Spring/Summer 2018Volume 5 Issue 2

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

Inside this Issue:Gowers’ Gearheads - Engineering & Robotics 2

Mrs. Johnson - The Marketing Mix 2

Pickens’ AEST News 2Troyer’s Place - Law & Public Safety 2

Mr. Billians’ News - Automotive Technology 3

Clay’s Techies - Simulation & Animation 3

McLin/Billian - Health Science Team 3

Draper - Counselor’s Corner 4

Atkinson’s Student Services News 4

More News 4

13268 Highway 24 ■ Westside, JY 98151 ■ (901) 857-3000 (office) ■ (901) 857-2000 (fax) www.westsidewaybackintheday.k12.jy.us/careercenter

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: Westside County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion or age in the admission to and provision of educational programs, activities and services or employment opportunities and benefits. Contact: Mr. John Doe, Title IX 901-857-5000

The Student Services Department has had a very busy, yet exciting and rewarding year this year. We have had

speakers from various schools and organizations to come out and speak to our students, and we are not finished yet! Some of the guest speakers that have come to visit us this year include Westside Community College, Delta Technical College, Get 2 College, EEOC, The United States Army, etc. In May, we will be excited to host Jackson State University as they come to present the wonderful opportunities that they have for students.

We are also working diligently with students on improving their skills in reading and math, among other problem areas, with our new IXL program. This computer-based program allows students to work at their own pace on a variety of skills in which they are weak. Using this program, students are also able to self-evaluate and self-assess in areas that they may not have known they were weak. Not only are students using IXL but they are also using USA test prep to help prepare them for the upcoming SATP. This program is a great tool that allows them to review the material that has been covered in class

Activities associated with the Westside CTE counseling program include: յ Advising students and parents on high school programs and academic curriculum, as well as,

preparing students for college application and admission. յ Providing fun and exciting opportunities for middle school and elementary school students in

Westside County to explore career pathways. յ Advising students and parents on high school programs and academic curriculum, as well as,

preparing students for college application and admission. յ Arranging dual/concurrent enrollment for Simulation and Animation, AEST, and Automotive in

the upcoming school year will assure Westside CTE students Advanced Placement credits. These dual enrollment courses also prepare students for the rigor of postsecondary education.

յ Planning and preparation for the college admissions tests, the ACT and SAT. յ Informing students about postsecondary financial Aid that can be used to support advanced

education and training. յ Arranging and encouraging job shadowing. Assisting with work placements, and community-based

learning to allow students to directly experience workplace situations. յ Sponsoring workshops, classes, small and large group activities, and special presentations that focus

on job skills and personal development. յ Providing specialized counseling and intervention services in an effort to provide students with

individualized attention.We are doing great things here at the career center – it is a wonderful place to be…

and allows them to get an idea of how prepared they are for the state tests.

Lastly, we are wrapping up the year with continuous college and career readiness strategies. Students coming into the lab will continue to receive test-taking and study skills’ tips that have helped and will help them in classes now and in the future. We will continue to deliver employability skills’ training and other skills needed to be successful in the workplace. Our goal is to make sure that we are doing and have done everything in our power to ensure that students are successful during their matriculation through school and in their future endeavors. ■

March 30, 31 - TSA State ConferenceMarch 31 - BFA and DWHS 9th graders will tour WTC.April 6, 7 - Professional Dress DayApril 6-8 - WePAS’ Performance Based Assessment (Simulation 2nd year students only)April 11, 12 - JY-WePAS2 and CERTS Assessments for DWHS and BHS students April 13 - May 13 - NIMS Assessment for Law & Safety 2nd YearApril 22 - Jones/Stuart Elementary Pre-K students will tour WTC.May 6 - Students’ Awards DayMay 25 - Last day of school (60% Day)

• Student Organizations’ State Conferences

• Students’ Awards Day• JY-WePAS2 Testing• WTC Recruitment• Professional Dress Day

We would like to give a special thanks to the following people for coming to speak with our

students:

Ms. Cynthia WilliamsAuthor of “Wake Up Sisters”

Mr. Michael Dowry EPOC’s Youth @Work

Mrs. Karri Allen Middleton Technical College

Students of the Month Where has the time gone? This school year is

almost over and it is time to begin planning for next year! We are excited about the possibility of going to a 4x4 Block schedule which will provide the opportunity for students to take more classes! Some students could have the opportunity to graduate early.

The Career Center is further delighted to be partnering with Westside Community College to offer the new Practical Nursing Program. To qualify for this program, students must be a 12th grader in the 2016-17 school year and have a score of 18 on the ACT. The program is offered through Westside Community College as dual enrollment and is free to the students in their senior year. The tuition, books, and uniforms will be paid for their senior year. Students will be expected to enroll at

Westside Community College for the summer and the fall semester. In December they will complete the program. If they pass the nursing exam they can begin work as an LPN. They will also have the opportunity to bridge to the RN Program. That is awesome!

All our students are preparing for the JYWePAS-2 in the next two weeks. Some will have Performance Based tests while others will take the online JYWePAS-2. Let’s wish all our students the best on the JYWePAS-2.

Our Student Awards and Appreciation Day will be May 6, 2018. We will recognize students who have completed the two year programs, participated in state competitions and student who have represented the Career Center in community events. ■

Congratulations to the following students for

being chosen:Chris Davidson(DWHS - Marketing)

Mildred Wheeler(DWHS- AEST)

Erica Newton(BHS - Health Science)

LaKeisha McGowan(BHS - Simulation)

Florence Flowood(DWHS - Automotive)

Cameron Thompson(DWHS - Robotics)

1. Get Rid of Obvious DistractionsIt’s not smart to study with your cell phone on, even if it’s set to vibrate. As soon as you get a text, you’re going to look. You’re human! You can’t focus on studying if you’re chatting with someone else, too. So the cell phone is off limits. Turn off the computer (unless you’re prepping on it) and any music with vocals. Study music should be lyric-free!

2. Anticipate Your Physical NeedsIf you’re studying intently, you’re going to get thirsty. Grab a beverage before you open the book. You may even need a power snack while you’re working, so grab some brain food, too. Use the bathroom, put on comfortable clothes (but not cozy), set the air/heat to best suit you.

3. Choose an Appropriate TimeIf you’re a morning person, choose the a.m. for your study session; if you’re a night owl, choose the evening. You know yourself better than anyone else, so choose the time when you’re at the height

of your brainpower and the least tired. It’ll be much more difficult to focus if you’re battling fatigue, too.

4. Answer Your Internal QuestionsWe’ve all sat down to study and had worries and other internal distractions invade our brains. “When is she going to call me? When am I going to get a raise?” It seems silly, but if you answer your own internal questions, you’ll focus your mind back where you want it to go. If necessary, write the worry down, solve it in a simplistic manner and move on.

5. Get PhysicalSome people are just antsy. They need to be doing something, and their bodies don’t make the connection that they are doing something during studying. Sound familiar? If you’re one of these kinesthetic learners, get out a few things to anticipate an “ants in your pants” issue: a pen, a rubber band, and a ball.

The source of this article comes from th website: http://testprep.about.com/od/tipsfortesting/ht/Focus.htm (“How to Focus On Studying in 6 Steps” written by Kelly Roell, Test Prep Expert)

Dr. Steveson’s CornerDraper - Counselor’s Corner

Special Thanks!

Atkinson’s Student Services News

Page 2 Page 3

A lot has been happening in Engineering and Robotics! The students finished our

Civil Engineering unit by creating balsa wood bridges and testing the bridge to see how much weight it could hold. The students then calculated the efficiency of the bridge they

The Law and Public Safety first year students are presently exploring Unit 6 Police and

Highway Patrol. The students’ main focus will be on the history and responsibilities of both the Jackson Police Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Pertaining to the Jackson Police Department, the students will learn the different Divisions, Precincts, size of J.P.D. jurisdiction in miles, number of citizens protected by J.P.D. Officers, Recruitment, eligibility requirements, career availability and early history of both J.P.D. and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. The students have also learned the number of sworn officers and civilian staff within J.P.D. The students will

also learn the role and responsibility of both police and

created. We then moved on to our Robotics/Mechanical Engineering unit where the students got to build their own robots! Once the students had created their robot they began learning how to program their robot to drive autonomously. We are now moving on to 2D

highway patrol within our communities. The students will also examine defensive tactics used by police and highway patrol and be able to recognize appropriate use of force within law enforcement.

These students are also preparing to take their Law and Public Safety state certification exam, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). These students have all completed units containing a large range of topics within Law and Public Safety ranging from The History of Criminal Law, Legal Systems of the U.S. (Court System) to History and career opportunities with the correctional system of the U.S. Hands-On activities for both first and second year students includes proper weapon deployment, mock active shooter exercise, police traffic stops and drill march and physical training. The second year students are

and 3D modeling using SolidWorks. Once the students finish creating their 3D models they will learn how to use 3D printers, and will get to 3D print some of their own creations!■

preparing to be Nationally Certified by taking their NIMS (National Incident Management System) test in the up coming weeks. Previous units of instruction have included fire protective services (Fire Fighters), Emergency Medical Services (E.M.S.), Interagency Collaboration and Communication, Incident Reporting and Conflict/Stress Management. Second year students are currently in Unit 14, exploring the history, responsibilities and careers in all branches of the U.S. Military. A SkillsUSA is the class organization of Law and Public Safety, and the students have been very active in SkillsUSA competitions. Students attended a SkillsUSA Leadership Conference, SkillsUSA Regional Competition (Won 2nd Place) and went on to win 2nd Place in the SkillsUSA State Competition held in Jackson on March 1 & 2, 2016.■

It has been such a busy year for all of the Simulation and Animation Design students.

Since returning from winter break, year one students have been working in multiple computer software during our remaining game design units. They have started learning about collision theory logic within a game engine for basic programming, drawn their own character concept art created from vector graphics using the pen tool in our Adobe Illustrator software, and 3D modeled both characters as well as world designs in our Autodesk 3DS Max software. Simulation and Animation Design I students will finish up

the year by creating animations inside of our Autodesk 3DS Max software.

The second year students came back from winter vacation ready to start their business in gaming unit. The students have learned how to use marketing surveys and demographic segmentation to find their game’s target audience, create game pitch presentations, write a contract between a publisher and an independent game designer, and even create the game packaging art for a game in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Simulation and Animation Design II students are now spending their class periods creating an edutainment genre game together and functioning as a real video game design team. They each have their own game department roles and jobs and have completed all of the concept phase and preproduction phase together. The students are now involved in the production phase of the game and will continue working in this phase until after their state exam, the WePAS.

Our local TSA chapter has been doing amazing things again this year! In the fall, we learned that Jimmy Dismuke’s lapel pin design

was chosen by all of the TSA chapters in Mississippi to represent the state this year, what an honor! Shortly after returning from winter break, we had nineteen students compete at our Central District TSA Conference this year with multiple wins from both Terry and Raymond. Those students are advancing to the State TSA Conference at the end of March in Jackson, JY. We will also be competing in additional state events such as Music Production and Video Game Design; our chapter will have sixteen students competing. Each year the Mississippi TSA State Advisor contacts Ms. Clay to task one of her students with designing the Mississippi TSA State Conference program book cover. As a chapter of excellence, we have excelled in the digital art competitive events. This honor was trusted to Rashad Plumpp this year. Rashad’s design for the book cover pairs very well with Jimmy’s lapel pin design – both students based their art around the state bird this year. With hard work and passion comes success; we hope many of our students have the honor to represent our chapter at Nashville, TN this summer for the National TSA Conference.■

Health Science Core I

A lot of exciting things are happening in Health Science Core! This semester we

focused on units about the Human Body. Students were able to experience hands-on activities such as Deer heart dissections, research on vegetation and plants for medicinal purposes and learning how to catheterize patients using sterile technique. Students also completed research projects and poster boards related to the Respiratory and Digestive Systems. Students also worked hard preparing for State HOSA Competition which was held in Jackson, JY at the Marriott Hotel Downtown. Students will continue on preparing for their WePAS-2 Test which will take place on April 11-12th. After WePAS testing, students will continue to the next units which will be the Endocrine and Reproductive Systems.

Health Science Core II

Students are learning so many wonderful things in Healthcare and Clinical Services.

After mastering the aspects of Emergency Care, Health Science II students learned about the stages of growth and development along with the concepts of death and dying. Students also explored the field of Sports Medicine. Along with the unique topics covered in Medical and Nursing Services, students were excited to practice skills ranging from the proper use of medical equipment to the different positions for certain medical and physical examinations.

The students have had interesting speakers this year and had the opportunity to tour the Dr. George Ball Simulation Center at Westside Community College. Students also have an upcoming clinical experience at the Mississippi Forensic Laboratory. They will learn things ranging from the purpose of the Crime Lab and its role in the Criminal Justice System to the process of Forensic Analysis.

Things are underway as students prepare

for the upcoming HOSA State Leadership Conference/Competition. This year, the conference will be held at the Marriott Hotel (downtown Jackson) on March 21st – 23rd. Several students are registered to attend. Students will be competing in several areas and have the opportunity to network and learn leadership skills.■

WOW…this year is flying by! The students have been working so hard preparing for

the WePAS and for the DECA competitions. Two of our students placed at the DECA district competition and then competed in the DECA state competition. While at the state competition, one of the students placed second and will compete at International Career Development Conference in Nashville, TN. Furthermore, two of our students were elected as State Officers. One student was elected as the President of JY DECA and another was elected as DECA District I Vice President! We are so proud of them!!!

In addition to all of the excitement in our school, the business and marketing classes

were selected to be a part of the DECA/AT&T Aspire Mentoring Program. This program has given the students the opportunity to go on field trips and be more involved in DECA activities.

The first year business students have just finished the unit on Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship. They have learned things such as the different types of business risks, marketing functions, the types of leadership styles, and entrepreneurship opportunities. The students will soon be learning about personal finance and business law.

The second year marketing students have just finished the unit on distribution.

They learned things such as the distribution process, the process of warehousing and stock handling, and the shipping and receiving process. The next unit they will be learning about is the marketing planning unit. They will learn things such as marketing strategies, how to conduct a market analysis, and how to develop a marketing plan.

The business and marketing classes have recently completed a new product development project and a business layout. They had the opportunity to present their projects to their classmates. Some of their projects were even showcased at the School Board meeting. They all did a great job, and they all had a blast!■

The first year students in the AEST program are currently learning about how plants

grow and mature where they are having hands on and visual learning. They are learning the techniques of maintaining plant growth and harvesting successful crops. Soon, the first year students will begin to develop a class garden, where they will have hands on experience with vegetables and fruits. Additionally, they are going to be selling chicks, which they have raised throughout the year. The AEST students have acquired a new family member to their program. She’s round, black and a whole lot

sweeter than Wilbur and her name is Georgia. Georgia enjoys company and affection from each and every one of the AEST students. More recently the AEST students along with Health Science students will be taking a trip to the crime lab in Pearl, Mississippi.

The second year students have been working on growing tulips in the front of the Career Center, around the flagpole. They have been steadily pulling weeds from around the tulips to ensure that the plants are growing properly. On days when they are not able to go outside, they were learning about the effects

of weather and climate on the environment. The AEST students were introduced to a meat instructor named Chad Davis from Westside Community College. He advised them on merchandising market meats to the public. In addition, he discussed with the students on different careers in Agriculture. Also some students were able to compete in a land judging contest where they were able to display real world knowledge through hands on experience. It has been a very exciting year full of many fun events for students to learn and gain experience in agriculture.■

The students of automotive technology have been learning about engine repair, Basic

electrical/electronic system, and advanced engine performance. We have discussed Skills USA and the students are actively exploring the various leadership and skills competitions that Skills USA offers. Automotive Technology students went to state event for SkillsUSA.

The students come to Mr. Sias about competing in the following competitions: Automotive Service in the skills USA, Job Demo Open and public speaking event. In the class the students have been learning how to read volt/ohm meter, scan tools, how to test different circuits in a car, and thread pitch. Also, they have been learning about different

tool to help fix electrical system the safety way. One of the most important things is using the right tool for the job.

One great achievement is all the students that place in district conference are qualified to go to the state conference.■

Gowers’ Gearheads - Engineering & Robotics

Pickens’ AEST News

Clay’s Techies - Simulation & Animation

McLin/Billian - Health Science Team

Mr. Billians’ News - Automotive Technology

Mrs. Johnson - The Marketing Mix

Troyer’s Place - Law & Public Safety