Senator Square: Engineering program built at Carson High School

I take time out each week of the busy family schedule to write this article for the high school, so I would like to say thanks to my family for always understanding when I say I have work to do.Today, of all days, though, a special wish goes out to my youngest daughter who turns 10. You’ll be a Senator before I know it! Happy birthday, Abby!CHS NEWSPAPERStudents in Mrs. Quinn-Davis’ class have been busy getting The Senator News online newspaper up and running for this school year. They will be updating the site weekly. If you have story ideas, contact Mrs. Quinn-Davis at pquinndavis@carson.k12.nv.us. The online newspaper can be found at http://thesenatornews.wordpress.com.FRESHMAN PARENT NIGHTThe guidance office will be presenting information to parents of freshmen on 6-7 p.m. Wednesday in Senator Square. Topics covered include graduation requirements, university/college entrance requirements, scholarships and strategies for struggling students.Get informed!PSAT INFOCollege-bound sophomores and juniors are encouraged to sign up for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test on Oct. 20. Cost is $18 and needs to be paid to the finance office by Oct. 17.There will be a PSAT/SAT preparatory workshop 6:45-7:30 a.m. Oct. 15-19 in the library. Students need to sign up in the guidance office.CHS PTSAINFORMATION NIGHTThe Carson High School Parent-Teacher-Student Association’s Safe Grad planning committee hold its annual kick-off meeting 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Carson High School library. Come see where you can get involved and be a part of this yearly tradition.CHS PTSA will not only be offering information regarding the 2013 Safe Grad, but will also be presenting information on the rest of this year’s programs, such as College Night, Reflections Art Contest and the CHS Staff Appreciation Breakfast.We would like to encourage CHS parents of all students grades 9-12 along with those in the Carson City community to attend and learn about the outstanding programs and events planned throughout the CHS school year.BLOOD DRIVENational Honor Society is having a blood drive Tuesday in the small gym. Please save three lives and donate.NEW CLASSES AT CHSCarson High School’s new Pathway To Engineering course sequence uses a hands-on, real-world, problem-solving approach to learning. In the first course, Introduction to Engineering Design, students apply the design process to various design/build problems while learning to communicate their ideas using drafting and engineering standards.In the second course, Principles of Engineering, students apply engineering principles to real-world problems, acquire strong teamwork and communication proficiency and continue to develop organizational, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.The basics learned in the first two courses are honed and practiced in the third year course of Digital Electronics and the fourth year class.THANK YOU TO NDOTRob Easton, personnel officer for the Department of Transportation, was instrumental in offering NDOT’s support to the engineering program. When Easton heard CHS was starting an engineering program, he contacted Mr. Nate Girdner and offered time and money.Through Rob, NDOT has donated a lot of engineering equipment and curriculum.Rob also sat in on meetings about the engineering curriculum and has given presentations to the students about the importance of engineering and the role NDOT plays in our lives. We want to thank the Department of Transportation and Rob Easton for their donations!SENIOR SPOTLIGHTCHS is proud to spotlight senior Mohamad Sayafi. He has a full load of honors and Advanced Placement classes at CHS. He maintains a weighted grade-point average of 4.0.Mohamad is unsure of where he will attend college, but hopes to be somewhere in the West. He would like to major in biology and chemistry. Mohamad is a member of National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America. He is a recreation aide for the city. He also volunteers after school at the Bordewich Elementary School library.Thank you Mo, for your contributions to CHS and the community.MEET CHS STAFFSticking with our engineering focus of this week’s article, I thought it was only fitting to spotlight one of the staff that was instrumental in getting the new engineering program up and running this year. Teresa Breeden, a native of Carson City, teaches Introduction to Engineering, Computer Aided Drafting & Design and Art Foundations. Mrs. Breeden is a LEGO fanatic, a drafter and a writer.In 2007, Breeden was awarded the NV Arts Council Fellowship for Literature, and she has more than 60 poems published in various journals and anthologies, including Best New Poets 2010, and The Columbia Review. Several of Mrs. Breeden’s poems are included in the traveling art show, “Always Lost: A Mediation on War,” which is currently on display at Sierra Nevada College.Breeden loves architecture, landscaping, gardening, sunlight and the sizzling energy of learning that fills a classroom. Her dream vacation is to stay home, and her two favorite poems are her children.• Angila Golik is a government and sociology teacher at CHS and a member of Senator Pride.