My name is Caleb Harris,
I’m sixteen years old, and I attend
Ponitz Career Technology Center. I
have two brothers who both attend
Ponitz CTC with me, and we all love
basketball. Wesley is 17 years old,
which means he is the oldest out of
the three of us, but he is still just as
goofy as the rest of us. Wesley is
the star senior player on varsity, he
is the starting point guard and he’s
averaging close to 16 points and 7
assists per game. My other brother,
T’aundre A.K.A. Ted is just turning
17, he is most definitely the funniest
out of the three of us, but it can get a
little annoying. I still love him though.
Ted is a junior, like me, and he plays
the small forward and power forward.
He is probably the strongest kid in
the city when he steps on the court.
Off the court he is just like his nickname implies, a teddy bear! For me
I am the youngest out of the three of
BALLIN BROS
Te’Andre, Wes, and Caleb
lead the varsity basketball team from one family
us, and I always get the little broth-
move that happened to my brother
er treatment. Which means random
Wesley and I is that we were invited
punching comes at anytime! I play
down to a nationally- ranked high
shooting guard and point guard and
school in basketball last year. We
can shoot pretty well, if I do say so
basically went to college a few years
myself. For me basketball unites my
early. We shared a house with about
entire family, my mom is our coach
7 other out-of-state players who also
and a huge fan of basketball and my
played on the team. It was proba-
father is a doctor, and more impor-
bly the most eye-opening experience
tantly he is our strength and athletic
that I’ve ever had. We traveled all
trainer. In my household there is a
around the country; we even got
friendly inner family rivalry running
to go to Hawaii to play in a tourna-
between the Miami Heat fans and
ment. Without my brothers, I probably
the rest of the NBA. My mom and I
wouldn’t be where I’m at today, and
absolutely despise the Miami Heat,
we will always be ballin’ bros.
while the rest of the family praise the
Heat. It’s always a fun and laid-back
atmosphere in our house when there
is basketball around. The biggest
- Caleb Harris, Junior in Digital
Design
Vo l u m e I
Issue 2
December 19
2013
I Think I Can . . .
P O N I T Z N AT I O N A L H O N O R S O C I E T Y S T U D E N T S
COLLECT CANNED GOODS FOR THE FOOD BANK
The National Honor Society held a can food drive for the
Miami Valley Food Bank at Ponitz Career Technology
Center. The National Honor Society is based on four
main ideals: scholarship, leadership, service and character. The can food drive was our community service
project for this school year, with the purpose of helping those that are less fortunate then ourselves. Our
goal this year was to collect and fill three barrels; we
surpassed that on our second day. Finishing with a
grand total of 5 barrels and ten or more extra boxes
full of canned goods. Several members and a couple
of nonmembers really stepped up and went out of their
way to help others. Those students include J’ai Cruse,
Stephanie Winn, Dawn Reynolds, Donovan Knight,
and Kia Davidson. On behalf of the National Honor
Society and the Miami Valley Food Bank, thank you to
the students of Ponitz Career Technology Center.
Brianna Warfield, Nai’Bria Smith, Chantel Lewis,
- Wesly Rodenberg, NHS Advisor
Principal’s Corner
Our staff
A M E S S A G E T O PA R E N T S F R O M
P R I N C I PA L , R AY C A R U T H E R S
scholar through a rigorous college preparatory inquiry and
Let me begin by stating how happy my adminis-
ensure that our school has structure, clear expectations and
trative team and I are to be in one of the nation’s
best Career Technical Centers! We strive to
“Build High Expectations, Best Practices and
Measured Success,” our theme for the school
year. Our expectation of “Excellence” involves all
stakeholders jumping on board and doing what is
best for each Ponitz scholar.
Your expectations
As a parent, you have chosen to send your son
or daughter to Ponitz, with the expectation that he
or she
would thrive in an academic setting that
is free of distractions, experience instruction that addresses and appeals to his or her
unique learning style, as
well as be provided a safe,
structured, supportive and
motivating environment in a
career path of his or her
choice.
The entire staff is committed to meeting the needs of each
project-based curriculum. To that end, we are working daily to
motivating opportunities for each scholar to produce his or her
best work. There is so much I can and will tell you in the coming
newsletters, but first let me brag on our students.
Honor Roll
I am pleased to acknowledge and recognize students for their
academic achievement for the first quarter. We have 4 categories of honor roll at Ponitz
1) Superintendent’s List All A’s (Recognized on page 3)
2) Principal’s List 4.0
3) High Honor 3.5-3.99
4) Honor Roll 3.0-3.499
- Raymond Caruthers, Principal
SCIENCE FAIR FEB 1
GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS
Items Allowed at Project with the Restrictions
Indicated (District, Regional and State fairs)
Posters should display:
At each grade level there are things that
you need to be looking at for your future.
10th Graders . . .
1. An abstract, data tables, diagrams, charts,
photographs and graphs that summarize
results. -Check your academic progress with your
2. Research notebooks, research reports,
research plans and documentation of
research protocols are expected and may be
in notebooks or folders on the table for
use by science day officials and judges.
-Develop a financial plan for college by
3. Information such as postal, web and
e-mail addresses, telephone and fax
numbers is allowed only for the exhibitor.
guidance counselor. Are you taking the
right classes to prepare you for your
future? (College , military, or work force).
speaking with your parents and guidance
counselor for options.
-Learn how to calculate your GPA and take
ownership in doing so.
-Participate in ACT/SAT Prep Classes and
take PSAT.
-Find a mentor who understands your
goals, desires, dream and aspirations.
This individual has wisdom and will be
4. The only photographs or visual depictions
of identifiable or recognizable people
allowed are photographs of the exhibitor,
photographs taken by the exhibitor (with
permission of individuals received), or
photographs for which credit is displayed
(such as from magazines, newspapers,
journals, etc.).
able to help guide you in the right direc-
5. Battery-powered computers may be used
only for simulation, modeling, animation
or data display integral and essential to
the project results and not for general
PowerPoint™ presentations.
-Make sure you know the requirements for
tion.
-Conduct meaningful career research by
interviewing people with jobs that may
interest you.
-Start researching colleges that match
your interest (location, major, tuition,
etc…).
-Start attending college fairs.
graduation (credits, OGT test).
11th Graders
-Maintain contact with your guidance
counselor.
-Start to inquire about the financial aid
process for college.
-If interested in Military start touching base
with recruiters to find out options that best
suit your needs.
-Consider job shadowing or volunteering
in career fields that interest you
-Take ACT/SAT
-Narrow your college choice based on your
career interests, financial situation, and/or
personal preference. Talk to your counselor, mentor, and family about options.
- Zulaikha Wright
10th-11th grade Guidance Counselor
Voice Club Principles
an after school mentoring program held in room 2407 under the direction
of Tim Crouse as an extension of the Health Department at Ponitz CTC
1.
2.
To provide all students an open forum in which to communicate
negative peer pressure and to be part of the solution rather than
To provide all students opportunities to share their cultures and to
part of the problem.
8.
To provide an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration in the
form of student mentoring.
4.
To ensure that all students truly understand the negative consequences of drugs alcohol, tobacco and sexual promiscuity.
9.
To promote the importance of positive self- images and positive
self -talk in reaching ones potential.
5.
To take a stand against all forms of harassment, bullying, and
without fear of ridicule or rejection.
celebrate their differences.
3.
7.
To assure that all students are setting meaningful goals for themselves and striving to achieve those goals.
10. To ensure that all students believe they can make a difference in
To promote positive peer interactions by promoting a
their school and their community.
“Rise Above The Influence” theme .
6.
To provide opportunities for meaningful community service projects.
•Da’Marcus
Ivory,
Culinary
•Ponitz
Culinary
Arts
Arts Junior, scored the highest
Competition Team was selected.
score among his peers on the
Congratulations!!
WritePlacer. He may enroll in
Sheldon Goff-Team Captain
Honors English as a result.
Shannon Campbell-Co-Captain
•Breanna Flanigan is starting a
Talijah Humphrey
Jean Drive in the school to pro-
Alexis Rogers
vide clothing assistance to home-
Miguel Andrade
less teenagers in the Community.
•Ponitz Advisory Board met in
•During the Month of October
November. We welcomed Mr.
Culinary Arts Students volun-
LeRoy Hyman, local restaurant
teered time after school to feed
owner and Jeremy Fenton, Chef
students who remained each day
and Culinary Arts Instructor from
for OGT tutoring.
Sinclair. We welcome new mem-
•Alexis Rogers, a Junior in
bers who have an interest in vol-
Culinary Arts has volunteered
unteering time and energy to the
100% of her time to every after
program while mentoring young
school event hosted by Culinary
Culinary Arts students.
Arts this school year!
PREPARING PROFESSIONALS
by Preparing Food
Culinary Arts Students have a Recipe for Success
PANTHER PAWS
H I G H
A C H I E V E R S
in Graphic Arts and Design
De’Aerah
Maurice
Gerald
Clemons
Simon
Walter
Designed
Designed
works on
the t-shirt
the Ponitz
Mondays
for the
Honor Roll
and
Trebuchet
T-shirt
Wednesdays
Contest. Mr.
design.
for the
Walters, Mr. He and other
Graphic
Andrews,
classmates
Art and
and the
also were
Design Work
Engineering responsible
Extended
and
for the print
Program.
Construction production of
students
the shirts.
loved the
design.
Chantel
Jasmine
Mitchell
Tribble
along with
Won the
Jasmine
2013 DPS
Tribble and
Science
De’aerah
Fair Logo
Clemons,
Contest. She
printed over was award260 Ponitz
ed $100.00
Honor Roll
gift card.
certificates.
Ponitz Store
The following students help Mrs. Robinson run and operate the Ponitz
Store on Tuesday and Thursday.
• De’areah Clemons, Brianna Browning, Larinda Cannon, Alexus White
and Troy Cantrell
These students are learning, developing, and displaying great customer service skills, money management, and inventory operations.
Running the store is a rewarding learning experience for us all.
Graphic Art and Design Work Extended Program
I have four students working in the Graphics extended work program.
De’aerah Clemons, Devantae Geter, Maurice Simon, and Gerald
Walters work on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
They create and produce all types of work for the DPS school district
and outside local businesses. Examples: logos, business cards, t-shirt
designs and printing, bookmarks, notepads, posters, flyers, tickets,
etc. The students are learning/developing real life work experience.
-Mrs. Robinson, Graphics Instructor
HELPING THE NEEDY WITH
G I F T S O F T I M E A N D TA L E N T
Charlise
Davenport
and
Langston
Mallary are students who have been
working hard (much of it outside of
school hours) to make items to sell
for a fundraiser in the building. They
are part of a group of students across
the state who are involved in the Ohio
Occupational
Outcomes
Therapy
Transition
(OTTO) study through
the Department of Education.
This
is a research study to see how
Occupational Therapy services help
students get ready
for life after high
school
gradua-
tion, going to work
or college, living
on their own, and
becoming
inde-
pendent in life
skills.
Under
guidance
Kathy
from
Gooch,
Occupational
T h e r a p y
A s s i s t a n t
a s s i g n e d
to
Ponitz,
goals for this activity include:
job performance skills,
money management, and socialization
(both students are new to the building).
Proceeds from the fund raiser
will be put aside to help those students
in our building who might need help
with uniform or bus pass expenses. The
students created their own “club”, which
is called “Panther Paws” (think of helping
hands) in order to do this.
J u d y F e h r,
Kathy Gooch, and Amy Richardson will
oversee this fund.
We are also proud to
have another Ponitz staff member involved.
M r. E d w a r d S i m m o n s i s w o r k i n g d i l i g e n t l y
crocheting scarfs and other items for us.
Please feel free to contact Kathy Gooch,
C O TA / L ( m k g o o c h @ d p s . k 1 2 . o h . u s )
For more information.
Superintendent’s List
s t r a i g h t A’ s
IN THE LAB with BIOTECH
biotechnology students turn up the bunsen burner on their careers
9th Grade
Halee Collins
Tyurkan Gaydarova
Anouar Billel Hamadi
Evan Haynes:
Synthesizing
and analyzing
Heather Lewis
the purity of Acetylsalicylic
Brandy Lynch
Acid (Aspirin)
Philip Negron
Alejandro Perez
Christian Trent
Rickia White
Aleaha Branham:
Crystals produced and captured at 30x Microscopy.
Aleaha was able to synthesize aspirin samples of higher purity compared to Bayer
aspirin.
10th Grade
Alana Demmons
Heaven Gray-Jones
Darryl Jones
Alexis Knight
Amarah Lawrence
Destiny Peyton
Maraja James
Kudos to Biotech, Digital
Adam Robinson
Design, and Radio/TV for put-
Kendall Smith
ting together the Fall Blood
Drive. A total of 89 students
11th Grade
donated
Johnathan Anderson
blood
this
year.
Awesome Job!
Miguel Andrade
Justin Barbour
Andrew
Rhinevault
and
Anna Crosthwaite
Ashley Teaque:
Angel Gibson
This team studies the effects
Nihad-Raafat Hamadi
of Chemtrail fallout in rain
Enchantment Harley-Macon
samples and the ability of dif-
Fatima Holloman
ferent plants to absorb and
Francis Long
degrade Barium levels.
12th Grade
Students within the Biotech pathway have been working with inquiry, project, and service-based
learning skills this year. Biotech students learn laboratory and field skills within Bioscience sectors
such as Forensics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Water Quality, Pharmacy, Veterinarian
Parasitology, Food Industry, Ecology, and Bioscience Research. The Biotech students continue
to showcase their ability to achieve both academically and in the research lab. Students have
achieved high scores at the state research competition every year working on college level
research projects. Biotech students continue to average within the top 10% of their graduating
class, and have received a total of $595,000 worth of scholarships since the start of the program.
It’s been a fun and exciting year so far seeing the Biotech students progress into their passionate field. Above is just a snap shot of a few things that have occurred this year.
- Mr. Roark, Biotech Instructor
F e e d b a c k o r e n t r i e s ? C o n t a c t P. R . F r a n k , e d i t o r
741 Washington St.
prfrank@dps.k12.oh.us or 937.542.7194
Dayton, Ohio 45402
937.542.7180 ph
937.542.7181 fax
http://www.dps.k12.oh.us/school-ponitz/
Damon Bradley
Aleaha Branham
Letisha Caldwell
J’Ai Cruse
Chantel Ely
Taylor Finch
Shemari Hale
Evan Haynes
Lamarr Henry
Maraja James
Jordan Jones
Ti’esha Perrin
Andrew Rhinevault
Breanna Warfield
Stephanie Winn