By Elizabeth Gillingham

PHHS welcomes over 2,400 students

For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, San Diego Unified School District and, more specifically, PHHS opened their doors in August (prior to Labor Day) to over 2,400 students. Students settled into their new schedules quickly and the first week started off in a positive format. The students ended the week with Patriot Period where they were placed into advisory classes mixing students from grades nine-12.

Students make Pillar Posters using “choice words” (Courtesy of PHHS)

Returning students were given a chance to meet and greet new students while helping everyone acclimate to the new school year. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors created Pillar Posters teaching the freshmen how to be welcoming, how to use “choice words,” and about the importance of doing no harm to anyone.

Girls’ volleyball

The freshmen girls’ volleyball team won their season opener against Valhalla High School on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at Valhalla, defeating the Norseman 2-1 in the match. The Lady Patriots won their first game 25-22. They lost the second game 24-14. They won the tie breaker 15-11. It’s a great kick off to our fall sport’s season which is just beginning to take shape this month.

1st row: Zoe Benink, Claire Sutliff, Josalynn Lall, Nina Vyzinkar, Dani Toleno 2nd row: Kiana Okamura and Hailey Fulton 3rd Row: Malia Rios, Larisa Dummer, Veronica Smith, Charlene Phan, Addie Gross Mia Shira, Maddie Burke, and Hailey Veeder

Girls’ tennis wins silver medal

The 12th Annual Pete Brown “First Serve” Girls High School Team Tennis Tournament was a big success in San Diego. Approximately 130 players from 12 schools competed at Valhalla and Granite Hills High Schools to prepare for the upcoming fall season. The Patrick Henry High girls’ tennis team won the Silver Medal in the Group B Division finishing with 23 sets won for a total of 148 games. The Lady Patriots faced strong competition from La Jolla Country Day, who won the gold with 24 sets won and 162 games.

The Lady Patriots tennis team (Courtesy of Karen Ronney)

Members of the Lady Patriots squad consisted of Nikki Wakeland, Kate Kiley, Jade Loucks, Alyssa Arnold, Amanda Martin, Mimi Nguyen, Michele Nguyen, Avery Swain, Sarah Barron, Rachel Barren, Olivia Sample and Jessily Jones. Other team members who offered support were Olivia Tracey, Erica Tolley, Sarah Ahles and Julia Ronney.

The Group A Division gold medalist was the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, which captured 22 sets and 154 games edging Cathedral Catholic, which had 19 sets and 144 games. Other competitors in the tournament included Brawley, Grossmont, Granite Hills, Olympian and Valhalla High Schools.

“We had a couple of teams pull out before the event but it was still outstanding,” said First Serve Tournament Director Don Ackerly. “Everyone was gracious and adjusted to the last minute changes. These players had a chance to compete in a fun format that offered a great start to their seasons.”

The one-day competition is a tribute to coaching legend Pete Brown, who devoted his life to sharing his passion for the sport with kids of all backgrounds and ages in Southern California. The San Diego tournament was divided into two divisions as part of a round robin scoring format. It was the ideal format for high school players, who are ranked below No. 150 in USTA Southern California Section rankings.

The tournament was based on dual match ups in a round robin draw. Each dual match consisted of three singles and three doubles meetings using no-ad scoring. The overall winning team was determined by most sets won, followed by a game count as a tiebreaker. Each school played five matches and it was a full day of fun with the East San Diego County sun reaching 90 degrees in temperature. Safety and proper hydration were a priority.

“It was beautiful to watch all of these players give 100 percent effort no matter the score,” said Assistant Tournament Director Shannon Ackerly. “That’s what high school tennis is all about.”

Special thanks go to San Diego’s First Serve Tournament Organizer Ron Marquez of Cathedral Catholic High and Ai Takamori, the SCTA Manager Junior Competition, who both did a great job of supporting this high school event in San Diego.

—Karren Ronney

New staff at Henry

Patrick Henry High School is pleased to welcome several new faces around campus as we had several staff members retire last year.

Ms. Cynthia Bolton will be serving as our new vice principal working with students whose last name begins with the letters A-G. Bolton comes from Pasadena High School where she was the assistant vice principal and has a strong background in English. She also is a professor at DeVry University and will soon be defending her doctoral thesis. She will be our administrator overseeing athletics and helping us with our Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation. We are thrilled to have her join our team at PHHS!

(l to r): Bill Navickas, Beth Humphreys, Cynthia Bolton, Monica Jorgenson, Amanda Glazer, Mara Den Bosch Verdicchio, Rosa Valdez, Tineka Huff, Laura Stauffer, and Curtis Hawkins (Courtesy of PHHS)

Mr. Bill Navickas is our new head counselor and will be working with our seminar and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) students. He comes to Henry with a passion for helping students find success and many years of counseling at various high schools. His last assignment was working as a resource counselor where he assisted several schools throughout the district.

Counselor Ms. Amanda Glazer joins him in the counseling office coming from Dailard Elementary, right down the street, and she’ll be working with students whose last name begins with Lo-Ri.

We also added a new Plant Operation Specialist (POS), Ms. Cathy Murphy who heads up our custodian department and has already made a huge impact in the way our school looks. She is a community member and came from Mira Mesa High School.

Our IT department is headed up by Mr. Curtis Hawkins, joining us from the Army, and we’re excited to have his new energy around campus to help with our growing technology needs.

We’ve added many new teachers as well and they’ve started the year off in a positive way. Please help us welcome: Ms. Tineka Huff (Mild to Moderate Sp. Education); Ms. Laura Stauffer (Art); Ms. Michelle Hubbard (American Sign Language); Ms. Monica Jorgenson (Moderate to Severe Special Education); Ms. Rosa Valdez (Spanish); Ms. Mara Den Bosch Verdicchio, Ms. Blaire Johnson (returning to PHHS as a school psychologist); Steve Van Wyk (English); Beth Humphreys (Grad Coach); and Christina Gramer (athletic trainer).

It certainly was a busy summer for us and we are very anxious to see how our new additions contribute to our outstanding program at PHHS!

PHHS Bel Canto Opening Performance

On Thursday, Oct. 13 come join the PHHS Bel Canto Ensemble for their opening performance “On Broadway!” Highlights of the evening will include songs from Broadway musicals like the classic “Guys and Dolls” and the current “Hamilton.” Performance will be held at the PHHS Cafetorium at 7 p.m.

Last year, in competition, the Bel Canto Ensemble earned a superior rating as well as a first place designation. This choir was also awarded the trophy for Best Overall High School Choir.

Tickets will be sold at the door for $10. Cash accepted. Checks made payable to PHHS Choir. Additional donations to our PHHS choral program are always welcome. Checks can be made to PHHS Foundation/Choir for this purpose.

Engineering program upgrade

To complement the modernization process of PHHS, our engineering classrooms will be remodeled this year thanks to Proposition D and other CCTE grants. Along with a complete remodel of the classroom creating a true lab space atmosphere, the program will also be getting $50,000 to go toward new commercial-grade wood and metal shop tools. We will also be adding a new computer lab, 3-D printers, laser cutters, and providing the teachers new opportunities for continuing education to exceed the expectations of parents, students, and community members while providing extraordinary engineering experiences with the latest and greatest equipment we can purchase.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

PPHS students participate in International Medicine Olympiad 

Eight students from Patrick Henry High competed in the 2016 International Medicine Olympiad (IMDO) from Aug. 1–3 on the University of California San Diego campus. Over 130 students from around the world participated. Two PHHS students, Kalos Chu and Ben Kelly, earned bronze medals. The entire team performed extremely well. The competition included three, 120 multiple choice question tests to establish individual and team rankings and then a team quizbowl-style tournament on the final day. Questions focused on molecular and cell biology and human physiology.

Team members agreed that even though the days were long and stressful, that the experience was incredible. They hope that PHHS will be supporting more teams in the future.

The all-incoming junior team was coordinated by the PHHS AP biology teacher, Mr. Andy Mangahis. Competition day support was provided by science teacher, Lara Dickens and the Schindler family.

Science teacher recognized with award

Congratulations to science teacher Lara Dickens for her special recognition award given by San Diego Unified School District for her continuous work to improve the environment and world through her work at PHHS. On Oct. 7, board member Kevin Beiser visited PHHS to recognize the science teacher extraordinaire with the Conservation Science Education Award of Distinction for her collaboration with Kids Eco Club and Discovery Education.

(l to r) Principal Listy Gillingham, SDUSD board member Kevin Beiser, and award-winner Lara Dickens surrounded by her first period class is recognized (Courtesy of PHHS)

This award was given for her ability to engage students in taking action to end mass animal extinction. Dickens is also well known for her work with our Ecology Club in establishing an Aquaponics Garden at PHHS as well.

“I am honored to have received the recognition for teaching conservation science. I am very lucky,” Dickens said after receiving the award. “The students that choose to take the course are super motivated and dedicated to making the environment better. I learn from them and ride their wave of enthusiasm throughout the year. It is also a blessing to be at a school that allows the elective to be squeezed into the master schedule and has an administration that lets us test our understanding of things like compost, vermiculture and aquaponics. That takes a lot of trust.”

Student of the Month for September

Henry senior Michael Giordano was selected as this school year’s first Student of the Month and was awarded during the Grantville/Allied Garden Kiwanis Club meeting last month. He was selected due to his upbeat, positive attitude that he displays in the classroom, on the football field, and around the campus.

Michael Giordano

Giordano especially stood out among his peers when the peer mediation class lost their teacher and a substitute had not been hired to cover the class. As a second-year student in the class, he volunteered on the first day of school to cover the requirements for the class and begin the instruction for the first-year students. He also emailed his former teacher (who had moved to a new city) and asked for her lesson plans so he could teach the class in the same format as last year.

It was through his initiative, we were able to recover the class and assign a credentialed teacher to continue the program at Henry. Giordano kept student interest alive by managing the first week — allowing the school time to secure a new teacher to keep the program going.

In addition, Giordana is on our football team, but suffered an injury early into the season. However, he continued to show his support and love of the game by attending every football game — on crutches — and cheered loudly and proudly as his teammates played each game. He is a pleasure to know and will do well with whatever profession he selects because of his heartwarming love of helping others.

Engineering Academy Expo and Dinner

The Patrick Henry High School Engineering & Computer Science Academy is hosting its annual Engineering Expo and Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Cafetorium on campus. At this event, engineering students will showcase their projects and skills. Families and guests will also enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner and have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and opportunity drawing. All proceeds from this event will be invested directly into the academy in the form of scholarships, equipment and materials, and other program essentials.

International Medicine Olympiad team members: (back row, l to r) Jonny Schindler, Kalos Chu, Luc Galaif and Jaxson Weinberg; (front row, l to r) Alex Cagle, Ben Kelly, Luna Miller and Phoebe Nguyen (Courtesy of PHHS)

More information on the Engineering Expo and Dinner and how to purchase tickets and/or participate in the opportunity drawing can be found at the academy website: patrickhenryeda.org.  All members of the community are welcome!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School. Reach her at lgillingham@sandi.net.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Alumnus returns to Henry to give back

AVID (Advancement Via Individualized Determination) teacher extraordinaire Jodi Haff had a wonderful class surprise. A student who had graduated from Patrick Henry in 2006 came back to her classes to share his post-secondary experiences and how he discovered his career and business.

Abdullah Moalin was a student in Ms. Haff’s AVID class and remembers fondly her gentle prodding and pushing to help him do well by taking some AP classes along the way. His life story includes going to Grossmont and SDSU and becoming a manager for Western Dental. He then created his own business to help patients who needed dialysis get reliable transportation to and from a hospital known as Aaria Transportation, LLC and MM Traffic School (for people who get tickets). After explaining in more detail about what he got out of having AVID as a support class, he donated $1,000 to the program to show his gratitude and belief in the program.

AVID is a nationally-recognized program that helps students get ready for the rigors of college. The program’s philosophy includes learning about scholarships and giving back opportunities to others (which often involves tutoring others in the class).

Abdi proved he learned his lessons and more by sharing his story and paying it forward to others through his generous gift. Nothing perpetuates great teaching than seeing the product of your work 10 years down the road. Thank you Abdi Moalin for being a proud Henry graduate!

PHHS Girl’s Golf 2016

Patrick Henry Girl’s Golf team had an incredible season. This year, the girls were led by co-captains, Alison Nguyen and Darla Christensen. One of the team’s accomplishments was their outstanding record of 15 wins and one loss, which was a new record for the team.

Nguyen and Christensen, along with fellow varsity players Hilary Mast, Phoebe Nguyen, Madison Simmons, and Laura Peleaz participated in the City Conference on Oct. 10. Alison Nguyen, Chistensen and Mast advanced to match play the following day. Both Alison Ngyun and Christensen advanced to the final 16 players. On Oct. 14, Christensen — who advanced to the final eight — played at Rancho Bernardo Country Club.

The team’s on-course accomplishments were astonishing, as many of the players were new to the game of golf. Yet the real success was meeting the team’s true goal of personal growth. The team embraced the sport as it focused on respect, truthfulness and moral principles. They took these values to heart, and exhibited them on and off of the course. The team has learned to care about each other’s successes, while being gracious with those that they played against. Being a cohesive team was of great importance to them.

Girls’ Golf has been coached by Chad Miller for 11 years and he continues to show his devotion to them as he relentlessly supports and recruits for the team. He has been assisted by Russell Christensen for the past few years and has recently been joined by Patrick Henry High School NJROTC instructor, Ron Flaherty. The team would like to sincerely thank Matt Pennington, general manager at Mission Trails Golf Course, who provided a home golf course. He is joined by his staff, who throughout the years has welcomed the team. Jim McFarland has again shown his support by providing the team with uniforms.

This year, in memory of Ai Nguyen, My Loan Vu and Alison Nguyen have continued their generous contribution to the team. The team has also had other supporters: Pat Diaz (Riverwalk Golf Club), Russel Imamura (The Golf Mart), Pro Kids-The First T and Lisa Mast. These individuals have believed in the team and the team members, and without them, this spectacular season would not have been possible. Thank you all again!

PHHS teacher recognized by SDUSD

Congratulations to Mr. James Achenbach who received a Certificate of Recognition from the Special Education District Department office for his outstanding work in the field of communication.

According to special education program manager Carrie Rea, Achenbach’s’s recognition was for “thinking creatively to work across disciplines in support of the communication and educational needs of students.”

(l to r) Carrie Rea, Jim Achenbach, and Henry Vice Principal Bill Miller (Courtesy of PHHS)

His collaborative work with district occupational therapists, para educators and teachers was impressive and impactful in meeting his student’s needs. Specifically, Achenbach’s ability to work with the team to target students’ learning of symbols, operation of their devices, and generation of messages through collaborative intervention put him in a special category for amazing speech therapists.

In his work with the students at Henry, he has developed scripts for students and staff to use so all could learn location of vocabulary and messages, as well as when to use them. This process is appreciated because it creates a meaningful and long-lasting approach to facilitate successful communicative interactions for his current students and for staff to use with future students. Bravo, Mr. Achenbach!

Break Free Run

Very early on a Saturday morning in October, students in the community that make up Patrick Henry High School rose up to fight. And they were well prepared.

The Patrick Henry High School student community turned out in numbers be a part of the 2nd Annual Break Free 5k/10k Race to End Human Trafficking. The R.O.T.C. students raised the flag at 7:30 a.m. — then ran the race and even placed; the cheerleaders lined the start and finish lines to cheer on the runners; the dance team celebrated all with dance performances; while teachers offered water to runners along the course. Each group showed up to fight human trafficking with two of the best weapons they have — their time and their talents!

When a community shows up to fight for good, fight for those that cannot, lives change. When you can reach down to pull others up, give when someone else can’t, and you do it simply because you can, you create change. Students became aware, some for the first time, that human trafficking is something that is very much alive and present in their world.

Saturday, Oct. 8 gave each of them a chance to stand up and say, #ITSNOTOKAY. Break Free runs, together with 3 Strands Global (3StrandsGlobal.com/Sandiego), unite communities like Patrick Henry to take a stand in whatever way they can to fight to end human trafficking.

Special thanks to Henry teacher and adviser, Terri Clark, who was on hand.

“I was both honored and proud to participate alongside some pretty amazing kids,” she said.

Henry Student of the Month

Adrienne Banh is thoughtful, conscientious and one of the most caring students we have at Patrick Henry, according to Vice Principal Jennifer Pacofsky.

(l to r) Carrie Rea, Jim Achenbach, and Henry Vice Principal Bill Miller (Courtesy of PHHS)]

Banh was selected to be recognized at the monthly Kawanis breakfast as Henry’s second named Student of the Month. She was selected because she is noted as being a great peer mediator who reaches out to students when she sees them struggling or hurting. When she sees or hears about a student having a difficult time, she talks with them and shares with an adult that may know the student to get them support or help get the problem solved. When there is a conflict around her she tries her best to problem solve it and find a resolution — not just in official mediations. She is very active with the Japanese Club, her temple, and club HOPE (Helping Other People Every Day).

Banh has been working hard this year at keeping the peer mediation program alive and has even taken on the task of teaching lessons to the underclassmen. Her role is more behind the scenes and taking care of what needs to be done that people don’t usually see or notice her actions. She led students to write chalk encouragement notes on the sidewalk for Bullying Prevention Month, so that everyone could see a positive message when they walked around campus. We are proud to select Banh because she makes the atmosphere at Henry a warm and caring place!

—Elizabeth Gillingam is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Key Club goes to Magic Mountain

The Key Club took a trip without incident on Saturday, Dec. 3 to Magic Mountain. Our students represented Patrick Henry and our Key Club Division 21 (the turquoise hippos) well and almost won the spirit stick! We came in third place out of 12 divisions. According to those behind the scenes, Patrick Henry is the school that raised the most money on its own for Pediatric Trauma in the entire California-Nevada-Hawaii district. We earned $1,620 with the help of the nearby Elks Lodge and our sponsoring Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club over the course of the year and happily gave it over on Saturday.

Patrick Henry students in the Kiwanis Key Club visited Magic Mountain on Dec. 3. (Courtesy PHHS)

“These kids make my heart sing,” said Key Club advisor Valerie Crawford after attending this event.

PHHS athletes excel

(l to r) Hannah McEwen, Cristiona Caccamise, Madison James, Jack Rathier and Julia Ronney

PHHS had five student athletes attend the National Letter of Intent College Announcement and Signing Party at the San Diego Hall of Champions on Nov. 9. Students who have been offered college admission through a sport’s scholarship are invited to attend the event to celebrate their high school accomplishment. Students can elect to participate if they are ready to commit to a particular college. Our fall commitment list included the following students:

Girls Softball: Hannah McEwen (Arkansas)

Girls Softball: Cristiona Caccamise (LSU)

Girls Softball: Madison James (Ohio State);

Boys Lacrosse: Jack Rahier (Colorado Mesa)

Girls Tennis: Julia Ronney (Montana)

Andrew Holt (Courtesy of PHHS)

In addition, we are also thrilled to report that Andrew Holt was selected by the San Diego County Aquatic Council to participate on the Senior All Star Water Polo Team during the Senior Water Polo Classic held on Dec. 3 in Coronado. The Senior Water Polo Classic is an annual event and includes the top players in the county as selected by regional coaches, officials, and Aquatic Council members.

Student of the Month

Anyone who knows Karrengton Fountain will agree, she is an amazing young lady who has overcome a lot of obstacles in her life and done extremely well finding her way through high school in spite of attending various schools.

Student of the Month Karrengton Fountain (Courtesy PHHS)

“I had her two years in a row. She went from just being a group member to a group leader who treats everyone with respect and gives everyone a smile,” said one of her teachers at Patrick Henry.

When another student lost her father this year, Fountain stepped up to ask to talk to her, tell her the benefits of joining a support group, and offered to “just be there for her.” She also volunteers at her church, has done two CCTE showcases, and so much more.

Fountain is a delightful young lady, always humble and kind, and has volunteered to participate in PHHS’s WASC accreditation team. In this capacity, she works with teachers, staff, parents and students to help plan for the next six years by developing school wide improvement goals as part of the self-study process.

PHAME is finally completed

Nov. 29 and 30 were special nights at Henry as we were able to give a sneak preview to the community into the new performing arts center. Donors, parents, students, and other community members were invited to see a special performance designed to showcase the building’s acoustical abilities as well as seeing the various programs offered to the students at Henry.

The new Patrick Henry Arts, Media and Entertainment building (Photo by Jeff Clemetson)

For neighbors who live within a half-mile radius of the school and who have shared in parking concerns, if you would like to attend a performance for free during the next three months, please email me at lgillingham@sandi.net and I’ll send you a special “Neighborhood” pass for an upcoming event for two people. It’s our way of saying thanks for the noise, dust, and other annoyances that have occurred as we have worked through the lengthy construction process.

For other interested community members, I will be happy to host a tour at the end of each month in the evening and will let you know the dates, once the contractor has officially turned the building over to the school. Again, you can make that arrangement by emailing me at lgillingham@sandi.net.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham | Patrick Henry High School

PHHS Winter Wonderland Dance
On Friday, Dec. 9, the students from Patrick Henry’s Circle of Friends Club invited friends and family to enjoy an evening of food, games, singing, dancing and fun at their annual Winter Wonderland Dance.

Special thanks to the members of Ascension Lutheran Church in Allied Gardens for, yet again, allowing the club to use their facility for this special evening.

(Courtesy of Patrick Henry High School)

The student officers worked hard to arrange a wonderful evening for all of the members and the result of all their work was a great night enjoyed by all.

PHHS Student of the Month

It is with great pleasure that we offer Madison “MJ” James as our Student of the Month for December. MJ is a senior and has been a shining example for others to follow since she started at Henry.

She has been a varsity softball player every year as the starting pitcher and began attracting college recruiting scouts to her during her sophomore year.

Last year, she had an injury that put her on the bench, and when the team made it to the CIF Playoff finals at UCSD, she was proudly sitting on the bench cheering every player to “come home” or “make that play count” throughout the game.

Student of the Month Madison “MJ” James (Courtesy of Patrick Henry High School)

She exemplifies great sportsmanship in critical situations and is a true pleasure to have on our campus.

“MJ is a positive, motivated, and great communicator,” said sign language teacher Jennifer Ronco. “Madison is sought out by all levels as a partner and group-mate and is the first person to volunteer to pair with the student who needs the most help and/or attention. She challenges all students that are at her level, increasing the sign language fluency for the lot of them. Conversely, Madison is the student most likely to get a reticent or low-skilled signer to take a risk through her patient listening skills and gentle prodding to assure that it is the students’ own idea that is being articulated. MJ is wonderful.”

She is also noted for being in the Circle of Friends where she eats lunch with the moderate-to-severely handicapped students staying far beyond the organized time blocked out for it. The students are wild for her and we appreciate her amazing leadership and caring personality.

PHHS students visit Benchley Weinberger Elementary 

To support music in education, former students from Benchley Weinberger Elementary returned to their school to perform for the fourth- and fifth-grade students.

“The students did an excellent job with their performance and our kids were thrilled with the selection of music,” fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Armstrong said. “It was a perfect balance of contemporary music and classical. Junior Kalos Chu is a natural leader. He was able to capture the attention of the fourth- and fifth-grade students with his explanation of the musical program; lead a question/answer session; and share how being a part of the orchestra has had a positive influence on his life.”

(l to r) Kalos Chu, Amanda Martin, Kaylianne Chaffee and Anthony Jaynes (Courtesy of Patrick Henry High School)

Benchley Weinberger principal MC Patton was also impressed with his alumni students.

“Thank you and your team so much for making it possible for Kalos Chu, and friends, to return to Benchley Weinberger each year and play the violin for us,” he said. “It is a pleasure for our students and a thrill for us adults to watch him and the other musicians grow and improve each year. Congratulations!”

PHHS admission process for incoming freshmen begins

Incoming freshmen forming the class of 2021 are beginning the articulation process to Henry. Students attending Lewis or Pershing — no matter what neighborhood they live in — will automatically matriculate to Henry High School.

Parents and students are invited to attend an information presentation called the Henry Showcase on three different occasions to help accommodate busy schedules.

The first showcase will be Jan. 31 at Henry High School in PHAME! (our new performing arts center) at 6 p.m. Two additional showcases will be held Feb. 9 at Pershing at 3 p.m. and at Lewis at 5 p.m.

On April 5, incoming eighth-graders from both schools will be invited to Patriot Day which includes tours by Henry Link Crew Members and an ASB-led Welcome Rally featuring many performing groups and students sharing vital information about becoming a student at PHHS.

Students who attend other schools are welcome to join us and more information will be posted on our website.

New student enrollment will begin at the end of March. Students from outside districts or schools (attending charter, private, or from out of state), please call our main office to set up a registration appointment. The sooner students register, the better for elective options and availability of special classes.

For parents and students who are unsure, please feel free to join us on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:45 a.m. in the main office for a student-led tour of PHHS!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Digital badges

The district is launching digital badges for students in middle and high schools as a way of recognizing a skill or achievement a student has earned.

Electronic badges are popular among young adults, used by industry, and something we believe will support students as they enter the post-secondary world of college and career by displaying what they can do, as well as what they know.

These badges can be collected over time and shared on social media and through resumes. Our badging system is supported by UCSD Extension and other local business partners.

Starting last year, 2015/16 school year, students’ records will be reviewed and badges will be awarded for various achievements. Students will receive badges for last year’s accomplishments only and any future accomplishments going forward.

Badges will be awarded twice a year following each semester term. Sample of badges that students can earn include:

• Advanced Placement test scores at 3+.
• College coursework.
• CCTE college articulated coursework.
• Successful completion of a career technical education pathway.
• Students who scored “standard met” on the math and or ELA sections of the Smarter Balanced Exam.
• Students who score “ready” on the English EAP.

Students who earn badges will receive notification of their badges through the Gmail feature of their Google apps for education.

Gmail was turned on for secondary schools and will only function as a means for this notification. To ensure student safety, students will not be able to send or receive emails to or from any other entity.

More information about the district program and instructions for students who would like to accept their badges can be found at sandiegounified.org/badges.

Let’s celebrate another way to say great work and be on the lookout for the next generation of resumes.

PHHS Student of the Month

Britney Packer is a senior at Patrick Henry High School and it was an easy choice picking her for PHHS Student of the Month for January.

When we asked teachers to nominate students, Britney’s name came up several times as being a very hard working student who is always willing to assist other student in and out of her classes. She has a special heart, as exhibited by her love for others including animals.

(l to r) Vice principal Cynthia Bolton, Mrs. Packer, Brittany Packer, Mr. Packer and Kiwanis member Doug Grosmark (Courtesy of PHHS)

Recently, Britney noticed a hurt rabbit on campus and notified administration since she wanted to make sure it was taken care of. The rabbit was subsequently taken to an animal hospital by vice principal Jennifer Pacofsky for care.

Additionally, Britney is part of our amazing Instrumental Ensemble and Marching Band Core and plays both the flute and piano. She is an integral part of performances and is hoping to attend Oregon State and eventually to become a high school band teacher.

We wish her all the best in her future endeavors!

PHHS teacher honors

Kyra Bartlett has been selected as the Patrick Henry High School Teacher of the Year. Kyra has been a teacher at PHHS since 2002 and serves as our special education chairperson.

Special education teachers have an amazing task before them, as they are expected to help children succeed regardless of their disability.

To make this work, you have to be willing to go the extra mile that might include expectations that extend into summer months and beyond the typical four years that is needed to get them through their educational goals.

As our department chairperson, Kyra takes on this responsibility from the moment a student starts their eighth-grade year, as she encourages both middle schools, Lewis and Pershing, to invite her to any IEP meetings held to help with the transition plan.

This allows her to plan a program for every Henry student that includes matching the case managers with the student’s needs (instead of random placements) and ensuring they are in the right program from the beginning. In this process, she typically selects the most challenging students to be on her caseload.

(l to r) PHHS Teacher of the Year Kyra Bartlett, CLHS Educator of the Year 2016 Chad Miller, and CLHS Educator of the Year 2017, Greg Chronopolos (Courtesy of PHHS)

Everyone who has met Kyra knows that her heart is in the right place and that she cares about every student at Henry. A parent of a past graduate saw the nomination and sent Principal Gillingham this endorsement:

“I AM SO PROUD OF Kyra Bartlett and believe with all of my heart that she is SO deserving of this! I can’t wait to tell my son! Who, I’m proud to say, is still working hard up there in Chico and currently has a GPA of 2.76 and a major GPA of 3.12!”

Nice work to Kyra and special thanks to her for all she does to help students who struggle find their way to college and their careers!

PHHS teacher Greg Chronopolos was selected as Region IX Educator of the Year and will be honored at the California League of High School’s yearly conference in Sacramento this month where he will be a finalist for the state Educator of the Year title for Northern and Southern California regions.

In her nomination letter, Principal Elizabeth Gillingham stated:

“Greg Chronopolos is formally a mild-to-moderate special education teacher, but at Henry we know him as a coach, teacher, psychologist, advisor, and an advocate for our students. From the moment you meet Mr. Chronopolos you know you’ve made a friend for life. His jovial sense of humor and dedication towards helping those who struggle makes him someone you want to aspire to be like in one form or another. He knows how to put his students at ease when dealing with difficult issues and doesn’t hesitate to have difficult conversations to help students understand their roles and responsibilities within the classroom. He has a gentle but firm approach that allows him to maintain a caring persona with his students and the families he supports.”

When speaking at the Educator of the Year dinner in Ramona, Greg credited his colleagues for helping him understand and appreciate the “Henry way” in terms of building high expectations for our students. It takes a team to help students who struggle and we appreciate Greg’s ability to push his students and advocate for them when they need extra assistance!

Up-coming PHAME events

“Little Mermaid” is coming to Patrick Henry High School on March 15, 16, and 17 from 6–8 p.m. Contact Chris Carr at ccarr@sandi.net for tickets.

PHHS Variety Show will be March 25 from 6–8 p.m. Contact Autumn Ross at aross@sandi.net for tickets.

Choir Spring Concert on May 24 from 6–8 p.m. Contact Kristin Love at klove@sandi.net for tickets.

Choir and Instrumental Concert on May 31, 6–8 p.m. Contact Matt Kalal for tickets at mkalal@sandi.net.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Henry students perform at the All Southern California Honor Band

Noah Krasner and Alex Cagle attended the All Southern California Honor Band in January.

(l to r) Noah Krasner, Dr. Jeremie Arnold, and Alex Cagle (Courtesy of PHHS)

They were invited to audition and were chosen to play through a competitive process.

High school students had to give a live audition which included sight reading and playing a prepared piece.

The director of their group was from the Cal State Long Beach Symphonic Band.

The practices were held in Anaheim for three days and then the show was in Arcadia on Jan. 22, 2017.

Krasner’s favorite part was meeting high school students from different schools across the state.

PHHS wins a Civic Learning Award of Merit

The Civic Learning Award for public schools is co-sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye.

They recognize and value the important role of public schools in preparing students for participation in our democracy, and have a partnership to support civic education in California. The awards are designed to both celebrate successful efforts to engage students in civic learning and to identify successful models that can be replicated in other schools.

The Civic Learning Award program has three levels: Awards of Excellence, Distinction, and Merit. Winners were selected by a panel of experts based on the depth and breadth of their civic learning classes, clubs, and programs.

Award of Excellence winners will receive a personal visit from Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye; Award of Distinction winners will be visited by an appellate court justice; and superior court judicial officers will provide recognition to schools receiving the Award of Merit.

PHHS was one of 47 schools in the state and one of two in the San Diego Unified School District to earn this distinguished award. Much thanks goes to Social Studies Department chairperson, Mrs. Taunya Robinson for submitting our application to our teachers who help organize the program.

Henry students named as Eagle Scouts

Eleven years ago, Henry seniors Anthony Jaynes and Parker Frye joined Cub Scout Pack 308 as Tiger Scouts. They both completed their advancement requirements and moved up through the Cub Scout ranks. Jaynes earned his Arrow of Light Award, the highest award in Cub Scouts.

In March of 2010, Jaynes and Frye crossed over to Troop 51 and became Boy Scouts. As the boys advanced through the ranks, they went on numerous hikes, camping trips and other scout activities; were involved in community service activities; held leadership roles within the troop; and earned numerous merit badges towards their rank of Eagle Scout.

For Jaynes’ Eagle Project, he led a crew to build and deliver a multipurpose conference table for the Ronald McDonald House at Rady’s Children’s Hospital.

Frye, a Henry senior, earned his Eagle Scout rank for painting a map of the United States at La Mesa Day School.

Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The designation “Eagle Scout” was founded over 100years ago. Only 5 percent of Boy Scouts are granted this rank after a lengthy review process.

Both students played on Henry’s Rugby team and participated on the Robotics team.

Student of the Month

Our Kiwanis Student of the month for February is Andy Nguyen, president of the Park Beautification Club. He has planned, coordinated and completed off-campus, city park cleanups consistently.

Student of the Month Andy Nguyen (Courtesy of PHHS)

The students in the club pick up trash, wipe down tables and benches, and have even raked up leaves. They do this without any support from the recreation centers.

Nguyen has been able to solidify a solid team of helpers and has beautified parks all over the city including parks in City Heights, North Park and around Henry.

Nguyen is dedicated, respectful and a true steward for the environment. He announces the chosen park at Environmental Club meetings with strength and confidence. They clean, rain or shine.

He has even faced some challenges from park visitors that felt the need to discourage his group, but he continues to move forward with his passion. He has even been seen handing over all of the recycling they collected to an elderly woman that looked like she needed the money.

Not only is Nguyen a proactive student, he is always a person to help struggling peers, volunteers to help his community, and he is the first to tell someone that everything will be okay. He’s respectful, caring, smart, and positive.

Nguyen’s Japanese teacher said that he has always been a pillar of the Japanese classroom.

First as a junior in a class of freshman and now as a senior in class of sophomores, Nguyen has always been an excellent role model to his classmates. Rather than letting himself be phased by this situation, he stepped up to the plate. He helped out around the class whenever possible, befriended everyone, and quietly showed his classmates what it looks like to treat others with respect.

Henry Students compete at SDSU Japanese Academic and Cultural Proficiency event

On Saturday, March 4, Henry sent seven strong teams to the Japanese Academic and Cultural Proficiency competition at SDSU. The event, sponsored by the Japan Society of San Diego & Tijuana, included teams from Scripps Ranch High School, San Dieguito Academy, Canyon Crest Academy, and Torrey Pines High School.

Students were asked to perform communication tasks in Japanese, read kanji, and answer questions about Japanese culture, history, and geography. This was only the second time our school has participated for several years, and the result of five months of intense preparation.

All of the teams did an excellent job of representing Patrick Henry and their three pillars — Be Welcoming, Do No Harm, and Use Choice Words. The competition was particularly fierce this year, but one Level III team (Japanese 5/6) did make it into the finals. After an intense public lightning round, they tied for third place and took home a trophy.

(l to r) Back row: Alex Cagle, Vinh Nguyen, Khang Le, Nina Ly, Cameron Coates, Brandon Matsumoto, Faith Perry, Britney Packer, Jia Ma; Front row: Eric Le, Amy Huynh, Emily Dinh, Lan Nguyen, Khuong Nguyen, Bonnie Nguyen; Not pictured: Alan Nguyen, Anthony Do (Courtesy of PHHS)

When the organizers didn’t have enough trophies on hand, they were also gracious enough to suggest that the other tying team have the trophy. Those students are Cameron Coates (12), Brandon Matsumoto (11), and Khang Le (11). 

The teams also participated in workshops where they learned about Japanese arts from community groups.

“Overall, I’m so proud of our awesome students — everything they’ve learned, the way they worked together, and how they conducted themselves when the pressure was on,”reported teacher Mimi Malphurs.

Help needed for PHHS Grad Nite

Parents of Patrick Henry seniors are diligently working to give their students a safe and entertaining place to celebrate their graduation. We are working on securing Belmont Park for Grad Nite on June 14, 2017. Grad Nite is an all-night alcohol- and drug-free celebration off-campus for graduating seniors, planned by parents and friends with help from the community.

The price of the ticket includes admission, entertainment, food, and bus transportation. If you would like to help support our students that need financial support, please contact Carrie Mayers at carriemayers@cox.net.

We appreciate any amount of donation you can give.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Carolina Alduenda, Harold Mumford and Adria Van Loan-Polselli

The Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) robotics team, the Patribots, took home its first regional championship after a three-day long competition at The Del Mar Fairgrounds held March 9–11. This is the fifth year the team competed at the regionals, but its first year making it into finals.

This year’s game, titled STEAMWORKS, challenged robotics teams to work together in alliances to gather gears, collect fuel, and climb four feet high.

The Patribots’ robot stands 3 inches tall and can lift its 120 pounds 4 feet high by deploying an onboard winch.

After two days of qualifying matches, the Patribots were ranked 14th with a 5-3 record. Senior Anthony Jaynes led efforts in the Patribot pit to repair the robot while programming lead Sean McDonald worked to troubleshoot problems and improve the code, overcoming a broken chain and a disabling collision that led to losses in two of their qualifying matches.

The ranking was good enough to the to get them into the elimination finals as the second team selected during the alliance selections. In the finals, and in alliance with 3rd-ranked Team Paradox from Encinitas and 15th-ranked Daedalus from Escondido, the Blue Alliance ran together a string of exciting victories.

The Patribot’s small, quick robot proved itself in the finals by living up to its name, The Gear Gopher. Yet, it was its last second climb in the best-two-of-three finals that sparked a roar that rocked the arena. With less than a second left in the match, the Patribots touch pad light turned blue — final score: Blue 307, Red 305. The Patribots were champions.

The Patrick Henry robotics team, the Patribots, celebrate after winning their first regional championship. (Courtesy of PHHS)

Drive team coach Harrison Lange, drivers Cooper Smith and Caden Rivera, human player Johnny Hays, and pilot Camaron Jaynes celebrated with their allies on the field. Team members in the stands, led by four-year member, president Tyler Bercu, burst into celebration.

As the jubilation subsided, the team took a moment to recall their road to this championship. The previous year’s failures taught valuable lessons. In 2015, the team placed 49th. In 2016, mechanical failures mounted as the tournament pressed on and the team left the San Diego Regional ranked at the bottom.

This year, a team dedicated to learning from its mistakes emerged. Led by design lead Walker Madsen and build lead Jacob Lerner, the team did the math as they designed, prototyped, and modified the robot’s design. The team’s 32 student members and nine adult mentors worked to make this a successful season.

As they built a robot, team vice president Anna Linburg led community outreach. A fanbase of local youth, parents, families, and PHHS staff grew because they were invited into the build space for the team to reveal their progress and share their growth and excitement. At the tournament, the fanbase was present. They were decked in green and shouting, “Go Patribots!”

The Patribots are organized into subsystem groups that work to complete the demanding tasks of the 2017 challenge. Team members work Monday through Friday into the evening and all day Saturday while balancing demanding courses like AP Physics and Calculus as they dedicate hours to design, build, and program the robot.

Members of the Patribots also work with local schools, Dailard Elementary and Pershing Middle School, to share robotics experiences that inspire interest in the application of math and science. This summer, team members will be providing robotics camps in the San Carlos area to inspire future Patribots to engage in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).

Next up, the Patribots will represent PHHS at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Championships held April 19-22 in Houston, Texas. A field of 400 elite teams from over 40 nations will compete to take home the title of FRC champion.

In order to get to the competition, the team will need to raise $25,000 and are currently looking for additional corporate sponsors and donations. Patribots current sponsors include Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, The National Defense Education Program, All Star Glass, Arrow Machine Industries, The PHHS Engineering Program, PHHS Foundation, and Natural Networks, Inc.

—Harold Mumford is Patribots coach, Adria Van Loan-Polselli is a Patrick Henry engineering teacher, and Carolina Alduenda is a proud parent of a Patribots team member.

By Elizabeth Gillingham | News from Patrick Henry High School

Henry team national finalists in cyber competition

A local team of Henry students traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, April 3–6, to compete in the CyberPatriot IX National Finals Competition.

Since 2009, CyberPatriot’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition has challenged teams of two to six students to harden simulated computer systems and resolve real-life cybersecurity situations faced by industry professionals.

(l to r) Quinn Razak, Amy Nguyen, team captain Liam Weinfurtner, Daniel Khuu, Parker Frye and Anne Nguyen. (Courtesy PHHS)

The competition provides students hands-on experience securing computer networks while exciting, educating and motivating them toward careers in cybersecurity and other STEM fields.

Led by Senior Naval Science instructor Ron Flaherty, the PHHS National Finalist team is one of 12 All Service Division teams to advance from a pool of over 2,000. Members include captain Liam Weinfurtner and Daniel Khuu, Quinn Razak, Parker Frye, Amy Nguyen and Anne Nguyen.

The CyberPatriot competition consists of two high school divisions, with public, private and home schools competing in the Open Division and Junior ROTC units, Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Civil Air Patrol squadrons competing in the All Service Division, as well as a Middle School Division.

In all, more than 4,400 teams registered to participate in CyberPatriot IX. Registered teams represented all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and U.S. Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Europe and the Pacific.

Following two preliminary rounds in November and December, CyberPatriot IX teams were categorized within their divisions as Platinum, Gold or Silver Tier teams, with Platinum Tier teams representing the highest scoring teams and the only teams eligible to advance all the way to National Finals. During an additional two elimination rounds, the Henry team demonstrated the teamwork, critical thinking skills, and technical knowledge necessary to distinguish itself from other Platinum Tier teams and win its coveted National Finalist spot.

During the competitions, teams competed to defend virtual networks and mobile devices from a professional aggressor team. The National Finalists also faced off in three additional competition components: the Cisco Networking Challenge, the Leidos Digital Forensics Challenge and the Facebook Cybersecurity Challenge. These extra challenges exposed competitors to new elements and skillsets of the many career opportunities available to them.  

Speech contest winner, Student of the Month

Margaret Polterak (Courtesy PHHS)

After a member of the Sunrise Optimist Club gave a presentation inviting students to participate in an oratory contest, senior Margaret Poltorak entered and worked with PHHS teacher Mr. Mark Frerichs, who generously gave of his time to coach her on her speech.

Several hundred students across the city were invited to participate in the contest and the field was narrowed down to seven contestants. Five students gave speeches to the club on March 14 at Marie Callender’s, during their monthly meeting. Poltorak, was one of three finalists earning a certificate and medallion.

In addition, Poltorak happens to also be Kiwanis Student of the month for March. Out of all of our students of the month, Poltorak received the largest push from the faculty at Henry, demonstrating what an outstanding recipient she is for this award.

Teacher Taunya Robinson wrote the following in her recommendation letter:

“From now until eternity, what we define as an overachieving Patriot will have to be defined by all the things that Margaret Poltorak has done for our school. She’s truly an inspiration to her classmates, staff members, and community here at PHHS.

“Margaret deserves respect from everyone because she embodies the ‘Golden Rule’ of how to treat others. Besides being the backbone to our Peer Mediators program, she’s active in drama — starring as Ursula in this year’s production of ‘The Little Mermaid;’ is a leading member of the Improv team; has joined the Academic League team; plays lacrosse like a boss (also field hockey but I couldn’t make anything rhyme with it); is still actively a part of her Girl Scout troop; and is just an overwhelming bright presence to be around. Did I mention she also finds the time to be a part of this year’s WASC committee and has no problem voicing her opinion or thoughts with all the staff and parents involved?

“She entered my AP Psychology class a few weeks after everyone else because she transferred from Ms. Haff’s class due to other schedule changes. Margaret jumped right in and made herself a part of our community. Within a week, she was partaking in a rap battle to prove why the medulla oblongata was the most important part of the brain. Margaret has also dedicated herself to the course by coming in for extra help when needed, stopping by on a regular basis to discuss the material, and keeping her table mates accountable for reading assignments.

“Margaret will be attending Ohio State University and is bound to continue with her path towards excellence!”

X The TXT

San Diego Allstate agency owner Mark Silverstone and students at Patrick Henry High School raised community awareness of the dangers of distracted driving by hosting an X The TXT event on March 17.

ASB students spent their lunch period encouraging teen peers and school faculty to pledge not to text and drive. Students and adults alike pledged by placing their thumb print on an “X The TXT” banner and received a “TXTNG KLLS” affinity thumb band and “TXTNG KLLS” bracelet to wear that serves as a daily reminder of their commitment to drive without cellphone distractions.

Students learned about the dangers of texting and driving at the X the TXT event. (Courtesy of PHHS)

Those who pledged not to text and drive also learned startling facts about the dangerous and potentially deadly habit:

• Texting makes us 23 times more likely to crash.
• It’s the equivalent of driving after drinking four beers.
• It takes drivers’ eyes off the road on average of five seconds per text. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field without seeing the road.
  Silverstone said that the problems of distracted driving are preventable and the goal of the X The TXT program is to equip teens with the information they need to make good choices while driving or when they are a passenger in any car. They will become the ambassadors to bring safe-driving messages to their classmates and to their parents and community.

A Bridge For Kids Essay winner

Zhenyao Cai, a senior from Patrick Henry High School, won the fifth annual A Bridge for Kids Essay Contest and a $500 third place prize. Cai’s essay bested over 250 entries from students at over 20 high schools throughout San Diego County and was judged to make the top 10 by a panel of 10 local judges.

A Bridge for Kids is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the raising and distribution of funds to underprivileged teens in need, through a child sponsorship program.

(l to r) Michael Nance, Zhenyao Cai and Elizabeth Gillingham (Courtesy of PHHS)

The essay contest was open to any student who wanted to submit an original essay of 750 words or fewer describing their thoughts on the following topic: What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? How did you overcome it and how did that affect your life?

A panel of volunteers judged the essays and the winners were picked based on the creativity, originality, clarity and overall impact of the essay. President and founder of A Bridge for Kids, Michael Nance, awarded Cai with a letter and gave the specifics about the scholarship. Cai’s essay highlighted the process of migrating from China to the United States and how he learned English and excelled over time.

Boy’s Baseball Team wins Lion’s Tournament

Congratulations to PHHS Varsity Baseball Team who were named the Champions of the Division 6A 2017 Lions Invitational Baseball Tournament held at West Hills High School in Santee.

The Patrick Henry Varsity Baseball Team (Courtesy of PHHS)

After playing in a semi-final match beating Steel Canyon, they came up on top in the finals beating Point Loma 5-2 in a very competitive game. Go Patriots!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Karen Ronney

On March 21 and 22, approximately 1,200 Patrick Henry juniors and seniors witnessed the Every 15 Minutes program on campus to create awareness about drinking and driving and the impact of alcohol-related traffic collisions.

The program was co-sponsored by California Highway Patrol and the California Office of Traffic Safety, along with local support.

Students act as “dead” victims of a drunk driving accident during the 15 Minutes program at Patrick Henry High School. (Photo Courtesy of Karen Ronney)

“Every 15 Minutes was created in the 1990s to change the alarming statistic that someone in the United States dies or is seriously injured in an alcohol-related accident every 15 minutes,” said Joseph Amador, captain of the San Diego Fire Department. “Since its inception, drunk-driving awareness has improved that statistic to approximately every 52 minutes.

“A drunk-driving accident is no accident. You have a choice. Make a better one.”

Patrick Henry was one of 150 schools to receive this grant in California. The year-long set up secured support from multiple agencies including police, the fire department, paramedics, hospital, coroner, funeral home, court, lawyers, jail facilities, students, parents and school administrators. About two dozen students were selected to play the roles of teen drivers, passengers, witnesses and the “walking dead,” the latter representing people killed by drunk driving every 15 minutes. The entire event was filmed for next-day viewing.

On March 21, two previously crashed cars were set up in the school’s parking lot. Then the sound of a loud “car collision” was sent through the school’s PA system. Juniors and seniors assembled around the vehicles and watched the drama unfold. Four students “acted” injured or dead from the accident. The “drunk driver” was dazed behind the wheel, and his passenger was injured and unconscious. The other driver was trapped in her seat, and later discovered to be paralyzed. Her passenger was thrown through the windshield and “died” on impact. Ten “walking dead” students stood around the cars each holding gravestones with their names, birth and death dates.

Next, two student witnesses called 911 to trigger a whirlwind of activity. Police and the fire department arrived to assess the scene. A yellow tarp was placed over the “dead” student on top of the hood. The Jaws of Life were used to extract the injured passenger. An ambulance took two students to the hospital. The drunk driver went through field sobriety tests. He failed and was arrested in front of his peers.

Patrick Henry students returned to class while participants experienced real-life consequences. They visited the hospital, morgue, mortuary and the mock trial at the court house, where Superior Court Judge Robert Amador sentenced the driver to 26 years and four months in prison. Afterward, the group went to an overnight retreat in Pine Valley where they wrote letters to their parents: “Dear Mom and Dad, today I died and I never had the chance to tell you…” Parents of participants wrote similar letters to their children.

On March 22, a somber assembly was held in the gym, and a casket was placed next to the podium representing “death from drunk driving.” Results revealed the accident led to two deaths, one paralysis and a long prison sentence. Selected student participants and parents read their letters. Words of wisdom followed from police, a respiratory therapist, a judge and fire captain, as well as from those who have lost loved ones from drunk driving. The video was played capturing every detail from start to finish.

“There are two faces you don’t want to see, me and the police,” said Jeramiah Martinez, a respiratory therapist from Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, who volunteered his services. “This is your opportunity, don’t squander it. Go and do great things.”

—Karen Ronney is a San Diego-based freelance writer, accomplished tennis coach and player and mother of Patrick Henry student Julia Ronney.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

 Student of the Month

Kiwanis student of the month for April was Noah Leach.

Noah is a senior at Henry and is most remembered for his many roles played on the stage at PHHS, both in choir and drama productions.

However, in the classroom he has also made his mark as noted by the many different teachers who nominated him.

PHHS Student of the Month, Noah Leach

Teacher, Ms. Terri Clark, stated in her recommendation letter:

“I would like to send out a plug for Noah Leach. A lot of what he does is for choir and drama; however, I believe he has been an excellent student in all of his other classes as well. Noah always volunteers to go above and beyond. He sees a need and works to fulfill it while encouraging other students to join him in a cause. 

He is a natural leader whom his younger peers are prone to follow. He does whatever he is asked to do and most of the time he does so cheerfully. He is always respectful with adults. He is creative and thinks outside of the box to solve problems or to present other or improved options. He initiates ideas and projects and works to follow through with those plans. He spends much time outside of class thinking through how to improve his class and what he can contribute. 

It is almost as though whatever Noah touches turns to gold. He is enthusiastic and truly cares about succeeding in whatever he chooses to do. He is a committed young man.”

Choir director, Ms. Kristin Love stated:

“He is solid academically, focused and on task, willing to help anyone who needs it. Beyond that, he is so creative and pulls together seriously professional looking outfits. I feel like the world will know his name. His school spirit is strong, he’s involved, he was an awesome Ursula in ‘Little Mermaid.’ I am so curious to see where he will go and what he will do — I think he will do great things!

He is a quiet sort of leader, where his accomplishments (and great spirit day outfits!) seem to stem from a genuine desire to push himself, rather than for the sake of seeking others approval. But it is that sort of trait that can make the best leader — he doesn’t have to look behind him to see whose following — his eyes are facing forward on his next goal!”

Noah is off to San Diego State next year and has been accepted into their theater program. We are very excited to see where his career will take him next!

PHHS Model United Nations Club

The PHHS Model UN Club sent a team to compete in the annual TritonMUN Conference held at UCSD, representing Russia in committees such as the UN Forum for Indigenous Peoples, and the UN Security Council.

(l to r) Kalos Chu, Daniel Khuu, John Fernandez, Phoebe Nguyen, Malcolm Wilson, and Jonny Phan (Courtesy PHHS)

After two days of fervent debate on international issues, competing against over 300 students from schools all over Southern California, the team won Best Delegation out of all of the competing schools. In addition, Jonny Phan and Daniel Khuu won honorable mentions in their respective committees, and Kalos Chu won Best Delegate in his committee, the UN Human Rights Council.

They hope to return next year to repeat their resounding success!

Henry wins $1,000 for recycling efforts

Congratulations! Henry High was the runner-up winner in the High School category of the 2016-17 EDCO Recycling Challenge!

To help reduce waste and increase recycling awareness at our schools, the San Diego Unified School District once again teamed up with EDCO, our waste and recycling service provider, to bring you the 2015-16 EDCO Recycling Challenge. There were cash prizes for the schools that divert the most waste while increasing recycling efforts.

All schools that receive waste and recycling services through the district contract with EDCO were automatically registered to compete in the challenge. A baseline of existing services was set for each school based on a pounds-per-student calculation for waste disposal and recycling. The criteria for awards were based on a combination of school recycling and waste reduction efforts (overall waste diversion rate).

Special thanks to our POS (Plant Operation Specialist), Cathy Murphy who helped us win by ordering several new blue bins around campus to make it easier for students to separate their trash.

Coach Jack Lococo earns 300th win

Congratulations to Coach Jack Lococo who celebrated his 300th game win while coaching Varsity High School Baseball at Patrick Henry High School in less than a dozen years.

Jack Lococo started as a head junior varsity walk-on coach in 1996 for Henry, assisting former head coaches Blivens and Michael Williams with the varsity program as well.

In 2003, principal Pat Crowder hired Lococo to teach in the engineering program, making him a full-time teacher at PHHS. In 2005, Lococo was asked by Williams to take the head coach reins where he began collecting his wins over what would be the next 12 years.

Coack Lococo and the Patrick Henry Varsity Baseball team pose with a banner celebrating the coach’s 300th win. (Courtesy PHHS)

Lococo was also named as the PHHS Athletic Director in 2010, providing direct guidance and support for over 20 different sports, hiring new coaches, supervising games, and putting on countless professional development opportunities and meetings to ensure a safe and competitive program for everyone involved.

Lococo’s favorite coaching memories include: taking his students in 2005 to the CIF Championship game; playing at Petco Park in 2014; and coaching with his two sons, Johnny and Anthony. On April 27, 2017, against Serra High School, the Patriots came out on top marking the coach’s 300th victory as a Patriot.

Principal Gillingham was on hand to present a banner to Coach Lococo that will be hung on our fences to signify this amazing achievement. The students helped him celebrate by dumping an ice cooler of water on his head as tradition dictates in many sporting events and continued with a silly string attack as well.

On May 18, 2017, Lococo celebrated his last senior game with the Patriots and the city recognized him through a proclamation from Mayor Kevin Faulconer declaring May 18 as “Jack Lococo Day” in honor of his tremendous contributions to our program at Henry.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

The Patrick Henry High School Alumni Association is excited to announce its sixth annual Patrick Henry High School Alumni Association Golf Tournament and Reunion BBQ for its 41,000 alumni that will take place on Monday, Nov. 6, on the two 18-hole courses of Admiral Baker Golf Course & Clubhouse.

The event — anticipated to be a sell-out — will include:

• An exceptional golfing experience and complimentary gifts for the first 250 registered participants.
• A wonderful BBQ dinner (anticipating over 400 attendees).
• PHHS band and cheerleader performances.
• A scholarship and awards banquet.
• Entertaining silent and live auctions.
• A raffle.

PHHS hopes that you and/or your organization will consider supporting this year’s tournament through your participation, underwriting sponsorship, or by providing a tee prize, a raffle or a live or silent auction item(s).

Our goal is to raise $60,000 to benefit these programs and facilities:

• Senior Night Scholarship Awards.
• Patriot athletics.
• Patrick Henry arts, media and entertainment programs.
• Engineering & Design Academy.
• Other projects at the school.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. This is a 100 percent volunteer effort. All net proceeds, overseen by the PHHS Alumni Association, Inc. board of directors, will directly benefit programs and facilities at the school.

To date, the Alumni Association has raised over $500,000 through this event and the generous donations made. During this current school year, at the request of the administration, the Alumni Association donated new basketball backboards on all outside courts, replacing the nearly 50-year-old metal boards originally supplied at the school; new headsets to be used during gameday by the football team coaches; and equipment and uniforms to other Henry sports.

The Alumni Association also arranged and financially supported the donation of more than $200,000 worth of nearly new furniture to outfit the 40-plus offices of the school’s Main Office and Counseling building and ordered 38 new Dell PCs and 22-inch monitors to replace the 10-year-old units in the Campus Computer Lab — a facility utilized by the entire faculty and student body.

The new PHAME theater and performing arts classroom complex is now in use and is gorgeous! Thanks to a roughly $35,000 investment from the Alumni Association, the new PHHS Alumni Conference Room is a state-of-the-art facility that will support parent communication and instructional needs in small group settings for years to come. This 12-by-24-foot room has leather seating for 14 people and is outfitted with wireless audio and video conferencing equipment, a PC, a wall-mounted iPad (as an A/V controller), and a 70-inch Sharp Aquos touchscreen LED Smart Board (allows viewing of theater programs, TV, laptop presentations, and writing on the screen via laptops or manually with a special writing pen).

The main wall of the room provides the backdrop for our initial class of 20 PHHS Alumni Hall of Famers with portraits and name badges listing their many achievements. The main thought behind the Hall/Wall of Fame is to serve as inspiration to the current student body as well as share the rich history of the school to the community through some of its honored graduates. A side benefit is that at least two of these honorees have given in excess of $65,000 to the Alumni Association since then. Please visit our website at PatriotAlumni.org or contact Kevin Carlson at kcarlson@missionjanitorial.com for additional information.

To help or get involve, you can:

• Encourage your friends/fellow alumni to register with the Alumni Association.
• Send a check or go online at org/registration.htm to sign-up now for our Nov. 6, 2017 event. A fun time is guaranteed only if you attend.
• Become a sponsor, and share your business/organization with other Patriots at org/sponsors.htm. You will be listed in the Tournament Program and on our website for at least a year.
• Donate a silent or live auction item for our Nov. 6 event. This year, we will be using Gesture bidding software which will enable online bidding to all interested parties whether you’re able to personally attend or not.
• Send a donation to our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It’s tax-deductible (consult your tax advisor for details) and we will make great use of it as we have very low administrative expenses and no paid staff.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Spring sports finish strong

Donald Kay, Patrick Henry’s extraordinary golfer, shot a 68 at Poppy Hills in Monterey to finish tied for second in the CIF State golfing championship. The round was virtually flawless and included six birdies.

Congratulations also go to the track team, who participated in the city league conference finals. The team was well represented at the CIF prelims at Mt. Carmel High School. The team was led by individual league champs: Clara Lane (pole vault); Madison Simmons (shot put and discus); Roxanne Foltz (long jump); and Troy Cristobal (long jump, triple jump, and high jump).

Patrick Henry golfer Donald Kay (Photos courtesy PHHS)

The PHHS Swim CIF finals ended with the following results:

• Jack Macceca, our diver, got second place out of 27 divers and competed at the state finals in Clovis, California.
• Carlson Temple got first in both the 200 individual medley and the breast stroke, and also competed at the state finals in Clovis.
• 200 medley relay — girls: Naomi Blik, Ashley Wenzel, Sarah Harry and Sydney Fortune — fourth.
• 200 individual medley: Carlson Temple — first
• 100 fly: Ashley Wenzel — 15th
• 100 freestyle: Sarah Harry — 12th
• 100 breast stroke: Sydney Fortune — fourth
• 100 breast stroke: Sarah Harry — 12th
• 100 breast stroke: Carlson Temple — first
• 4×100 relay — girls: Naomi Blik, Ashley Wenzel, Sarah Harry and Sydney Fortune — 11th
• diving: Jack Macecca — first

In badminton, Brian Tran, a junior, won the boys’ singles crown for his second title of the day. He also teamed with Mikayla Aguilar to win the mixed doubles championship.

In softball, the Lady Patriots played in the CIF Championship Division 1 as the No. 1 seed and ended up as the runner-up team in the final round played at UC San Diego.

Our boys’ Lacrosse team came out on top 9-7 against El Camino High School in the quarterfinals of CIF. It was a very entertaining and physical match against two competitive programs. PHHS held on to their advantage in the final quarter with very intelligent and unselfish play from the boys. Unfortunately, they lost to the No. 1 seed, Del Norte, during the semifinal match last month.

Our baseball team earned the No. 11 seed in the CIF Division II playoffs.

In boys’ tennis, Joel Foster and Teiva Berger each qualified for the individual CIF tennis tournament. Joel posted a record of 38 wins and 18 losses and Teiva had a record of 38 wins and 20 losses.

(l to r) PHHS Senior Walker Madsen with City College professor Sean Bacon

Students visit City College

PHHS students from Mr. Karl Bolton’s graphic design class participated in a portfolio review process at City College.

The students had a great time as they sat down individually with different design professors from around San Diego and discussed their portfolios, which were created throughout the school year.

The response was positive from both sides of the table.

After the presentations, a professor pulled Mr. Bolton aside and stated, “Your kids were so articulate, well behaved, and courteous; every single one provided a hand shake and mentioned how appreciative they were of our time … they acted completely contrary to what I hear about high school kids these days.”

Student of the month

Tyra Roberts was selected for PHHS Student of Month.

One teacher stated in her recommendation: “She has an astonishingly strong and sincere desire to build community — whether it’s school, sports or home. She supports all the groups and organizations above passionately through cheer, link crew, peer mediation, volunteering for our Special Olympics activities, attending games and events both at Henry and SDSU. Tyra really values finding ways to connect with people, both like-minded and different from her, and has an as much of an open-minded as they come. She believes in the value of working to make these connections. I am continually impressed with her appreciative and optimistic outlook on life, death, education, commitment … the list goes on. She sees it all as opportunity. And she greets it all with a smile and a ton of humility. I’d like to clone her.”

Another teacher stated: “I’d like to recommend Tyra Roberts. She is a strong leader in link crew and on campus. She volunteers to tutor other students in the library almost every day, when her requirement is only three hours per semester. She is kind and welcoming to all students, and consistently has a smile on her face. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more!”

Conservation poster contest

The Kiwanis Club presented certificates from Councilmember Scott Sherman’s office to over 40 students involved in their conservation poster contest.

Senior Sophia Luna and contest chairperson, Dr. Newman

All students also received a goodie bag from the city of San Diego Water Department with pencils, cups, a stress ball and more. SDG&E donated ear buds for everyone, as well. The winners got cash prizes to recognize their special entries, ranging from $20 for honorable mention to an $80 award for first place winner senior Sophia Luna.

Student wins second place on civics essay contest

(l to r) PHHS teacher Taunya Robinson and essay winner, Jordan Furtak

Jordan Furtak placed second writing about Japanese internment in the Southern District of California’s 2017 Civics Essay Contest.

Her essay represented the Southern District of California at the Ninth Circuit Court Civics Contest, where winners will be announced in June for the next level of the competition.

John and Susan Furtak accompanied Jordan, with PHHS teacher, Mrs. Taunya Robinson, joining federal judges and the contest judging committee and staff for a celebratory award luncheon held in Jordan’s honor at the James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse on May 31.

Jordan was honored with a certificate and was asked to read her essay to the audience in attendance.

The court created an exhibit of the winning essays and videos inside the courthouse to showcase all the student’s hard work and effort, and to inspire other students as they visited the courthouse.

Summer trip to Japan

Five PHHS students were chosen to participate in the Tomodachi-MUFG International Exchange Program this summer.

They’ll be learning about the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, living with a Japanese host family, and visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima, to strengthen ties between students in Southern California and Japan.

(l to r) Bonnie Nguyen, Alex Cagle, Brandon Matsumoto, Felix Rosell and Polina Norman

Their trip is fully funded by the Japanese government through a special partnership with the Tomodachi-MUFG international exchange program and this is the third trip PHHS students have been included in. They leave June 24 for two weeks and we are very excited to hear about this amazing opportunity!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Triple E winners

Bea Evenson, a local philanthropist, generously donated funds to Patrick Henry High School to award students who have exhibited the three E’s in community service: Excellence, Ethics and Enterprise.

Awards have been given in the past for many activities including participation and achievements in various community organizations, all manners of volunteer work at hospitals, parks, libraries, charitable events, churches, synagogues, homeless shelters, humane societies, and other contributions to the community.

This year’s Triple E Award winners (Courtesy PHHS)

This has been a very special tradition at Patrick Henry High School for over 35 years and we are proud to give the Triple E award to 23 special students this year. Here is a quick description of each award winner this year:

Elizabeth Arevalo’s quest to find a paying summer job turned into a rewarding adventure volunteering at the library, an animal shelter, and Alvarado Hospital, and she now understands how important it is to always do her best and to give back to the community.

Sophia Bozone volunteered for PHHS’s Aquaponics club, church youth group, making holiday stockings and clothing for the homeless, working for the breast cancer three-day walk, Allied Gardens Springfest and MissionTrails days.

Eric Chaing’s passion since ninth grade has been the environment. He has been a dedicated volunteer with the Environmental Club since he started at Patrick Henry and this year he has taken a leadership role as the club secretary.

Tom Do has also done a lot of volunteer work in the Environmental Club working on the ongoing campus cleanup and recycling activities. Tom is also proficient in making a wilmat — a rug made out of plastic and plastic bags donated to the homeless. He also volunteers for PHHS Engineering Academy’s STEM day, Pumpkin Smash and the Rolando Street Fair.

Joel Foster’s volunteer career started when he was 4 years old, handing out water and cheering on the runners at the America’s Finest City Half Marathon. Thirteen years later he continues to help out with the marathon, and has branched out into other volunteer activities like various tennis clinics, festival play days, PHHS Feeding America Club, camps and Temple Emanu-El’s SanETY Midnight Run. But one of his favorite roles is as a teen coach for the U.S. Tennis Association Learning Program at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The program teaches tennis to the children of our servicemen and women.

Andrew Hua has been a superhero volunteer for Kaiser Hospital in Grantville, putting in 130 hours of time since last summer. This work has given him the skill set he will need as he works towards becoming a psychologist.

Sophia Lewko started volunteering with the YMCA this year and has demonstrated her deep knowledge of gymnastics and coupled this with her ability to connect with her young students. She positively communicates with co-workers, students, and parents on a daily basis.

Shor Masori has been a volunteer photo journalist for the San Diego Jewish World newspaper, covering all kinds of current and local events of interest to the Jewish community. His most rewarding volunteer experience was the time he spent with six teenagers from the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo who were selected to stay with a few families halfway around the world.

Caroline Meyers has volunteered for several varied organizations for many years. She is an altar server at the San Diego Mission de Alcala, getting up early on Sunday morning to help set up and prepare for the Mass. In middle school, she joined the National Charity League keeping company with the elderly at a Senior Center downtown and helping with Bingo. She has also had the opportunity to make and serve dinner to the 80 homeless residents at the PATH center Downtown.

Max Mittleman is a long-time volunteer at Temple Emanu-El in Del Cerro. Max consistently demonstrates an abiding dedication to his community and in his role as the programming vice president has been tireless in his work.

Andy Nguyen started volunteering by signing up for the Environmental Club as a freshman and later was inspired to form the Park Beautification branch (cleaning up the small community parks in the area) of the Environmental Club. He also volunteers for the San Diego Tet Festival in Mira Mesa where he learned the joys of working the city’s cultural events and is the chairman of the Vietnamese American Youth Alliance.

Jason Pham is involved in many activities in his parish. He sings in the choir, is a leader in the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society, and is a parish school teacher assistant. At another church, he was noted for setting high standards and excelling with his duties as a volunteer. His main assignment was to oversee and plan small group curriculum, activities, and tutoring students in the youth program.

Margaret Poltorak has been a volunteer for Foothills United Methodist Church for many years where she’s worked on the Annual Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive, the Christmas Tree Project, the annual rummage sale, and the weekly beach cleanups and coffee cart. She has also contributed as a girl scout and volunteers in many other activities like feeding the homeless and collecting old clothing at the Connection House, food drives, and working many runs and walks to benefit cancer research, and helping build homes for the homeless with the Sierra Service Project.

Sophia Pruden has been a tireless volunteer raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of her aunt — since she was 7 years old. Her fundraising efforts for LLS started as a lemonade and cookie stand in her driveway. In the last 10 years, it has grown to a full-on block party with a raffle, silent auction, food, live music, face painting, a bouncy house, and serves 80 gallons of lemonade and 350 dozen cookies. She has been responsible for raising over $82,000 for LLS with the help of her family and community. Sophia is also president of the Patrick Henry Environmental Club and she created the Student Thrift Store to recycle clothing and build community.

Elise Rappel volunteers at Kaiser Hospital. Every Saturday for the past 10 months she has spent four hours helping patients and guests of Kaiser Hospital, directing and greeting visitors, escorting visitors to patient rooms, and helping the nursing staff. Thanks to her hospital duties, Elise has become a more understanding and patient teenager.

Hannah Ravitch’s volunteer achievements include: Kiwanis sponsored events, Special Olympics, volunteer and fundraising efforts through Patrick Henry Cheer, beach and environmental cleanups including helping the I Love a Clean San Diego organization, feeding and clothing the homeless, and Key Club.

Oliver Shirley’s volunteer service started when he was 6 years old as a Cub Scout and as a Church youth group member. His very first job was putting American flags on the graves at Rosecrans National Cemetery on Memorial Day. Through the years his service has included food drives, renovating an old church, collecting and distributing essentials for the homeless, and participating in the La Mesa Flag Day Parade with his Boy Scout Troop. Oliver’s Eagle Scout service project included researching, organizing and leading 28 scouts and adult volunteers in the construction and installation of 12 bird nest boxes for Mission Trails Park.

Stephanie Smith has been an active volunteer at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church. She volunteers for the San Diego Military Outreach Ministries (MOMS) by providing resources for low income military members and their families and each year she helps by supporting a food and Christmas toy drive. She also volunteers in daycare nurseries, as a junior counselor at The Kroc Center, and at the church’s summer bible school.

Veronica Smith volunteers with the Military Outreach Ministries during their food and toy drives. She has also been noted for baking treats for the firefighters at her local fire station.

Abril and Chanel Sosa-Pineda, PHHS twins, have done their volunteer work together. They love volunteering at their church, San Diego Mission de Alcala. They have sold tickets, been part of the church choir, and finally taking on some leadership roles to provide breaks to the adults during the masses. Their volunteer work for Patrick Henry includes: helping during the August student registration, lending a hand in the finance office, library, and generally helping out wherever else there is a need. They also both helped with the 2017 Special Olympics held at PHHS last spring.

Erica Tolley has volunteered for AJ’s Kids Crane event at Rady Children’s Hospital, collecting toys for the drive. She is also an active volunteer for the PHHS tennis team and babysits in her community.

Mark Vo created a new club at Patrick Henry called Helping Out People Every day (HOPE). Each Saturday, Mark, with the other club members, prepared food to distribute at the Urban Angel’s homeless shelter. Project HOPE collected clothing, dental products and other necessities to help those in need. Mark created camaraderie among the club members and used their collective energy to provide resources for the homeless community.

CCTE Showcase winners

Congratulants to PHHS students who won the Open Team Submission at the San Diego Unified School District’s Annual CCTE (College Career and Technical Education) Showcase event held last May.

The 2017 CCTE Showcase is the culminating event to exhibit an outside of the classroom product attempting to address an outside the classroom problem in collaboration with at least one adult from the business or local community. In addition to being a showcase for student projects, the CCTE Showcase is a contest.

PHHS seniors Ryan Beck and Latrell Crenshaw were big winners with their design of a football helmet. Ryan and Latrell worked all year to a design for a helmet that would reduce the amount of concussions an athlete might face with the current helmets.

(l to r): Ryan Beck, Latrell Crenshaw, teacher Adria Van Loan, and philanthropist Nick Cannon. (Courtesy PHHS)

They started looking at the solutions that were already available on the market. They then interviewed parents, coaches, and medical professionals about concussions, their causes and long term affects. From there they researched various materials and came up with a 3-D model which they then presented to those same mentors, and then they developed a prototype.

Throughout the competition, they also had to develop a business plan and an online portfolio of their work to share with potential mentors, investors and companies. Currently, they are working on getting a patent and want to sell their product for children and Pop Warner football.

They won $500 and bragging rights with a big banner for their classroom. Champions were determined by the points earned for their written Project Design Elements and the Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: Performance Metrics. Student prizes were determined by donations from the Nick Cannon Foundation.

IScholar honors third student with scholarship

IScholar recipient Ibtihal Hussein (Courtesy PHHS)

IScholar was founded and launched in 2014 by Henry graduate Irina Chukhray, who is currently a Ph.D. student in Sociology at Rice University.

After graduating from high school, Chukhray set her mind to one day give back to the school and especially the teachers who motivated and encouraged her to pursue her academic goals. She decided to help PHHS seniors currently mentored by the same teachers that mentored her.

Chukhray designed IScholar with the intention of creating a scholarship that would be useful to its applicants. In her own experience of applying for scholarships, she noticed that the required essay component seemed like an extra writing assignment that did not directly relate to the college application process.

The application requirements for IScholar, however, mirror current college application requirements, resulting in a practice run (i.e. essay draft and required supplemental material) for college applications. Using that format, she structured her prompt and selected a student.

IScholar began as a small scholarship but Chukhray hopes to grow it with community support so that future winners will receive a larger award and possibly more than one grant given each year.

This year’s 2017 award went to Ibtihal Hussein (class of 2017) and was presented by Principal Listy Gillingham during the senior’s graduation rehearsal. The process of a former student using her own money to help a current student was inspirational to all that witnessed this special award ceremony.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham | News from Patrick Henry High School

Varsity baseball coach

Sheldon Watkins has been named the new head baseball coach at Patrick Henry High School. He is excited to be returning to his alma mater where he graduated in 2000.

Coach Sheldon Watkins (Courtesy PHHS)

Coach Watkins graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2005 and began his coaching career at Mira Mesa High School where he served as the associate head coach for five seasons and won three Eastern League Championships. In between his time at Mira Mesa, Coach Watkins was the hitting coach at Indiana University from 2007-2008 in the Big Ten Conference. Coach Watkins heavily recruited the state of California and oversaw an offense that led the Big Ten in hitting.

After moving back to San Diego, Coach Watkins finished his teaching credential and was named the head coach at Castle Park High School in 2011. Following the 2011 season, Coach Watkins was named the head coach at Rancho Buena Vista High School (2012–2015) where he was also a physical education teacher. In Watkins’ first year there, he led the Longhorns to a 27-9 record and the Division I Championship where they lost 1-0 to the eventual state champion, Vista High School.

In his second year, he led the Longhorns to the semi-finals of the Open Division. During his time at Rancho Buena Vista alone, seven players went on to play baseball at Division I colleges, and five at the Division II level. Throughout his 11 years of coaching at the high school level, Coach Watkins has had three players drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft and has sent over 20 players to the collegiate level.

Coach Watkins lives in the community of San Carlos with his wife Chelsey, also a PHHS class of 2000 graduate, and daughter Kennedy. PHHS is thrilled to have him return and selected him over several other highly qualified applicants.

One recommendation from his coaching days in San Diego included this statement: “He is very passionate, organized, a good leader, and an incredible coach.” And another recommendation from the college level included this comment: “I wanted to recommend Sheldon Watkins for your open Head Baseball Coach position. I spent a lot of my life and young career [in], and have a great feel for, the High School baseball landscape in San Diego. Sheldon would do a great job on the field, but more importantly will do a great job holding your young student-athletes to a high standard and expectation of being great people and help your program represent you the way you would want it to.”

… and new varsity volleyball coach

Alyssa Hernandez is PHHS’s women’s volley coach for the 2017-18 school year. Hernandez was born and raised in Gilbert, Arizona, and first became a California resident while attending Point Loma Nazarene University. She started all four seasons with Point Loma as a middle blocker. She graduated with multiple awards including National Champion, All-Tournament player at nationals and All-American, among other honors.

Hernandez has been coaching for a total of 10 years at multiple levels. Before her transition to California, she worked with coaches at Arizona Storm Volleyball Club for four years. Most recently, she was the head coach of the JV team at Point Loma High School. She is an elite coach for Coast Volleyball Club, as well as Point Loma’s local club Sunset Volleyball Club.
Coach Hernandez has an immense passion for the sport of volleyball and a strong competitive drive. She has spent many years working with young women to help teach them to find their own passion for volleyball. Her main goal is to develop the next generation of volleyball players, as both athletes and people.

“Volleyball won’t last forever but the skills of communication, discipline, teamwork, leadership, focus, mental toughness and so many more, will continue with each athlete as they go through life’s journey,” she said.

PHHS is fortunate to have added such great athletes and coaches to add to their already outstanding coaching staff.

PHHS construction

It’s hard not to notice the two-story building beginning to take shape at Patrick Henry High School. This building will be a state-of-the-art green building designed to be energy efficient and create a learning space that will be conducive to outstanding teaching and learning environments.

An artist rendering of the new facelift of the front office. (Courtesy PHHS)

It will house the ROP Child Development lab, the math department, and the world language department, replacing all the old bungalows near the gym for much-needed parking.

Having an International Hallway on the bottom floor will be a wonderful way to convey the importance of culture and architecture that comes with teaching another language. On the second floor, the world of math (also thought of as another language all on its own with symbols and notations unique to communication between mathematicians) will be situated so that teachers can plan together and students can have access to several math teachers if they need help. The classrooms will include i21 technology and in some cases be able to divide rooms into larger lecture halls for special events by removing a retractable wall. This building is due to be completed in March of 2018.

In addition to this project, the engineering classrooms in the 500 building are being remodeled and re-configured for greater planning purposes and proximity for teachers to collaborate. The classrooms will receive new equipment to facilitate engineering projects and another 3-D printer.

The new building on campus will house the math and world language departments and a child development lab. (Courtesy PHHS)

The front office is getting a much-needed face-lift to help the entrance match the construction of the new theater and two-story building. The old statue was removed and will be preserved for pep rallies while a new Patrick Henry image will be displayed both on the entrance and in the planter next to the main office. We are also carving out the main office to provide for a faculty lounge — a place for staff to meet and plan lessons together. This work will be completed by the opening of school.

Phase 3 began last month and will be completed by July of 2018. This phase includes updating our fields of play. The stadium is being completely remodeled to bring us up to ADA codes and update the scoreboard and press box. New restrooms, an elevator, new ADA seating on the top and bottom portions of the field, new snack bar, video scoreboard, and restrooms are all part of this renovation project. The track is also getting new pits for the track team to compete with in the spring.

Enhancing the baseball and softball fields with new dugouts, snack bar, bathrooms, drinking fountains, and video score boards is underway as well. ADA parking will also be included to help families who have limited mobility participate as fans and players.

We’ll also be getting two new sand volleyball courts with the hope of eventually adding that as another sport offering at PHHS in the spring.

And finally, PHHS is in the process of looking for major donors to help name the newly-upgraded fields. If you know someone who is interested in this unique one-time opportunity, please contact Principal Listy Gillingham at lgillingham@sandi.net.

American Legion’s Boys Nation

Patrick Henry High School senior Benjamin Kelly has been selected to participate as a senator in The American Legion’s Boys Nation program, taking place July 21–28 in the Washington, D.C. area.

Boys Nation is an annual program that includes civic training, leadership development and a focus on Americanism. Two representatives from each of the 49 Boys States represent their state at Boys Nation in Washington, where the young leaders receive an education on the structure and function of federal government.

At the event, each deleg ate acts as a senator from his Boys State. The young lawmakers caucus at the beginning of the session, then organize into committees and conduct hearings on bills submitted by program delegates.

Senators learn the proper method of handling bills, according to U.S. Senate rules. Participation in the political process is emphasized throughout the week, including organization of party conventions and nominating and electing a president and vice president.
Kelly, 17, is a Boys State alumnus who was elected Supreme Court justice.

Although he has not yet decided on where to attend college, he is considering a career in law. He has participated in Mock Trial and Academic League at Henry as well being a Link Crew leader for 2017-18 school year.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

Meet new staff at Henry

Patrick Henry High School is pleased to welcome several new faces around campus as we had several staff members retire last year.

In the math department, we have Tomas Cometto coming from Clairemont High School, Chris Coman from Hoover High School, Tim Reinheimer coming from Alba, and Sheldon Watkins coming from out of state — South Carolina.

(l to r) Jim Spradlin, Amy Vanella, Erin Fink, Rachel Samuelsz, Tim Reinheimer, Sheldon Watkins, Christopher Coman, Michael McVeigh and Tomas Cometto (Courtesy PHHS)

All four teachers have a wealth of teaching experience and are already showing great promise in helping our students learn how to solve equations. Watkins will be teaching both math and science as well as coaching our baseball team.

Rachel Samuelsz is our new choir teacher and comes to us from Hoover High School. She is filled with great ideas on how to grow our program and we’re excited to hear our students sing under her leadership.

Tony Velarde and Michael Maley have joined us as our new NJROTC instructors. Maley started at the end of last year and this is Velarde’s first year in a teaching assignment, although he had experience working with young recruits as part of his work in the military. Malay retired last year from the Navy and joins us with great enthusiasm for working with high school students.

Richard Abney is our new engineering teacher and had experience supporting students at Hoover as a volunteer. His extensive career working at Qualcomm as an engineer will serve our students well as they learn from someone who was in the field for over 20 years.

Donald Samuels is a counselor from Mission Bay and he’ll be working with our students on a part-time basis.

We were also fortunate to add Michael McVeigh who will be teaching Spanish and has experience teaching high school from Scripps Ranch High School. He most recently was a resource teacher supporting other world language teachers in the district. Allison Medina is our new ASL (American Sign Language) teacher and is excited to work with high school students teaching first and third year ASL. We are thrilled to have them both join our world language teaching team.

In science, we are adding two new teachers. Erin Fink, a long-time Henry substitute and student teacher extraordinaire from last year and she will be teaching physics. Students loved Ms. Fink and we’re lucky to have been able to keep her at Henry. We also added Steven Maloney who is a chemistry and physics teacher this year. Mr. Maloney has over 20 years of teaching experience and is already making an impression with his students.

We added two new English teachers to Henry. Amy Vanella comes to us from De Portola Middle School in Tierrasanta and has been teaching there for over a decade. Jim Hernandez joined us after working at Mira Mesa last year and also had high reviews from his last assignment. This fine duo will certainly add to our already outstanding cadre of English teachers at Henry.

Patrick Schoettler joined us after working at Millennial Tech Middle School. Mr. Schoettler will be teaching history and heading up our AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program. His enthusiasm and expertise is hard not to notice when working with his students and we’re thrilled to have him as a Patriot.

Sara Guinn is also a new face in the counseling office and she is ready to help anyone make an appointment with a counselor or provide any other support to the students at Henry.

And finally, our IT department is headed up by Mr. Jim Spradlin, joining us from the district’s IT department and we’re excited to have his new energy around campus to help with our growing technology needs.

It certainly was a busy summer for us and we are very anxious to see how our new additions contribute to our outstanding program at PHHS!

PHHS welcomes over 2,400 students

PHHS opened its doors on Aug. 28 to over 2,400 students. Students settled into their new schedules quickly and the first week started off in a positive format even with excessive heat indexes that were reported around the city.

The students ended the week with a Welcome Back Rally where the students cheered their teachers who competed in events and were introduced by department with a theme song to get the year started in a fun way. Link Crew team members led the rally and introduced a theme of “Odd Rooms against the Even Rooms” to create unity and friendly competitions among the students.

Fall sports begins

Darla Chistensen aced a par 3 in her match against Helix. (Courtesy PHHS)

Girl’s golf has started off with a special event. Senior Darla Christensen aced the menacing, uphill par 3 nine-hole at Mission Trails on Wednesday in her match against Helix High.

Getting a hole in one is never easy but to have it occur during a match makes it extra special for Darla and our team. Go Patriots!

Our cross-country team is also proud to welcome a new freshman joining our school from De Portola Middle School.

Cormac Evans has been seen running around the neighborhood pushed by his mom Cindy in various half marathons around town.

Through this interest, she asked cross-country coach, Andrew Myette, if there could be space on the cross-country team at PHHS for him to participate in.

Cormac Evans is the latest addition to the Henry cross country team. (Courtesy PHHS)

Coach Myette responded positively from the beginning and as a direct result, Evans is officially on the team and competing when possible in a few meets that are wheelchair accessible.

He has been attending practices regularly and is happy to receive the cheers and high fives as he participates with his mom and gets the opportunity to compete in races at the high school level!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Carolina Alduenda, Harold Mumford and Adria Van Loan-Polselli

The Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) robotics team, the Patribots, took home its first regional championship after a three-day long competition at The Del Mar Fairgrounds held March 9–11. This is the fifth year the team competed at the regionals, but its first year making it into finals.

This year’s game, titled STEAMWORKS, challenged robotics teams to work together in alliances to gather gears, collect fuel, and climb four feet high.

The Patribots’ robot stands 3 inches tall and can lift its 120 pounds 4 feet high by deploying an onboard winch.

After two days of qualifying matches, the Patribots were ranked 14th with a 5-3 record. Senior Anthony Jaynes led efforts in the Patribot pit to repair the robot while programming lead Sean McDonald worked to troubleshoot problems and improve the code, overcoming a broken chain and a disabling collision that led to losses in two of their qualifying matches.

The ranking was good enough to the to get them into the elimination finals as the second team selected during the alliance selections. In the finals, and in alliance with 3rd-ranked Team Paradox from Encinitas and 15th-ranked Daedalus from Escondido, the Blue Alliance ran together a string of exciting victories.

The Patribot’s small, quick robot proved itself in the finals by living up to its name, The Gear Gopher. Yet, it was its last second climb in the best-two-of-three finals that sparked a roar that rocked the arena. With less than a second left in the match, the Patribots touch pad light turned blue — final score: Blue 307, Red 305. The Patribots were champions.

The Patrick Henry robotics team, the Patribots, celebrate after winning their first regional championship. (Courtesy of PHHS)

Drive team coach Harrison Lange, drivers Cooper Smith and Caden Rivera, human player Johnny Hays, and pilot Camaron Jaynes celebrated with their allies on the field. Team members in the stands, led by four-year member, president Tyler Bercu, burst into celebration.

As the jubilation subsided, the team took a moment to recall their road to this championship. The previous year’s failures taught valuable lessons. In 2015, the team placed 49th. In 2016, mechanical failures mounted as the tournament pressed on and the team left the San Diego Regional ranked at the bottom.

This year, a team dedicated to learning from its mistakes emerged. Led by design lead Walker Madsen and build lead Jacob Lerner, the team did the math as they designed, prototyped, and modified the robot’s design. The team’s 32 student members and nine adult mentors worked to make this a successful season.

As they built a robot, team vice president Anna Linburg led community outreach. A fanbase of local youth, parents, families, and PHHS staff grew because they were invited into the build space for the team to reveal their progress and share their growth and excitement. At the tournament, the fanbase was present. They were decked in green and shouting, “Go Patribots!”

The Patribots are organized into subsystem groups that work to complete the demanding tasks of the 2017 challenge. Team members work Monday through Friday into the evening and all day Saturday while balancing demanding courses like AP Physics and Calculus as they dedicate hours to design, build, and program the robot.

Members of the Patribots also work with local schools, Dailard Elementary and Pershing Middle School, to share robotics experiences that inspire interest in the application of math and science. This summer, team members will be providing robotics camps in the San Carlos area to inspire future Patribots to engage in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).

Next up, the Patribots will represent PHHS at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Championships held April 19-22 in Houston, Texas. A field of 400 elite teams from over 40 nations will compete to take home the title of FRC champion.

In order to get to the competition, the team will need to raise $25,000 and are currently looking for additional corporate sponsors and donations. Patribots current sponsors include Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, The National Defense Education Program, All Star Glass, Arrow Machine Industries, The PHHS Engineering Program, PHHS Foundation, and Natural Networks, Inc.

—Harold Mumford is Patribots coach, Adria Van Loan-Polselli is a Patrick Henry engineering teacher, and Carolina Alduenda is a proud parent of a Patribots team member.

By Elizabeth Gillingham | News from Patrick Henry High School

Henry team national finalists in cyber competition

A local team of Henry students traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, April 3–6, to compete in the CyberPatriot IX National Finals Competition.

Since 2009, CyberPatriot’s National Youth Cyber Defense Competition has challenged teams of two to six students to harden simulated computer systems and resolve real-life cybersecurity situations faced by industry professionals.

(l to r) Quinn Razak, Amy Nguyen, team captain Liam Weinfurtner, Daniel Khuu, Parker Frye and Anne Nguyen. (Courtesy PHHS)

The competition provides students hands-on experience securing computer networks while exciting, educating and motivating them toward careers in cybersecurity and other STEM fields.

Led by Senior Naval Science instructor Ron Flaherty, the PHHS National Finalist team is one of 12 All Service Division teams to advance from a pool of over 2,000. Members include captain Liam Weinfurtner and Daniel Khuu, Quinn Razak, Parker Frye, Amy Nguyen and Anne Nguyen.

The CyberPatriot competition consists of two high school divisions, with public, private and home schools competing in the Open Division and Junior ROTC units, Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Civil Air Patrol squadrons competing in the All Service Division, as well as a Middle School Division.

In all, more than 4,400 teams registered to participate in CyberPatriot IX. Registered teams represented all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and U.S. Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Europe and the Pacific.

Following two preliminary rounds in November and December, CyberPatriot IX teams were categorized within their divisions as Platinum, Gold or Silver Tier teams, with Platinum Tier teams representing the highest scoring teams and the only teams eligible to advance all the way to National Finals. During an additional two elimination rounds, the Henry team demonstrated the teamwork, critical thinking skills, and technical knowledge necessary to distinguish itself from other Platinum Tier teams and win its coveted National Finalist spot.

During the competitions, teams competed to defend virtual networks and mobile devices from a professional aggressor team. The National Finalists also faced off in three additional competition components: the Cisco Networking Challenge, the Leidos Digital Forensics Challenge and the Facebook Cybersecurity Challenge. These extra challenges exposed competitors to new elements and skillsets of the many career opportunities available to them.  

Speech contest winner, Student of the Month

Margaret Polterak (Courtesy PHHS)

After a member of the Sunrise Optimist Club gave a presentation inviting students to participate in an oratory contest, senior Margaret Poltorak entered and worked with PHHS teacher Mr. Mark Frerichs, who generously gave of his time to coach her on her speech.

Several hundred students across the city were invited to participate in the contest and the field was narrowed down to seven contestants. Five students gave speeches to the club on March 14 at Marie Callender’s, during their monthly meeting. Poltorak, was one of three finalists earning a certificate and medallion.

In addition, Poltorak happens to also be Kiwanis Student of the month for March. Out of all of our students of the month, Poltorak received the largest push from the faculty at Henry, demonstrating what an outstanding recipient she is for this award.

Teacher Taunya Robinson wrote the following in her recommendation letter:

“From now until eternity, what we define as an overachieving Patriot will have to be defined by all the things that Margaret Poltorak has done for our school. She’s truly an inspiration to her classmates, staff members, and community here at PHHS.

“Margaret deserves respect from everyone because she embodies the ‘Golden Rule’ of how to treat others. Besides being the backbone to our Peer Mediators program, she’s active in drama — starring as Ursula in this year’s production of ‘The Little Mermaid;’ is a leading member of the Improv team; has joined the Academic League team; plays lacrosse like a boss (also field hockey but I couldn’t make anything rhyme with it); is still actively a part of her Girl Scout troop; and is just an overwhelming bright presence to be around. Did I mention she also finds the time to be a part of this year’s WASC committee and has no problem voicing her opinion or thoughts with all the staff and parents involved?

“She entered my AP Psychology class a few weeks after everyone else because she transferred from Ms. Haff’s class due to other schedule changes. Margaret jumped right in and made herself a part of our community. Within a week, she was partaking in a rap battle to prove why the medulla oblongata was the most important part of the brain. Margaret has also dedicated herself to the course by coming in for extra help when needed, stopping by on a regular basis to discuss the material, and keeping her table mates accountable for reading assignments.

“Margaret will be attending Ohio State University and is bound to continue with her path towards excellence!”

X The TXT

San Diego Allstate agency owner Mark Silverstone and students at Patrick Henry High School raised community awareness of the dangers of distracted driving by hosting an X The TXT event on March 17.

ASB students spent their lunch period encouraging teen peers and school faculty to pledge not to text and drive. Students and adults alike pledged by placing their thumb print on an “X The TXT” banner and received a “TXTNG KLLS” affinity thumb band and “TXTNG KLLS” bracelet to wear that serves as a daily reminder of their commitment to drive without cellphone distractions.

Students learned about the dangers of texting and driving at the X the TXT event. (Courtesy of PHHS)

Those who pledged not to text and drive also learned startling facts about the dangerous and potentially deadly habit:

• Texting makes us 23 times more likely to crash.
• It’s the equivalent of driving after drinking four beers.
• It takes drivers’ eyes off the road on average of five seconds per text. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field without seeing the road.
  Silverstone said that the problems of distracted driving are preventable and the goal of the X The TXT program is to equip teens with the information they need to make good choices while driving or when they are a passenger in any car. They will become the ambassadors to bring safe-driving messages to their classmates and to their parents and community.

A Bridge For Kids Essay winner

Zhenyao Cai, a senior from Patrick Henry High School, won the fifth annual A Bridge for Kids Essay Contest and a $500 third place prize. Cai’s essay bested over 250 entries from students at over 20 high schools throughout San Diego County and was judged to make the top 10 by a panel of 10 local judges.

A Bridge for Kids is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the raising and distribution of funds to underprivileged teens in need, through a child sponsorship program.

(l to r) Michael Nance, Zhenyao Cai and Elizabeth Gillingham (Courtesy of PHHS)

The essay contest was open to any student who wanted to submit an original essay of 750 words or fewer describing their thoughts on the following topic: What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? How did you overcome it and how did that affect your life?

A panel of volunteers judged the essays and the winners were picked based on the creativity, originality, clarity and overall impact of the essay. President and founder of A Bridge for Kids, Michael Nance, awarded Cai with a letter and gave the specifics about the scholarship. Cai’s essay highlighted the process of migrating from China to the United States and how he learned English and excelled over time.

Boy’s Baseball Team wins Lion’s Tournament

Congratulations to PHHS Varsity Baseball Team who were named the Champions of the Division 6A 2017 Lions Invitational Baseball Tournament held at West Hills High School in Santee.

The Patrick Henry Varsity Baseball Team (Courtesy of PHHS)

After playing in a semi-final match beating Steel Canyon, they came up on top in the finals beating Point Loma 5-2 in a very competitive game. Go Patriots!

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.

By Karen Ronney

On March 21 and 22, approximately 1,200 Patrick Henry juniors and seniors witnessed the Every 15 Minutes program on campus to create awareness about drinking and driving and the impact of alcohol-related traffic collisions.

The program was co-sponsored by California Highway Patrol and the California Office of Traffic Safety, along with local support.

Students act as “dead” victims of a drunk driving accident during the 15 Minutes program at Patrick Henry High School. (Photo Courtesy of Karen Ronney)

“Every 15 Minutes was created in the 1990s to change the alarming statistic that someone in the United States dies or is seriously injured in an alcohol-related accident every 15 minutes,” said Joseph Amador, captain of the San Diego Fire Department. “Since its inception, drunk-driving awareness has improved that statistic to approximately every 52 minutes.

“A drunk-driving accident is no accident. You have a choice. Make a better one.”

Patrick Henry was one of 150 schools to receive this grant in California. The year-long set up secured support from multiple agencies including police, the fire department, paramedics, hospital, coroner, funeral home, court, lawyers, jail facilities, students, parents and school administrators. About two dozen students were selected to play the roles of teen drivers, passengers, witnesses and the “walking dead,” the latter representing people killed by drunk driving every 15 minutes. The entire event was filmed for next-day viewing.

On March 21, two previously crashed cars were set up in the school’s parking lot. Then the sound of a loud “car collision” was sent through the school’s PA system. Juniors and seniors assembled around the vehicles and watched the drama unfold. Four students “acted” injured or dead from the accident. The “drunk driver” was dazed behind the wheel, and his passenger was injured and unconscious. The other driver was trapped in her seat, and later discovered to be paralyzed. Her passenger was thrown through the windshield and “died” on impact. Ten “walking dead” students stood around the cars each holding gravestones with their names, birth and death dates.

Next, two student witnesses called 911 to trigger a whirlwind of activity. Police and the fire department arrived to assess the scene. A yellow tarp was placed over the “dead” student on top of the hood. The Jaws of Life were used to extract the injured passenger. An ambulance took two students to the hospital. The drunk driver went through field sobriety tests. He failed and was arrested in front of his peers.

Patrick Henry students returned to class while participants experienced real-life consequences. They visited the hospital, morgue, mortuary and the mock trial at the court house, where Superior Court Judge Robert Amador sentenced the driver to 26 years and four months in prison. Afterward, the group went to an overnight retreat in Pine Valley where they wrote letters to their parents: “Dear Mom and Dad, today I died and I never had the chance to tell you…” Parents of participants wrote similar letters to their children.

On March 22, a somber assembly was held in the gym, and a casket was placed next to the podium representing “death from drunk driving.” Results revealed the accident led to two deaths, one paralysis and a long prison sentence. Selected student participants and parents read their letters. Words of wisdom followed from police, a respiratory therapist, a judge and fire captain, as well as from those who have lost loved ones from drunk driving. The video was played capturing every detail from start to finish.

“There are two faces you don’t want to see, me and the police,” said Jeramiah Martinez, a respiratory therapist from Sharp Chula Vista Hospital, who volunteered his services. “This is your opportunity, don’t squander it. Go and do great things.”

—Karen Ronney is a San Diego-based freelance writer, accomplished tennis coach and player and mother of Patrick Henry student Julia Ronney.

By Elizabeth Gillingham

The Patrick Henry High School Alumni Association is excited to announce its sixth annual Patrick Henry High School Alumni Association Golf Tournament and Reunion BBQ for its 41,000 alumni that will take place on Monday, Nov. 6, on the two 18-hole courses of Admiral Baker Golf Course & Clubhouse.

The event — anticipated to be a sell-out — will include:

• An exceptional golfing experience and complimentary gifts for the first 250 registered participants.
• A wonderful BBQ dinner (anticipating over 400 attendees).
• PHHS band and cheerleader performances.
• A scholarship and awards banquet.
• Entertaining silent and live auctions.
• A raffle.

PHHS hopes that you and/or your organization will consider supporting this year’s tournament through your participation, underwriting sponsorship, or by providing a tee prize, a raffle or a live or silent auction item(s).

Our goal is to raise $60,000 to benefit these programs and facilities:

• Senior Night Scholarship Awards.
• Patriot athletics.
• Patrick Henry arts, media and entertainment programs.
• Engineering & Design Academy.
• Other projects at the school.

All donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. This is a 100 percent volunteer effort. All net proceeds, overseen by the PHHS Alumni Association, Inc. board of directors, will directly benefit programs and facilities at the school.

To date, the Alumni Association has raised over $500,000 through this event and the generous donations made. During this current school year, at the request of the administration, the Alumni Association donated new basketball backboards on all outside courts, replacing the nearly 50-year-old metal boards originally supplied at the school; new headsets to be used during gameday by the football team coaches; and equipment and uniforms to other Henry sports.

The Alumni Association also arranged and financially supported the donation of more than $200,000 worth of nearly new furniture to outfit the 40-plus offices of the school’s Main Office and Counseling building and ordered 38 new Dell PCs and 22-inch monitors to replace the 10-year-old units in the Campus Computer Lab — a facility utilized by the entire faculty and student body.

The new PHAME theater and performing arts classroom complex is now in use and is gorgeous! Thanks to a roughly $35,000 investment from the Alumni Association, the new PHHS Alumni Conference Room is a state-of-the-art facility that will support parent communication and instructional needs in small group settings for years to come. This 12-by-24-foot room has leather seating for 14 people and is outfitted with wireless audio and video conferencing equipment, a PC, a wall-mounted iPad (as an A/V controller), and a 70-inch Sharp Aquos touchscreen LED Smart Board (allows viewing of theater programs, TV, laptop presentations, and writing on the screen via laptops or manually with a special writing pen).

The main wall of the room provides the backdrop for our initial class of 20 PHHS Alumni Hall of Famers with portraits and name badges listing their many achievements. The main thought behind the Hall/Wall of Fame is to serve as inspiration to the current student body as well as share the rich history of the school to the community through some of its honored graduates. A side benefit is that at least two of these honorees have given in excess of $65,000 to the Alumni Association since then. Please visit our website at PatriotAlumni.org or contact Kevin Carlson at kcarlson@missionjanitorial.com for additional information.

To help or get involve, you can:

• Encourage your friends/fellow alumni to register with the Alumni Association.
• Send a check or go online at org/registration.htm to sign-up now for our Nov. 6, 2017 event. A fun time is guaranteed only if you attend.
• Become a sponsor, and share your business/organization with other Patriots at org/sponsors.htm. You will be listed in the Tournament Program and on our website for at least a year.
• Donate a silent or live auction item for our Nov. 6 event. This year, we will be using Gesture bidding software which will enable online bidding to all interested parties whether you’re able to personally attend or not.
• Send a donation to our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It’s tax-deductible (consult your tax advisor for details) and we will make great use of it as we have very low administrative expenses and no paid staff.

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.