April 29, 2008

Come one, come all to the Spring Music Concerts this week


Two concerts, 7 ensembles, and special guests - all for free.

Thursday - The Spring Music Department Concert at 7:30 pm in Kenan (Featuring Cavalier Concert Chorus, Cavalier Concert Band, and Chamber Music Ensemble, with special guests: Herb Lamb, vocals; Julian Cochran and Will Parham, guitar; Laura Haynes, piano. Also featuring our seniors and their spotlight numbers. Works ranging from Mozart to Schubert to Louis Prima to Spring Awakening to Mika, and everywhere in between.

Friday - The Lunchtime Music Groups inaugural Spring Concert at 8:00 in Kenan. Featuring the DA Gospel Choir, Percussion Ensemble, A Cappella Group, and Chamber Music Ensemble (duets and trios + a special appearance by the DA Dance Team.

April 28, 2008

Class of 08 Gives Record-setting Gift to Library, Upper School


Upper School students and faculty arrived to a treat this rainy morning - the most generous Senior Class gift in the history of the school. The two new cars, placed in the library and breezeway, will be auctioned this afternoon. Proceeds will benefit the US Master-Planned library and financial aid budgets. Said DA Security Chief Larry Isaacs, "Given the speed with which we can get a quick title switch on these vehicles, this donation will start helping the school almost immediately." Added English teacher Jordan Adair: "This is a testament to the creativity and hard work of my seniors, who I feel sure will demonstrate similar ingenuity and effort as they finish my senior elective course." Librarian Asta Smith was particularly grateful for the gift. "We've been struggling to provide quiet study spaces for students all year long. Between now and the auction, we'll be using the vehicle as a quiet study carrel for 1-4 students." To say congratulations and thanks to the Seniors for their clever surprise, the Upper School faculty has decided to excuse them from classes today. Here's to a relaxing day!

April 27, 2008

DA Hosts Spring Games


"Disabled Kids Show Their Ability"
By Elizabeth Templin
Reprinted from the Durham Herald-Sun
Apr 26, 2008

DURHAM -- About 400 local public school students participated in the 23rd Special Olympics Friday morning at the Durham Academy Upper School and 270 DA students participated as volunteer hosts.

"It's a day that gives kids with any type of disability a chance to overcome obstacles and shine," said Kristen Randall of the Durham Parks and Recreation Department. "They may be slower or take different ways to reach their goals, but there is still the same end result, a ribbon."

The morning began with a parade of athletes and a banner competition. Athletes and volunteers filled the track and field as a crowd of people cheered and applauded.

Joanne McCallie, Duke University women's basketball coach, kicked off the event with a speech during the opening ceremonies.

"In the spirit of competition, you get inspired by different things," McCallie said. "You see people wanting to compete at different levels. It's what I'm about."

Participants competed all morning in events that included 25- and 50-meter races, the standing long jump and the softball throw. There was also a non-competitive area where students bowled, participated in egg races and hit balls off tees. Between games students could dance, have their faces painted or grab a cool drink.

"Sports bring a lot of happiness, and the Special Olympics lets people have fun. That's the whole point of the day," said Emmaleigh Keelan, a DA senior.

Phyllis Harris, a teacher at Jordan High School, said that the Special Olympics gives her students opportunities to do things they don't normally do.

"It's a little bit of freedom," said Harris. "It's a chance to show us how independent they can be. They get camaraderie, being outside, exercise and competitiveness."

Jennifer Michalenok, an intervention specialist at Lakewood Elementary School, said the Special Olympics also gives students opportunities to socialize and feel successful about the day.

"This provides kids with an opportunity to be themselves and not worry about fitting in," said Michalenok. "It gives them an opportunity to participate in a community."

Earll Williams, a teacher at Lowe's Grove Middle School, said the Special Olympics are an important event for the city and community to fund because the event provides student participants with a little more freedom and individual attention than they get on a normal school day.

"It's a morale booster and something these kids don't normally get on this scale," said Williams. "They have a lot of fun and get to see old classmates and teachers. It's just a wonderful event."

A committee of 12 DA students help plan the event in addition to the hundreds of students who spend the day as "buddies," each paired with a Special Olympics participant.

"It's the best thing the school does all year," said Caitlin Burk, a DA senior.

DA Headmaster Edward Costello hopes that by hosting the Special Olympics his students get a different perspective on the world.

"It's one of those events that celebrates humanity," Costello said. "It's great for our kids to understand it's a big world out there."

Cavs Lead March to Polls


"High School Students Push Voting"
By Ray Gronberg
Reprinted from the Durham Herald-Sun
Apr 27, 2008

DURHAM -- Students from Durham Academy and other area high schools staged a vote-early march Saturday to encourage fellow teens to cast ballots in May's primary and November's general election if they're eligible.

High-schoolers can vote this year if they're due to turn 18 before Nov. 4.

The high-profile Democratic Party primary contest between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has clearly heightened interest in this year's elections.

It appeared that all the teens who participated in Saturday's march from Northern High School to an early-voting site at a nearby county library were Obama supporters.

"You take the students at Durham Academy, and there are Clinton supporters, Obama supporters and [presumptive Republican nominee John] McCain supporters," said Eric Teagarden, a Durham Academy English and ethics teacher. "But all across the country, Obama seems to have engaged the youth in a special way."

Teagarden stressed that despite the obvious preference of Saturday's marchers, the urging for students to vote this year is nonpartisan. He said this year's race has created "a teachable moment" that will promote civic responsibility for years to come.

At Durham Academy, all or nearly all of the students who will be eligible to vote this year have registered to vote, thanks in part to a registration drive at the school, Teagarden said.

Students who participated in Saturday's march started the morning outside Northern by standing at the side of Roxboro Road with placards encouraging early voting and support for Obama.

A couple of the placards urged passing motorists to honk their horns if they favored Obama. A good number did so.

But several motorists signaled that they likely have another preference.

"She shook her head at us," one student observed as a car passed.

"She's for Mike Gravel," one of his compatriots quipped, referring to the former U.S. senator from Alaska who ran for the Democratic nomination against Obama and Clinton this spring. He attracted little support and is now running as a Libertarian.

The event attracted a number of candidates for local office who were eager to pick up extra votes. County Commissioner candidates Josh Parker and Ellen Reckhow, district attorney candidate Tracey Cline and school board candidate Nancy Cox all stopped by at Northern before the students marched to the library.

Reckhow, an incumbent, put in the most effort, marching with the students and talking one-on-one with several of them. She explained to them what county government does, noting that among other things it helps fund schools and libraries.

Cox also marched with the students. Cline stopped by briefly but after a bit headed down the road to the early-voting site at the library.

Parker left before the march began, stopping just long enough on the way to a couple of other get-out-the-vote events to hand out campaign stickers.

He said a recent registration drive at Jordan High School similar to the one at Durham Academy registered 85 students in one day.

Given that most young voters registering this year are likely focused on the presidential race, local candidates have to find a way to get them interested in the other races on the ballot, Parker said.

Three other county commissioner candidates, Fred Foster, Becky Heron and Victoria Peterson, also got in a little campaigning after the march began.

Heron was waiting on the students' march route along Milton Road and handed out leaflets as they passed. Foster and Peterson were campaigning outside the library, as was district attorney candidate Keith Bishop.

April 23, 2008

Front Page News from Kathy Cleaver

Each year, the Herald-Sun invites area high schools to nominate seniors who have excelled academically and in service to the community. This year, the Upper School faculty nominated students in eight catergories:

Arts: Lauren Bronec
English: Molly Dektar
Entertainment/Theater: Liz Willett
Foreign Language: Chase Hickok
Journalism: Ashley Brasier
Math: Caitlin Burk
Science: Sean Sketch
Technology: Nick Drago

Please join me in congratulating two seniors who were recognized in the Herald-Sun Front Page Awards program last night. Liz Willett was the winner in the Entertainment/Drama category, and Molly Dektar was a Runner-Up in the category of English & Literature.

Thanks to our faculty nominators and to our wonderful seniors for accepting our nominations.

April 1, 2008

Students on Mars and a Byrd Scholar

DA MONS participants present at national conference. Five Durham Academy students, along with students from Durham Public schools, presented two papers at the 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference during their spring break. The group, all members of the Mars Outreach for North Carolina Students (MONS) project, traveled to Houston, Texas, for the five-day conference.



MONS participants at NASA's Johnson Space Center.






MONS is a collaborative effort between Durham Academy, Durham Public Schools and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK). Mentored by Dr. Jeff Moersch, an associate professor at UTK and a veteran planetary scientist whose NASA mission resume includes Voyager 2, Galileo, Mars Observer, Deep Space 2/Mars Microprobe, Mars Odyssey and the Mars Exploration Rovers, the project engages area students with an interest in space research. Students receive training during the school year and attend an intensive, five-week summer program where they receive and analyze data for the project they have designed. To read the full article from News and Notes, click here.

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Senior Caitlin Burk has been awarded a Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship. She will receive $1,500 a year for up to four years of undergraduate study and can use the scholarship at the school of her choice. The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship is a federally funded program that recognizes academic excellence.

Caitlin also has been selected as candidate for the academic component of the United States Presidential Scholars program. This recognition was based on having scored exceptionally well on the SAT.

Approximately 20 males and 20 females from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are tapped as candidates for Presidential Scholar recognition. Around 500 candidates will be named semi-finalists, and up to 121 academic scholars will be honored in June at the White House. The program also recognizes up to 21 arts scholars.