Happy Holidays! And announcing the arrival of ...

...baby boys Zeyd Namdar (Rameen Namdar, Health Academy) & Oliver George (Clover George, Business Academy Head) -- best wishes!

Congrats on Fall 2010 Accomplishments!

from desk of Academy Head:

+Community collaborations: Police Dept. (Namdar), UNM Med School (Cox), UNM Office of Diversity (Cox/Russell), Univ. of St. Francis (Cheryl Brubaker, CNP)

+Tutoring offered: Math, Science, History & English

+Raised student assessment scores - English & Math

+Joint Field Trip to Carlsbad Caverns & Bodies Connections Exhibition: Dream Makers Health Careers Club & MESA Science Club - Special Thanks to Jo Elwess, Diane Russell, Joan Leyba/hubby & Dr. Griego!

+Spirit Activity 11th grade (Namdar)
+Interdisciplinary Curriculum Collaborations: History, Science, Health Sciences, Nursing, Forensics, English, Psychology, Nutrition

+Successful Student Advisory & Parent-Teacher Conferences

Home Visit Collaboration w/ Family Center: Brenda Chavez & Rafael Esparza

+ SBA Contributors, Dept Chairs & Coaches: Rosemary Harding, Val Hoose, Jessica Villalobos, D. Leh, Brigid Smith

+Professional Colleague Presentations: D. Leh, Karen Cox, Val Hoose, Rameen Namdar, Rebecca Brown

+Completetion of Program of Study for course catalog 2011-2012 (Cox)

+Collaboration w/ UNM's CASAA web-based national curriculum re substance abuse (Hoose)

+Academy size tripled 2010-2011

UNM Med Student-HSC Office of Diversity Collaboration

Albuquerque - On October 20, 2010 AHA Health Academy students successfully hosted approximately 70 UNM medical students in their Health classes. Third year med students joined Health Academy teachers Val Hoose (Science/Nutrition), Diane Russell (Health Science), Joan Leyba (Science) and Karen Cox (Psychology) for seminar on Perspectives in Medicine-Health Disparities in the Community.

Some med students also conducted individual interviews with administration, counseling, athletics and the local community including Principal Dr. Karen Sanchez-Griego, Vice-principal John Hammil, Atheletic Director Mark Garcia, Head Boys Soccer Coach Jessica Villalobos, Family Center Liaisons, Sports Trainer Pablo Gabaldon, and School Counselor Helen Trujillo. Among the UNM doctor/professor participants were Dr. Valerie Romero-Leggott, Dr. Felisha Rohan-Minjares and Dr. Margaret Montoya.

Sunrise Over Atrisco, Autumn Equinox, 2010

Enthusiasm

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Seeming Impossibility

All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible. (Orison Swett Marden)

Welcome!!! Bienvenidos!!! 2010-2011

Hello and welcome to the new school year! Please stop by to visit our new Health & Social Sciences Academy Building.

Returning members of our high-powered team include: Rebecca Brown (Humanities), Rosemary Harding (Math Dept Chair), Val Hoose (AP Science & Admin Intern), Mr. Leh (English Department Chairperson & Teacher-Mentor).

Joining us this year are: Cheryl Brubaker (CNP), Rafael Esparza (AP History), Drew Fischer (Math), Pablo Gabaldon (Health Sciences & Sports Athletic Trainer), Daniel Lane (AP Math), Joan Leyba (Science), Rameen Namdar (AP Science), Colin Priebe (Science), Diana Russell (Health Sciences), Brigid Smith (English), Jessica Villalobos (Spanish Dept Chair & Head Coach Boy's Soccer).

A special Thank You goes out to UNM Med Student, Michael Marcus, who presented medically related curriculum to our students on August 26th!

Congratulations! to our recently Red Cross certified students (under the guidance of Ms. Russell).

Looking forward to another year of academic success & collaboration!

Best -- Karen Dz. Cox, M.A., Academy Head

Health Academy Success 2009-2010

Dream Makers Health Careers Club & graduation
CASAA-UNM Collaboration-Substance Abuse/Std's study
Blogsite
3 Days-Health Academy Field Trips to UNM-Med School
Brochure & Program of Study
Next-Step Plans
UNM-AHA First-ever Health Collaborative Seminar
Professional Learning Community

Happy Birthday, Rosemary!!!

When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that never happened. It is sad to go to pieces like this but we all have to do it. (Mark Twain)

Future Brain Researchers

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

With Pharmacy students in the College of Pharmacy lab

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

Our Trip to UNM Medical Health Sciences Center

Ugh! Brain juice is dripping on me and Dr. Caldwell is laughing...

Purple Hummingbird

Mr. Leh grabbed this photo of a hummingbird yesterday after school. If any students are interested in beginning a digital photography club, please stop by and let him know! A few students have already expressed an interest.

Dream Makers Health Careers Graduation

Message from Ms. Karen Cox, our Academy Head: The Dream Makers graduation @ UNM's Sub Ballroom (sponsored by Dr. Romero-Leggott's Office of Diversity @ HSC-UNM Med School) was a resounding success. Certificates were handed out, students and sponsors were acknowledged, several parents attended, and our students even read an inspirational story. Many of our Health collaborative partners were in attendance. Karen Cox also touched base with Dr. John Leggott, UNM Med School Director and Dr. Felisha Rohan-Minjares. Both are on board with our Academy to do programs again next year. Dr. Leggott stated that he wants to come to our school with medical graduate students in tow to help and organize our Dream Makers workshops with us next year! Dr. Felisha is on board to do a much smaller version of last year's joint health collaboration again. We are very proud of our students!

Debate Teams, Mr. Leh's English Classes

Students formed debate teams and chose a topic to debate after being inspired by the Great Debaters. After preparing and researching their debates, they went up against Mr. Leh who took the opposing view. Students had four minutes to introduce themselves and propose three major points. Mr. Leh responded with the alternative position and presented arguments against the proposal. The students concluded each debate by logically responding to each one of Mr. Leh's objections. The project was a lot of fun, taught many skills about logic, speech, the power of the spoken word, debate, argumentation, research, posture, projection, and looking at issues from various points of view. We also learned how to listen to others and allowing ourselves the POSSIBILITY to be changed by another point of view without "making someone who thinks differently the enemy." Mr. Leh was very proud of how his students engaged in the project and carried it out to a perfect conclusion. Mr. Leh LOST most (all) of the debates to the new Great Debaters).