addition, each of the town halls has been attended by multiple members of the school board. Last night at Callanan Dick Murphy, Connie Boesen and Bill Howard were present.

One attendee wondered why the community is essentially being asked to assist in the development of educational policy. Shouldn’t that be left to the professionals?

“Because these are the public schools,” Murphy responded. “You all are footing the bill so you should have a say in setting the objectives.”

The conversation was wide-ranging, from one person’s feeling that the Ends are too nebulous to another’s objection to a specific word in one of them. There was one suggestion that they focus more on equipping graduates with practical skills like personal budgeting, another that language be added in the area of social interactions, and another to focus more on good citizenship.

A final report on the surveys and the Community Conversation input will be presented to the Board and available to the public in early June.

The meetings are designed to last about 90 minutes. And like any good class, they are discussions, not lectures.

To view the current Graduate Ends, click here.

Last year, after school adjourned, she spent eight weeks at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) outside of Chicago boning up on primary particle detectors during an internship with the Fermilab’s teacher research associate program. But she was just getting warmed up.

This year she’s going continental.  In July she’ll spend three weeks at the CERN facilities near Geneva, Switzerland.

CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research, or the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, and it employs the largest, most sophisticated scientific instruments in the world trying to figure out what makes the universe tick, down to the minutest subatomic specks of matter. For instance, deep beneath the Franco-Swiss border hums the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). It’s the collider that’s large. The hadrons are small on an infinitesimal scale. The LHC is sort of an autobahn where protons and ions are used as crash test dummies to simulate a reenactment of the Big Bang, the ultimate in layman’s terminology.

The CERN summer residential program for high school teachers was established in 1998 and hosts about 35 teachers each year from around the world. It’s like going to summer school at the Mother Nature College of Law. Sara will be one of only five American high school teachers participating thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation. This is her sixth year at Central Academy where she teaches AP and IB Physics and Honors Accelerated Physics.

“I look forward to sharing this experience not only with my students but also with colleagues,” Sara said, when she learned of her selection. “It will be extremely helpful as I continue to develop my presentation of Particle Physics concepts. Any time that I’m able to make this content more approachable and real for my students, I strive to do so. In addition, I hope to add new perspective to our discussions of the truly international and collaborative effort that is contemporary scientific research.”

Last summer at Fermilab Sara documented her work via an online blog, something she said was well-received and that she plans to do again from CERN. Students enrolled in her classes for next year would do well to stay tuned. After she gets back from her summer in the scientific fast lane it will be time to start bringing them up to speed.

And now the district’s soon-to-retire Director of Health Services has the certification to prove it. She’s one of the honorees to be recognized at the state’s 8th annual 100 Great Nurses celebration in Des Moines on Sunday, May 6, 2012. Primary sponsors of the 100 Great Nurses program are the University of Iowa College of Nursing and the Des Moines Register. Jean was nominated by Charlotte Burt; School Nurse & School Health Services Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education.

Jean has been a nurse for 38 years, the last 22 of them with DMPS. For 10 years she was a school nurse at Oak Park and Longfellow before assuming her current position. Prior to joining the district she had a wide range of nursing experience that included stints in delivery rooms and newborn nurseries so her transition to public school nursing was a logical progression. Over the years she has also served as an instructor and guest lecturer at many area nursing schools.

“My most rewarding work has been as a school nurse with the Des Moines Public Schools,” Jean said upon learning of her selection. “My mission as a school nurse has always been one of accepting children for exactly who they are, helping them to develop healthy lifestyles and providing the support they need to fully participate and achieve as learners. It’s been my pleasure to compile a team of outstanding school nurses and community partners who share this mission and work diligently to ensure that our schools are healthy and safe places for kids to learn and grow.”

One event cited on Jean’s nomination demonstrates her commitment to that mission. A mother expressed her appreciation for Jean’s personal facilitation of services that enabled her asthmatic son not only to stay in school but participate in extra-curricular activities as well.

It’s not necessarily part of her nursing resume but certainly worth noting that Jean is an avid tap dancer. She says she has no plans to give that up. Don’t be surprised if you see her bouncing across a stage at the state fair this summer. It’ll be good for what ails you!

The Roosevelt 4x100 team does a victory lap at the Drake Relays after winning the event and setting a new high school state record.

Seven really was a lucky number for the Roosevelt girls’ track and field team as they made history this year at the 103rd annual Drake Relays. The Roughriders earned seven titles, set two meet records and a new state record at the 2012 edition of the nation’s premier track and field event. The Roosevelt girls’ track team has a long record of success at the Drake Relays, winning 50 titles over the years.

Success for the Riders began on Thursday, when Alexa Hunt won the shot put with a throw of 42′ 3.75″, more than a foot further than the next closest competitor.

On Friday, Roosevelt collected five victories, starting with a win by the sprint medley relay team, consisting of Destani Welch, McKenna Schnack, Agnes Sayeh and Erin Hawkins. They clocked  a time of 1:46.20. That was followed in quick succession with wins by Destani Welch in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.92; Erin Hawkins in the 100 meters dash in a time of 12.67; and a 17′  9.5″ long jump by Jalynn Roberts-Lewis to capture that event.

The day was capped off by the 4×200 relay team of Jaylynn Roberts-Lewis, McKenna Schnack, Agnes Sayeh and Erin Hawkins.The 4×200 team broke its own Drake Relays record set last year, winning in a time of 1:41.66.

But the Riders saved the best for the last day of the Relays. The 4×100 team of Destani Welch, Agnes Sayeh, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis and Erin Hawkins not only won and not only set a Drake Relays record, they set a new Iowa high school record with a time of 47.55.

And while the team was collecting victories, they were also showing solidarity with friends in the West Des Moines school district, wearing a yellow ribbon on their uniforms as tribute to a student who recently committed suicide.

To see complete results of all events at the 2012 Drake Relays, click here.

Student-athletes from four Des Moines high schools competed in 17 different events at this year’s Drake Relays. Congratulations to everyone who qualified to participate:

EAST SCARLETS

• 4×200 relay: Moussa Kuyaheta, Rico Gafford, Terrence Kalar, Craig Taylor

LINCOLN RAILS

• 110 meter hurdles: Trenton Jones, Elijah Young
• 4×110 shuttle hurdle relay: Elijah Young, Sajen Vogel, Roy Patterson and Trenton Jones (Finn Hoogensen and Allan Smith; Alternates)
• 4×100 relay: Jordan Cheatem, Vybert Greene, Tony Young and Kippie Ward (Danny Webb and Andrew Caulker; Alternates)
• 4×200 relay: Jordan Cheatem, Vybert Greene, Andrew Caulker and Kippie Ward (Tony Young and Jordan Bryson; Alternates)

NORTH POLAR BEARS

BOYS

• 4×100 relay: Emmanuel Zeo, Solomon Cooper, Darryn Brooks, Kajuan Davenport

GIRLS

• 4×100 relay:  Lola Gweah, Kenya Williams, Shantell Cortez, Richelle Jimerson

ROOSEVELT ROUGHRIDERS

BOYS

• 110 meter hurdles: Sydne Davis
• 4×100 relay: Cameron Williams, Bryant Johnson, Jaquan Patton, Ashan Green
•  4×400 relay: Cameron Williams, Bryant Johnson, Jaquan Patton, Sydne Davis, Colton Marcellus (alternate), Jack Fritzjunker (alternate)
• High Jump: Bryant Johnson
• Long Jump: Cameron Williams

GIRLS

• 100 Meters: Erin Hawkins, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Destani Welch, Agnes Sayeh
• 100 Meter hurdles: Destani Welch
• 1500 Meters: Emma Huston
• 3000 Meters: Emma Huston
• 4×100 relay: Destani Welch, Agnes Sayeh, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Erin Hawkins
• 4×200 relay: Jaylynn Roberts-Lewis, McKenna Schnack, Agnes Sayeh, Erin Hawkins
• 4×400 relay:  Receva Duos, Ashley Brown, McKenna Schnack, Hannah Goodwin
• Sprint medley relay: Destani Welch, McKenna Schnack, Agnes Sayeh, Erin Hawkins
• Long Jump: Jalynn Roberts-Lewis
• Shot Put: Alexa Hunt

Roosevelt is ranked sixth in the state, and has been among the top 50 high schools every year since it was created in 2005. Hoover is ranked 49th this year, making the list for the fourth time in the past five years.

In addition, Central Academy had far-and-away the highest index score of any school in Iowa. While “magnet schools,” such as Central, are not included in the formal rankings it was once again singled out for special mention by the Belin-Blank Center. Central’s index score of 7.62 was more than doubled the 3.08 rating of Cedar Rapids Washington, the high school with the next highest score, and is the highest score Central has ever received since the index began in 2005.

In a letter to Central Academy, Nicholas Colangelo, the director of the Belin-Blank Center, notes that the school’s “record of excellence with AP is an honor for the  entire state of Iowa.”

Amber Graeber, the district’s Humanities Curriculum Director who is spearheading the dramatic rise in student enrollment in AP courses at each of the DMPS comprehensive high schools anticipates that it will be reflected in future state indices.

“The Des Moines Public Schools has aligned its Advanced Placement policies with the College Board’s Equity Policy Statement to ensure that all students have the opportunity to access this challenging, rigorous coursework.  We’ll be excited to see how our expansion of Advanced Placement course work in the high schools will impact future data on the AP Index for all five of our high schools,” she stated.

Enrollment in Advanced Placement courses in Des Moines Public School has nearly doubled over the past year.

The 2012 Iowa AP Index can be found at http://www.iowaapindex.org/.

Minnesota Viking Chad Greenway speaks to students at Lincoln High School about a financial literacy education program.

The Chicago Bears rallied to beat the Minnesota Vikings 14-8 this morning in the library at Lincoln High School.

Huh?

That’s right, a team of Lincoln students led by Alejo Torres of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago scored a late touchdown to upend a team led by Viking linebacker and former Iowa Hawkeye All-American Chad Greenway and Iowa’s State Treasurer, Michael Fitzgerald, in a hard-fought skirmish of Financial Football.

Financial Football is a joint effort of Visa and the NFL designed to improve the financial literacy of students.

Chad Greenway and State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald team up with Lincoln students for a game of Financial Football.

It’s a video game combined with multiple choice questions about various aspects of consumer financial management.

Photos from the Financial Football event at Lincoln High:

And one of our favorite alums will be back at the Drake Relays, Roosevelt grad and Olympian Lolo Jones, is scheduled to compete in the special invitation 100 meter hurdles on Saturday afternoon.

For more information on the Drake Relays, click here.

The following is a list of students competing in the Drake Relays from DMPS high schools:

EAST SCARLETS

• 4×200 relay: Moussa Kuyaheta, Rico Gafford, Terrence Kalar, Craig Taylor

LINCOLN RAILS

• 110 meter hurdles: Trenton Jones, Elijah Young
• 4×110 shuttle hurdle relay: Elijah Young, Sajen Vogel, Roy Patterson and Trenton Jones (Finn Hoogensen and Allan Smith; Alternates)
• 4×100 relay: Jordan Cheatem, Vybert Greene, Tony Young and Kippie Ward (Danny Webb and Andrew Caulker; Alternates)
• 4×200 relay: Jordan Cheatem, Vybert Greene, Andrew Caulker and Kippie Ward (Tony Young and Jordan Bryson; Alternates)

NORTH POLAR BEARS

BOYS

• 4×100 relay: Emmanuel Zeo, Solomon Cooper, Darryn Brooks, Kajuan Davenport

GIRLS

• 4×100 relay:  Lola Gweah, Kenya Williams, Shantell Cortez, Richelle Jimerson

ROOSEVELT ROUGHRIDERS

BOYS

• 110 meter hurdles: Sydne Davis
• 4×100 relay: Cameron Williams, Bryant Johnson, Jaquan Patton, Ashan Green
•  4×400 relay: Cameron Williams, Bryant Johnson, Jaquan Patton, Sydne Davis, Colton Marcellus (alternate), Jack Fritzjunker (alternate)
• High Jump: Bryant Johnson
• Long Jump: Cameron Williams

GIRLS

• 100 Meters: Erin Hawkins, Jalynn Roberts-Lewis, Destani Welch, Agnes Sayeh
• 100 Meter hurdles: Destani Welch
• 1500 Meters: Emma Huston
• 3000 Meters: Emma Huston
• 4×100 relay
• 4×200 relay
• 4×400 relay:  Receva Duos, Ashley Brown, McKenna Schnack, Hannah Goodwin
• 800 sprint medley relay
• Long Jump: Jalynn Roberts-Lewis
• Shot Put: Alexa Hunt