New Horizons In Action Newsletter

February is School Board Appreciation Month - we recognize the members of the New Horizons Board of Trustees and the great work and dedication they do for our students. Thank you, board members, for all you do to support the mission and vision of New Horizons!

During the month of February, both the Butler Farm and Woodside Lane Campuses celebrated CTE Month! There were several events and highlights of the 25 CTE programs offered at New Horizons during the month of February! Check out our highlights and event videos by following us on our social media outlets. Happy CTE Month!

This month the Career & Technical Education Centers at both the Woodside Campus and Butler Farm Campus highlighted their instructor staff. Teachers spoke about their inspirations and what CTE means to them. Check it out on the New Horizons Instagram or Twitter accounts.

In the Career & Technical Education Centers (CTE), the Good Life Solution Program (GLS) challenges students at both campuses to complete Workforce Wednesday assignments.

Workforce Wednesday is an initiative that allows students to collaborate as a team and gain experience in professionalism in a wide variety of subjects, such as social media. Since its inception, the challenges have grown along with @newhorizonscte TikTok page. The most recent challenge involved students sending in creative videos of different TikTok dances and creative videos.

This challenge cultivated excitement among the campuses, and with a total of thirty-one (31) submissions, the competition was high. The winner will be chosen by the CTE Administrative Team and will be announced at the end of January.

Congratulations to the Automotive Technology, Physical/Occupational Therapy, and Veterinary Science Classes for their winning submissions!

Check out the winning videos below by clicking on the link!

The TikTok challenge for Workforce Wednesdays concluded this month, and the Butler Farm Campus had two creative class winners. Congratulations to the Physical/Occupational Therapy and Automotive Body/Refinishing classes!

The Butler Farm Campus held its annual Open House event on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, during Career & Technical Education (CTE) Month. Prospective students were able to tour the facilities, meet the instructors, and ask questions about courses.

Marine Service Technology students attended the Mid-Atlantic Sports and Boat show at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Friday, February 3, 2023. There were over 108,000 feet of boats, marine products, and services for the students to check out and learn more about.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) students of the 2nd Quarter at the Woodside Lane Campus were celebrated this month for their commitment to excelling in their CTE classes. Students were awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment and credits to the School Store. Great job, students!

On February 3rd, many of the business partners of New Horizons convened at the Woodside Lane Campus to participate in the Good Life Solutions Career Fair. Students from both campuses were welcome to engage with future employers. Led by the Good Life Solutions (GLS) Program Coordinator and the Career Specialists, it was a great day for students to meet, greet, and get to know the companies that make up the workforce of Hampton Roads.

Earlier in February, Woodside Lane teachers and student ambassadors opened their doors to the public to share their Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes. Over 200 visitors showed up for the event and received information pertaining to future enrollment, potential subjects of study, and to see all the building has to offer.

Enjoy these Governor's School Testimonials from Thorin Jean and Criztina Jean:

"My girls all looked into the three strands offered (Bio, Engineering, and Computer Science) and put in their application during their sophomore year of high school in hopes of going there for their final two years. Governor's School is a half-day program that starts in the morning for our schools. That allowed all three to do XC and track and other after-school events too.

My girls all found their people in those classrooms. Like-minded, focused, engaged, and motivated students who all wanted to learn.

My girls all made some amazing connections outside the classroom because of their senior-year internships. Hands-on experience with professionals in their field made a huge difference in helping them decide what they wanted to study and the confidence that they could actually do it. They all entered college with the skills to learn and do research, the time management abilities needed to manage campus life, and the self-sufficiency to know they could be on their own. I knew they had skills that a lot of students are still trying to figure out after entering college, and that gave me peace of mind.

I have to thank the staff and the director for all the focus they gave my three girls. The one-on-one help when they needed it was so helpful.

I am so proud of my girls and so honored we had the chance to experience Governor's school as a family. Ms. Wismer makes everyone feel like they are part of it all. She goes out of her way to make sure the program is running smoothly, and that is a huge feat, with dozens of schools coming from all over the city. Each school has its own calendar, and she manages to make it all work.

My girls are where they are because of the wonderful counselors, mentors, and staff that went out of their way to make sure everything was lined up and all the paperwork was done when it came to applying to colleges.

Many will tell you it is hard. Kids will say it isn't worth it. I promise it is worth it. My girls had to work hard, but it set up habits and skills that will last a lifetime, and they can tell you it makes a huge difference in success."

-Criztina Jean

"Governor's School opened so many doors and paved the way for success in college. Before attending, I had never struggled in an academic setting. Governor's School got me out of my comfort zone, taught me that failure is okay and how to deal with it, and put me amongst peers who would challenge me and facilitate my further growth. The teachers are some of the best, and they genuinely care about your learning and success. This does not mean they will shy away from challenging you and forcing you to struggle, but that is why I learned so much at this school. I also met one of my best friends here, and we both went on to attend service academies and serve in the Coast Guard and Army, respectively. I don't know if I would be in the same place without her and Governor's School, and I will always be grateful."

-Thorin Jean

Congratulations to the 2nd and 3rd place annual Congressional App Challenge winners! A special thank you to the Governor's School Faculty Sponsors. Great work, students and staff!

Governor's School alumni, Ryan Schoenberg, spoke to the senior research classes about his research experience during his Governor's School of Science and Technology mentorship at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Schoenberg is currently pursuing his master's in Materials Science.

The Donors Choose project was set up for various fine motor materials. Instructor for Newport Academy/Center for Autism, Prisco's class now has so many new items to play with, either working together as a class building a maze or working on something independently. There's something for everyone, and the children are excited to try them out!

Black History Comes Alive at Newport Academy! The staff, students, and stakeholders were invited to the Black History Museum yesterday, and "WOW" is all they could say! The students enjoyed themselves, as well as the staff. The students and staff put in serious work to make the museum successful. Great job to everyone involved!

The Center for Autism Kiln Creek has been exploring Literacy. Literacy objectives have been focused on making personal connections to text. Capitalizing on students’ interests is one way to help them make personal connections to text. In the photo to the left, a student creates the animals from his book with play-doh. Look at that Kangaroo!

The Center for Apprenticeship & Adult Training (CFAAT) staff attended Phoebus High Schools’ College & Career event on February 8, 2023. Staff was able to connect with students interested in post-high school education and training that is on a non-collegiate pathway.

The Center for Apprenticeship & Adult Training (CFAAT) staff attended Kecoughtan High Schools’ College & Career event on February 8th. Staff connected with students, answered questions and revealed information about CFAAT and the opportunities available at New Horizons.

The Construction Technology Cohort is still hard at work and "nailing" the hands-on portion of the class. The tiny house build is coming right along. Great job, students!

The Youth Workforce Center students succeed because they know that we are there for them every step of the way! GED students benefit from the encouragement and individual attention of tutors and instructors. They are also supported by their peers who share their own lived experiences and offer practical guidance on how to accomplish goals.

With the addition of Basic Life Support Training to the curriculum of studies, all students pursuing careers in the healthcare industry are trained to respond in emergencies to save lives!

One of the Medical Administrative Assistant students with the Youth Workforce Center (YWC) is training at The Empowerment Network, she gets to put her technical and work readiness skills to the test. The Youth Workforce Center is so pleased to continue to work with this government-funded agency that administers behavioral and mental health services to families enrolled in Virginia’s Medicaid and FAMIS programs. The YWC trainee loves that she is able to be a part of this amazing collaboration!

Registration is open for a virtual school staff and educator support group starting March 1st!

Link for registration is below

Email: asknhrec@nhrec.org
Website: www.nhrec.org
Location: 520 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, VA, USA
Phone: 757.766.0000