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Friday, March 26, 2010
The Albany Academies e-newsletter
Week of March 22
Join us for the International Taste of the World Festival this Saturday!
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Looking for a little international flavor this weekend? Join us for the Second Annual International Taste of the World Festival this Saturday, March 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. on the AAG campus.
All activities for this free community event will be held in the Silipigno Athletic Facility on the AAG campus; the festival will feature an afternoon of food, international dance demonstrations and other fun activities from 30 families representing more than 20 countries and cultures.
Families at the festival will be wearing garments from their respective countries and interacting with participants to share aspects of their culture. |
Bring your children, family and friends -- it promises to be a great afternoon!
MS students impress at Science Symposium!
Pictured (left to right) at the Middle School Science Symposium are judge Dr. Matthew Kohn from the New York State Department of Health speaking with Sohil Patel (Form II); Sarah Rapoport '14 & Christine Rowley '14; and judge Joseph Whyte from Thermo Fisher Scientific speaking with Charles Janeway (Form II).
Seventy eight of our 7th & 8th grade girls and boys displayed their hard work from the past few months as part of the Middle School Science Symposium on Wednesday in the AAG Lower School Gym.
Projects ranging from "The effect of energy drinks on pulse rate" to "Does temperature affect crystal growth" to "The effect of wind orientation on energy creation by a model wind turbine" were judged by science faculty, parents and individuals that joined us from outside organizations such as GE Global Research, Albany Molecular Research Inc, Plug Power, Albany Medical College, Fortitech, New York State Department of Health and the Cancer Research Institute.
Many of the judges were very impressed with the feedback from the student's intermediate steps in their data books and the knowledge of the students about their experiments, and asked to be included in the symposium again next year. Those projects selected for the Joseph Henry Science Fair will be announced this Monday, March 29.
A reporter from the Spotlight Newspapers attended the Symposium and a story will be running in next week's edition of the newspaper.
Special thanks to faculty members Jessica Lawton and Patty Pulver for their time and efforts working with the students and coordinating the Symposium.
Academy delegation takes part in China trip!
A large delegation of Academy students, parents, faculty members and administration -- including Head of School Dr. Douglas North -- experienced the trip of a lifetime during a 10-day visit to China during Spring Break.
The trip included stops at a variety of destinations, including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing, Xian, the Great Wall of China and even a high school in Shanghai. The goal of the trip was to further open doors between Academy students and their Chinese peers as well as foster new partnerships for international students at our school. Director of Admissions Bramble Buran met with several schools, families and students to introduce them to The Albany Academies and our International Program.
During the trip, World Languages Department Chair Donna Keegan kept an ongoing blog about the trip featuring photos, stories and much more.
READ THE CHINA TRIP BLOG.
AROUND THE ACADEMIES
MS boys witness cutting edge technology
Our 5th grade boys were invited to take part in a special program for "Connect a Million Minds Week" at Time Warner Cable's headquarters in Schenectady on Wednesday.
The students received a firsthand look at cutting edge technology and learned about the mysteries and science of cable television. They also received a tour of the Time Warner Cable facilities as part of the program.
Connect a Million Minds is a five-year, $100 million initiative to address our nation's declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The goal of the program is to inspire students to develop their STEM skills so they can become the problem solvers of tomorrow.
The Your News Now network (formerly Capital News 9) was on hand to cover the event.
VIEW THE YOUR NEWS NOW STORY.
Cooking lessons from a pro!
Chef Gail D. Sokol '76, an award-winning chef, author and instructor of baking at Schenectady County Community College, worked with a small number of Middle School students on Tuesday in The Buttery on the AA campus for promotional purposes for her television program called "Stir It Up."
The students -- Sohil Patel (Form II), Lex Pryor (Form I), Samantha MacAffer '17, Sydney Buran '16 & Katie Pausley '16 -- were thrilled to have the chance to learn about the science of baking from such a well-respected culinary professional.
Academy student selected for NYS Invention Convention
Joey Aiello '16 has been selected as one of 100 finalists out of more than 1,400 applicants for the New York State Invention Convention.
His invention of an Immobile Grater will be delivered to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium on April 26 and be open for public viewing.
MS teacher presents at national convention
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Middle School Science faculty member Bob Neudel (pictured at left) was a presenter at the National Science Teachers Convention in Philadelphia, PA recently.
He discussed aerodynamic activities and physical science concepts on flight.
Mr. Neudel also went to several nanotechnology classes where he studied how middle school students can understand nanotechnology at their level of development. |
Lake George Opera captivates LS students
Members of the Lake George Opera visited the Academies on Wednesday for a special presentation of the classic story "Three Little Pigs" to our Lower School girls and boys as part of the company's Opera-To-Go series.
In the "Three Little Pigs" performance, one little pig goes to the library as she researches how to build a house. The Three Little Pigs converge with Mozart's Don Giovanni as the wolf pretends to be a statue and ends up being invited for dinner with a second little pig and trouble commences.
The Lake George Opera performs for schools throughout upstate New York, the Adirondacks and western New England each year as well as a series of free performances for families.
The hunt for leprechauns
The Kindergarten boys each designed and constructed leprechaun traps recently to set around their classroom in hopes of luring and catching a leprechaun who was causing mischief in their classroom.
The contraptions were set and the entire AA Lower School was invited to see the results. The leprechaun was not caught but as he was in the traps he left pieces of his coat and a pile of coins to share.
The boys then wrote about what they would do if they found the leprechaun's gold. Their writing pieces are on the bulletin board outside the Kindergarten classroom so please stop by!
The heart of the matter...
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Our 2nd grade girls enjoyed a presentation on cardiovascular health prepared by their classmate, Elizabeth Bernardini, on Wednesday.
Elizabeth was joined by her mother, Dr. Kathleen Ozsvath, a vascular surgeon. Elizabeth spoke about prevention of artery disease through exercise and nutrition.
Dr. Ozsvath showed materials used when placing a balloon and stent, which opens blocked arteries, and demonstrated the use of an ultrasound machine to check blood flow in arteries and veins.
It was amazing to see and hear blood flow through faculty member Bridget McGivern's carotid artery! The second graders are proud of Elizabeth and would like to thank Dr. Ozsvath for this unique opportunity. |
Academy students engage in Ecuador exchange
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Spanish III students in Veronica Puente-Windle's class have entered into an exchange with General Machado Academy in Otavalo, Ecuador -- home of one of the most famous markets in South America.
Ms. Puente-Windle set up the exchange between the two schools -- which is set to run through June -- a few months ago; she is originally from Otavalo and has family still living there.
Our Spanish students and their Ecuadorian peers have been emailing letters to each other. In addition, the students have used the Skype video service on three occasions with plans to connect again through Skype in April.
Ms. Puente-Windle recently returned from a trip to Otavalo where she had the opportunity to visit the school and meet with many of its students. |
She also brought back letters and gifts from the Ecuadorian students to their Academies friends. Pictured above are Academy students Skyping with their peers in Otavalo, Ecuador.
Ecuador trip set for March 2011!
As part of the cultural exchange that we have opened up between our school and Ecuador, we will be offering an 11-day excursion to Ecuador in March 2011 that will include visits to the capital city of Quito, Otavalo and the Galapagos Islands.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about biodiversity and wildlife conservation in one of the most ecologically diverse places on Earth. Current Spanish III students may have the opportunity to meet their pen pals in person. The cost of the trip is $3,500 and includes hotel stay, all meals and guided tours.
For more information, contact Ms. Puente-Windle at windlev@albanyacademies.org or Kristen Burns at burnsk@albanyacademies.org.
A tasty way to support a great cause!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support our Haiti Relief fundraiser at T.G.I. Friday's in Stuyvesant Plaza on Tuesday. A special 50/50 raffle was held during the day that raised $200 (the winner was Clara Whalen '13's grandfather, who donated his portion to the Haiti Relief Fund).
For every $20 spent at Friday's, $5 was donated to the Haiti fund. The totals from the day are still compiled and we will provide an update as soon as we receive it.
Many thanks to Clara McNulty-Finn '13 for organizing the event.
Conservative Club welcomes top NYS director
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Conservative Party of New York State Executive Director Shaun Marie (pictured at left) spoke to Academy students in the Conservative Club on Tuesday about her background and how she became involved in politics.
Ms. Marie also discussed the Republican and Conservative Parties in New York, some of the top conservative people in the news today, and many of the current political issues and events.
She focused on conservatism in New York State, the upcoming Governor's race, and spent some time afterwards speaking with students interested in becoming involved in politics. |
AAG tradition to be held on April 1
The annual AAG Ring Dare event will take place on Thursday, April 1 on the AAG campus. This traditional day/evening activity is a time when sophomore girls receive their AAG school rings from their senior "Big Sisters."
The seniors require that their "Little Sisters" perform various dares to earn their rings. All sophomore and senior girls will be participating in the dare activities. The day will conclude with the sophomore girls attending a dinner sponsored by the senior class at which time they will receive their class rings.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
Experience a capella music on March 31!
Local a capella group Revamped will be performing on Wednesday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m. on the AAG campus. The program will include songs by The Killers, REM, Jason Mraz, Guster, Natasha Beddingfield and many more! There will be refreshments as well.
There will be some student performances and a combined song with Revamped and the Upper School Chorus.
Revamped is a group of 10 singers who perform popular music a capella -- the same style used on the recent show The Sing-Off and the hit show Glee.
Volunteers needed for Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair will run from Monday, April 5 through Friday, April 9 in the AAG Activities Room from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer for the book fair, please contact Janet Harris at harrisj@albanyacademies.org and type "Scholastic Book Fair" in the subject line along with the dates and times that you are available in the email.
Volunteers are responsible for accepting payment from students and parents for books. Clear instructions about taking payment for purchases will be available for volunteers; in addition, volunteers may have the opportunity to help children fill out their book wish lists.
Please note that the books will be predominantly geared towards elementary and middle school students.
Kermani Arts Day -- April 6
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The annual Kermani Arts Day celebration will be held on Tuesday, April 6 on both campuses. Genesis Dance Company Artistic Director Karen Lynell Arceneaux (pictured at left) will lead the teaching of six workshops throughout the day as well as a performance for the entire school.
The workshops will be held from 10:30-11:45 a.m. and 12:30-1:45 p.m. An all school assembly will take place from 2:05-2:55 p.m. in the AA Gym. |
Ms. Arceneaux received her B.F.A. in Choreographic Design from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL). She has trained at the American Dance Festival in North Carolina, The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and The Ailey School in New York City.
After graduating from The Ailey School, Ms. Arceneaux worked as the administrative assistant to the school director and B.F.A. program co-director. She later served as the school administrator from 1999-2004. She has choreographed for The Ailey School's Student Performance Group, Student Showcase Group, The Ailey/Fordham B.F.A. Program in Dance, Ailey's Professional Performing Arts School program and ULL.
Kermani Arts Day was made possible by a generous donation from the Kermani family to support the arts programs at the Academies.
AA & AAG Art Shows -- April 28 & 30
Make sure to save the date for the AA & AAG Art Shows set for Wednesday, April 28 and Friday, April 30, respectively.
Both events will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will feature individual and group performances. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!
Spring Gathering -- April 17
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Would your company like to be featured in the Spring Gathering 2010 program? Advertising opportunities are currently available in a variety of options, including full page ads for $300 each, half page ads for $150 each and quarter page ads for $75 each.
PLACE AN ADVERTISEMENT
Spring Gathering 2010 will be held on Saturday, April 17 at The Franklin Plaza in downtown Troy. This year's theme is "Creating Opportunities, Changing Lives," and event proceeds support our scholarship and financial aid programs. |
For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (518) 429-2432 or
collins-schroedera@albanyacademies.org.
Support a noble cause on April 26
An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held on Monday, April 26 from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the AA Gym. Students ages 16 and older can donate; however, a permission slip is required for students age 16.
The drive is also open to parents who would like to donate and assist the American Red Cross. To schedule an appointment and obtain a permission slip, please contact Alydaar Rangwala (Form V) at alydaar@gmail.com or faculty member Mark Wimmer at wimmerm@albanyacademies.org.
The goal is to surpass our previous record and collect 60 pints. The need for blood is constant so your help is greatly appreciated!
Albany Children's Book Festival -- May 15
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It’s getting close and we are very excited about the upcoming Albany Children's Book Festival set for May 15!
We now have a window display at The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza promoting the event and shortly billboards will be going up around the Capital Region promoting the event. More than 40 children's and young adult authors and illustrators are confirmed to join us on the AAG campus.
A special website for the book festival has been created at www.albanychildrensbookfestival.com. |
A Picture Book Writing Contest will also be part of the festival for students in Grades 4-12.
Students will be judged in one of two categories: Tweens (Grades 4-8) and Teens (Grades 9-12). There is no fee for participation, but there are some rules and guidelines.
Students should submit an original, unpublished story with original, student created illustrations. Illustrations should compliment the storyline. The story and its illustrations must be created by one individual; joint efforts will not be accepted. One grand prize winner will receive a notebook computer, and two additional prizes of $100 and $50 will be awarded in each group.
Many thanks to our sponsors of the Book Festival, including Austin & Co., Aviemore, CDPHP, Drs. Decker, Sbuttoni, Boghosian, DiCerbo & Lawless, M & T Bank, AAPA, The Book House, MM Hayes, SEFCU, Shalimar Restaurant and the Spotlight Newspapers.
PICTURE BOOK WRITING CONTEST GUIDELINES
BECOME A FACEBOOK FAN OF THE FESTIVAL!
Summer Camp begins June 14!
Pictured (left to right) are Katie Waters (a student from The College of Saint Rose interning in the Marketing & Communications Department this semester) speaking with an attendee at The Albany Academies Summer Camp booth during the recent Kidz Expo at Clifton Park Center; faculty member Karin Epstein with her daughter, Jessica Epstein '21; and student volunteer Adam Miller (Form VI) speaking with attendees at the Kidz Expo.
If you have not already enrolled your child in Summer Camp 2010 at the Academies, now is the time to do so! We have put together an impressive selection of camp offerings to provide a memorable summer experience for our campers.
We are offering numerous options such as dancing, yoga, sports, science, yo-yo and more! In addition, older students can take part in our SAT Prep and Drivers Education courses.
Brochures have been mailed and are available on both the AAG & AA campuses. Many of the camps begin on June 14!
If you know someone who would like a brochure, please contact Director of External Affairs Ann Wendth at (518) 429-2385 or wendtha@albanyacademies.org.
SUMMER CAMP 2010 BROCHURE
SUMMER CAMP 2010 REGISTRATION FORM
SUMMER CAMP 2010 HEALTH HISTORY AND IMMUNIZATION FORM
REGISTER ONLINE FOR SUMMER CAMP 2010.
If you have any questions or comments about this electronic newsletter, please contact Ann Wendth, Director of External Affairs, at (518) 429-2385 or wendtha@albanyacademies.org, or Adam Doling, Communications Associate, at (518) 429-2344 or dolinga@albanyacademies.org.
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2010-2011 ACADEMIC CALENDAR
SPRING/SUMMER 2010 ISSUE OF A2 ACADEMIES MAGAZINE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Stay up to date with our Online Calendar
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