Child Development Babies!
Several students at LHS had just had babies, and they all weighed four pounds! Mrs. Katie Pena's LHS Child Development class is experiencing authentic learning because they all made a new "sugar baby" to take care of for three weeks. Mrs. Pena #expectsexcellence and this CTE class project gives students real-life relevance for later in life! There are so many lessons learned with this baby lesson. They are learning about the responsibilities and problem-solving of parenting by taking care of their "sugar babies." They are learning about managing a family. They carry their babies with them everywhere, including meetings, athletics and concerts. These babies are even a psychology lesson to teach students that child development starts at home and that they must be there no matter what. Mrs. Pena challenged her students to design and create nurseries using technology for their babies, making them realize the cost of baby items and budgeting. They have had to keep logs of feeding, diapers, naps, baths, and more, just like a real parent would. They learned the importance of reading and vocabulary development to babies. Students studied viruses, made their own virus and found ways to avoid that infection! They have learned the effects of screen time. If the "mommy or daddy" is too busy to tend to their baby, they must find a babysitter and pay for the service! What a fun, project-based learning experience! Thank you, Mrs. Pena, for this powerful experiment that creates awareness of real-world concerns and situations.
GEAR Robotics
If you get a chance to witness this, do it! These are our future Engineers and Computer Science gurus! These GEAR Robotics students at Capitol, South, and LMS are preparing for GEAR Robotics competitions beginning in March! It's still CTE month, and we are so proud of this extra-curricular GEAR Robotics Program that enforces STEM education for students. These competitors just discovered that their competition Mats theme is Parks & Recreation. Their "cogs are literally turning" as they have to make benches, statues, and more for their 16X16-inch parks. They use their math and coding skills to tell their robots what to do. They learn through trial and error. In the competitions, students have to solve different challenges they are judged on including designing, building, coding, programming, testing, and troubleshooting their wheeled LEGO robots. There are so many things learned in GEAR Robotics! Students even have to speak to the judges to tell them how they solved their problems and found the answers too. This is a great LISD Program that you really need to see in action.
https://files.gabbart.com/455/gearvideo24.mp4
AND There are an endless number of things to discover about Robotics and our LISD students are learning all about it! This weekend LMS, South & Capitol Robotics students "geared up" for their first trail run competition! Our students have learned Computer Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics skills. They created, imagined, and built unique robots to complete various tasks on the Parks Themed Boards. These never stop imagining and learning and now they know what to tweak for the real competition! Thank you to Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Pledger and Mrs. Soliz, Mrs. Griggs and Ms. Kelley for all your work in getting our students ready to compete in the next Robotics Competition on April 6th! https://files.gabbart.com/455/roboticstrialrun24.mp4
Entrepreneur's Learn the Business
LISD kicks off Career & Technical Education Month with Mr. Hill's Entrepreneur Class at LHS. These entrepreneurs learned about running a photography business from the best of the best in the field. Mark McCall visited LHS recently to give the Entrepreneur Class the ins and outs of running any business! McCall holds the degrees of Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman, Master Artist and Certified Professional Photographer, and many more certifications & lifetime accolades. Mr. McCall told students how to start, what to do, and what to avoid when starting a business. Thank you, Mr. McCall, for teaching our LHS students about starting their careers after high school! If you want your child to experience this awesome class while at LHS sign up for this fall!
More babes....................
LHS students in Mrs. Debra Salley's CTE Child Development Class have been learning about childbirth in simulation labs. These Child Development students were having fun learning about pregnancy, using Empathy Bellies. These are specially designed, weighted vests that allows teen males and females to experience pregnancy firsthand and gain a realistic understanding of what it feels like to be pregnant. These 30-pound bellies made both boys and girls stand in the shoes of a pregnant lady so that they could learn empathy for the task as they could feel pressure, shortness of breath, and movement! Mrs. Salley had them perform daily tasks while wearing the belly like going upstairs, tying shoes, getting in & out of bed, picking up items off the floor, and more. The pregnancy lesson was followed by a childbirth lab! Students had to push a ping pong ball out of a blown-up balloon. This activity reinforced what students had learned about labor and the birthing process. The balloon represented the uterus, and the ping-pong ball the baby. Boys and girls alike had to push the baby through the cervix to deliver the baby. Thank you, Mrs. Salley, for designing a fun way for students to experience childbirth that they will remember! After the babies were born, were caught learning to care for a newborn by bathing, diapering, dressing, and swaddling these realistic babies. The CTE Child Development class is essential to understanding children's physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development to become better parents later in life!
Focus on Forensics
LISD #expectsexcellence and is so proud to offer the Forensics course to LHS students! It's CTE month, and kids in Coach Munoz's Forensics class were caught in a Minutiae Lab! They used a balloon, put their fingerprint on it, and then blew it up so they could see all the minutiae (the small, precise, or trivial details of something) points. Professional fingerprint analysts use these points to verify evidence and possibly a match when solving a crime. To close their lesson, students experienced a lab on dusting techniques: they made fingerprints, dusted them, lifted them, and identified minutiae patterns on the prints to solve a crime. Isn't LHS so lucky to have such great, engaging classes that teach for now and the future? Thank you, Coach Munoz and LHS, for offering a great class that gives students an opportunity after high school! #LevellandISD
Ag Mechanics
The LHS Ag Mechanics classes encompass the study of mechanical operations, welding, small engine maintenance and repair, planning, management, finance, technical and production skills, and underlying principles of technology. During CTE month, LISD is proud of this awesome opportunity that allows LHS students to work in various mechanic fields, gaining knowledge and experience to aid them in a career after high school. Students also learn problem-solving skills & use math while engineering these great projects. Thank you, Mr. Spies, for offering our LHS students an amazing opportunity that will pay off after high school!
Computer Maintenance
During CTE Month Mr. Hill's LHS Computer Maintenance Class has been charged with building new computers for Mr. Suarez's Art Class. Technology gurus Mr. Zack Hastings from LMS and Mrs. April Austin from LHS Lobo Tech came by to discuss what needs to be done. They decided on parts that will need to be ordered for the computer builds. The class will be building several new computers for the art classes with programs to use in their creative designs. We love that LISD is using students for these endeavors, saves money and teaches students skills to use after graduation!
PCT & CTE
Don't look if you're scared of needles. Our LHS Patient Care Technician Course, taught by Mrs. Joan Sanders gives students a wonderful opportunity for a career after high school and is a great CTE class. Mrs. Sanders #expectsexcellence and teaches these Patient Care students what they need to become certified to become a Patient Care Technician. Students learn and practice, watch each other and teach each other, and practice over and over again to become skilled to take care of patients. This month they are studying phlebotomy and are actually working on real people after much practice on dummies. This is an LHS course that goes above and beyond! You can take this class too!
https://files.gabbart.com/455/phlebotomyvideo.mp4
CTE & Principles of Ag
It's CTE month and LHS is so proud of their Principles of Ag Class. Principles of Ag is a course designed to provide an introduction to global agriculture. The course includes instructional units in agricultural career development, leadership, communications, finance, and livestock production. Today, these Ag students were studying livestock production (a course designed to develop knowledge and skills about the nutrition, reproduction, health, and management of domestic animals) with LHS educator Riley Gray Diver. They were caught in a simulated ear tagging lab, learning to place ear tags on livestock. They had already learned that ear tags help producers manage herds, track animals to keep records and make better decisions for herd improvement. Practicing this skill keeps producers from injuring their livestock later and doesn't hurt the animal. This is just one fun example of everything learned in Principles of Ag. You can take this course too!
LMS eSports Leads to Fun Careers.............
Don't you want to play video games at school? You can in the LMS eSports class. It's never too early to engage students in computer skills! Participating in eSports helps students develop the same skills as other sports, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, strategy development, coordination, and creative thinking. These are all skills that they take with them to LHS and beyond. Mrs. Reba Griggs' #expectsexcellence and her LMS eSports Teams were caught using the MarioBrothers app and the RocketLeague app to compete against other Texas Middle Schoolers, and we couldn't be more proud that this CTE course prepares kids for a future in technology and competitive coding! We cannot wait to see what these youngsters do in the competitions beginning in February!
HOSA
Our LHS Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) students who qualified through online testing in November traveled to AmTech Career Academy in Amarillo on February 9 & 10 with LHS educator Joan Sanders. They competed in the Texas Hosa Area 4 Spring Leadership Conference. Mrs. Sanders is proud to share that Hailyn Grant placed 3rd in Healthy Living and will be moving on to the State Meet in this category. Kamilah Baeza & Krystal Bunker placed 4th in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Others that competed were Creative Problem Solving Team #1-Emily Ramirez, Natalia Rodriguez, Madelis Romero, Alyssa Sanchez, & Elizabeth Sanchez and Creative Problem Solving Team #2-Tobias Gavina, Jacqueline Mercado, Carlee Rodriguez, Javier Ruiz, & Ethan Salazar. Ileigh Moreno served on the Conference's Courtesy Corps, assisting Event Managers to ensure the smooth running of events she was assigned to. Congratulations to these kids, who are completing skills that will help them after LHS in the Health Field!
Ag Floral Class Gives A Choice After LHS
Did you know that there are over 19,000 male florists in the industry, and they make 1.6 times more money than females in the same position? Well, on Valentine's Day & we caught students in the LHS Floral Design class creating and designing Candy Bouquets. Mrs. Riley Diver's Floral Design class teaches different designs, the principles, and the elements of floral design. Students learn about balance, space unity, line, texture, placement, the 400,000 color varieties & sizes of each flower, and more. Students taking this CTE class can continue floral design after high school to pursue a professional floral design career in the floral industry or launch their own floral business.
CTE Computer Classes Coding at ABC!
Some of you know how to code, but did you know that Mrs. Brittany Dagley is teaching our littles at ABC, even students as small as PK, to code? Yes! It's hard to even put your head around, but our littles are already coding in this CTE computer class at ABC. They understand that coding is telling the computer what to do, and they are taking the first step by learning to make humans do the steps block-by-block. They are acting as the programming coders, and eventually, they will learn to type in the commands themselves. These classes also include working with Coding Critters and Space Rovers on Fun Code Fridays. PK students played with Coding Critters by working to code them in the correct direction to follow a path. K and 1st grade students built tracks and then coded their Space Rovers to follow the path. We are so proud that our CTE courses start so early! Mrs. Dagley sends out another thank you to the LIFE Foundation and The Community Foundation of West Texas for funding these projects with grants!
Graphic Design & Illustration Gives Students Skills
Have you ever thought out of the box? Of course you have! During CTE Month and these Graphic Design & Illustration students were caught using their photography skills in Ms. Buckner's Class. These students make up the yearbook staff and are currently photographing students in boxes for the front and back end sheets of the 23-24 El Lobo Yearbook. They are also learning about studio lighting, photo editing, and choosing models to represent the diversity of the school with this project. Here, LHS Junior Joleen Caballero takes a photo of a student in the box. Ms. Buckner says, "The stock photo with lots of people is an example of what the finished project will look like. The student in the box is Ada Neiderhauser representing UIL Academics." These CTE students take on projects all year to complete an amazing El Lobo Yearbook each year and they take their skills with them when they leave LHS!
Digital Media Class
It's still CTE Month, and LHS students in Mr. Lawson's Digital Media Class share the Stop Motion video they made that advanced to the semifinal round of the UIL Young Filmmakers Festival. It's called "Funny Snowman Incident." It was made by Areli Wright, Ada Neiderhauser, and Jayda Williams. Mr. Lawson #expectsexcellence and says that this is the furthest advancing film in Levelland High School's history of competing in this contest. This great class teaches the basics of graphic design, photography, animation, and video production. It gives students a skill to use after high school for whatever they might choose. Don't you want to be in this class? Way to go girls!
PIT Class
The LHS Principles of Information Technology is a CTE class and students in this class learn basic computer skills! They learn word processing, spreadsheet creation, presentation creation, web page development, and other essential skills. Students in Mr. Hill's PIT class were caught creating a spreadsheet based on a random bag of Skittles. They were challenged to create formulas on quantities, minimums, maximums, and averages. They also had to turn that information into a chart. These skills are so important in the real world now! You can sign up for this class too!
Career & College Exploration
When you walk into Mrs. Missy Passmore's LMS 8th-Grade Career & College Exploration Class, you walk into the 'Friends' Central Perk Coffee Shop! But in this coffee shop students in the CTE classes are learning a lot about life. They are not sipping coffee but figuring out what it takes to work in the world. They are learning to think, to get along with others, to give and take, to stay in their own lane, to be leaders, to use computer and technical skills, to follow instructions, to solve problems, and the most important skill: to communicate! Mrs. Passmore #expectsexcellence and challenged them to design, assemble, and fly a paper airplane further than their opponents. Each person in the group had a role and only that role, but everyone could pitch in ideas! Finally, the lesson was concluded with students reflecting on what they learned and completing answers to journal questions that made students think using a technology application. So much is going on in this CTE course that prepares students for what they want to do in High School and after! You can take this course too! Thank you Mrs. Passmore for teaching students to think out of the box!
Ptech Welding
What a great opportunity! The CTE welding students are throwing sparks! The Pathways in Technology at Levelland High School (P-TECH) Welding class ensures that students leave LHS with credentials, degrees, and certificates in welding to enter the workforce. These young welders are learning from Dalia Roybal, from South Plains College. In this class, they have learned the safety measures of welding and are working on different welding skills daily. Ms. Roybal is hands-on with these students and evaluates their daily work, giving constructive criticism on improving their welding beads. LISD is so proud of this CTE course that allows students to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree from South Plains College and leave high school with the skills and knowledge they need to continue competitively for high-demand welding jobs.
https://files.gabbart.com/455/ptechweldingvideo.mp4
Monopoly?
Do you like to play games? Mr. Hill's Business Entrepreneur Class is the perfect example of a great CTE course. His students are learning the basics of accounting by playing Monopoly in class. Students earn wages, purchase real estate, pay rent, taxes, and fines, and track their progress on an accounting ledger. Winners from each group will earn Empowered Bucks to use at the next class auction, featuring a variety of nice merchandise! Thank you, Mr. Hill for keeping your class interesting!
The LHS Culinary Class is famous!
Can you believe these are cakes? LHS students in Khris Oaks' CTE Culinary class entered the Chocolate Fantasia Culinary competition of intricate chocolate sculpture and delicious chocolate treats. These students were able to show off their culinary talents at the formal event at TTU. We are so proud of where Mrs. Oaks' has taken the course. She gives students the potential to grow in amazing directions for their future! Her culinary students will be competing in the Skills USA Contest as well. These cakes are so amazing and we are excited about what you're learning!
The results from the Texas Tech University Southwest Parkinson Society Chocolate Fantasia Contest are:
Chocolate Sweet Bite 1st Place: Batman/Joker created by Leilani Sanchez, Audrey Valderas, and Dusty Dodson.
Chocolate Sweet Bite 2nd Place: Sasquatch created by Adrian Rodriguez, Nick Cruz, Lyric Muniz, and Jacob Rodriguez
Chocolate Sweet Bite: 3rd Place: Hulk created by Matt Almager and Destini Blair.
1st Place Chocolate Sculpture: Sasquatch created by Adrian Rodriguez, Nick Cruz, Lyric Muniz, and Jacob Rodriguez.
2nd Place Chocolate Sculpture: Hulk created by Matt Almager and Destini Blair.
3rd Place Chocolate Sculpture: Ninja Turtle created by Maddie Hernandez.
Overall Best of Show went to the Sasquatch created by Adrian Rodriguez, Nick Cruz, Lyric Muniz, and Jacob Rodriguez.
Levelland ISD
Email: rmccutchen@levellandisd.net
Website: www.levellandisd.net
Location: 704 11th Street, Levelland, TX
Phone: 806-894-9628
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LevellandISD/
Twitter: @LevellandISD
