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Episcopal students competed against 750 students from across the state at the recent Mu Alpha Theta state convention in Baton Rouge. Congratulations to the following students!
Individual Test Awards Geometry – 6th Anna Katherine Whaley Mu B – 14th Chima Mbagwu Area Test Awards Open Functions – 2nd Clay Burton Advanced Math – 12th Robert Alleva Geometry – 8th Anna Katherine Whaley Mu Integration – 8th Ajit Alapati Statistics – 8th Lenny Nguyen Game/Team Awards Theta Descartes – 5th Tochi Mbagwu Alpha Ciphering – 8th (Robert Alleva, Mason LaFerney, Judie Williams, and Gracie Veillon) Mu B Ciphering – 7th (Ngan Tran, Anna Garrett, Caroline Crawford, Shannon Ahmad)  2018 Honors Thesis students Episcopal School of Baton Rouge recently hosted the annual Scholars Recognition Breakfast recognizing the school’s top academic achievers in Middle and Upper School. A total of 107 students were honored at the event hosted by Head of School Hugh McIntosh. Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees!
 Episcopal students recently attended the Annual Louisiana Junior Classical League Convention. The Lower Latin certamen team (think quiz-bowl for the Classically-minded) was captained by eighth grader, Justin Dynes, and ninth grader, Jacob Hart. Certamen teams usually field teams of four players. Even against those odds, Dynes and Hart placed third in the state for Lower Latin Certamen. The team easily won its first match and picked up second place in the second finals. However, the points earned during the two matches placed Episcopal in third place. Episcopal individual students awards included: Jacob Hart -- First place: Marathon. Justin Dynes -- Fourth place in Latin Derivatives and second place in Latin vocabulary Episcopal’s small delegation, which also included Eason Guirard and John Pojman, co-chairs of the Episcopal Chapter of the Junior Classical League, also placed second in the Spirit Contest during the opening assembly. At the LJCL Convention, students participated in academic, creative and graphic arts contests as well as seminars, workshops, a Roman banquet, dance and karaoke. “In short, it was fun, but also very exhausting,” said Mr. Micheal Posey, convention chaperone and this year’s chair of the Louisiana Classical Association (LCA).
What English adjective derived from a Latin word for "heel of the foot," is synonymous with "stubborn?” If you were one of the three Episcopal students that medaled on this year’s examination of the National Classical Etymology Exam (NCEE), this was probably one of the easier questions you faced. The answer: recalcitrant. Administered in October 2017, the NCEE is based on English vocabulary words that are derived from Latin and Greek, with emphasis on academic and SAT vocabulary words. The exam, organized by the National Junior Classical League, tests a student’s ability to handle both Latin and Greek derivatives and their usage in the English language. This is the eighth year of the exam and over 5,400+ students from around the country participated. This year’s winners Megan MacMillan (Gold-Advanced Level), Lauren Reed (Bronze-Advanced Level) and Hudson Graham (Bronze-Intermediate Level) are also members of Episcopal’s Junior Classical League chapter. Graham also merited an award on the 2017 NCEE Assessment. She earned a silver medal on the Intermediate Level.
 According to the US Department of Labor, employment is projected to increase by 11.5 million over the next decade. Healthcare, community and social service and computer and mathematical occupations are all expected to see faster than average growth by the year 2026. No doubt the job market will be vastly different thanks to rapidly changing and advancing technology. Today’s Episcopal Middle Schoolers will be a part of this new and exciting workforce. While students today may simply have fun learning activities such as coding and robotics, these skills will likely prove invaluable in the future, regardless of their chosen career field. School Instigator and Design Studio Coordinator Betsy Minton continues to find opportunities to introduce students to these skills, whether it’s through the Introduction to Coding class or special groups that build together during or after school. All of these opportunities are preparing students for the future and instilling four real world skills for today and tomorrow. 1. Problem solving. Episcopal students are required to take an Intro to Coding class as part of enrichment in fifth grade. Minton says this is an ideal time to go more in depth because by fifth grade students have been exposed to the math concepts needed to truly understand and appreciate coding. She says coding actually provides the students with a practical application of these math skills and the Design Studio offers them hands-on experience. Students are solving coding problems using the latest and greatest coding software. Minton says the class is generalized to provide students with exposure to a range of programs and coding challenges that require a breadth of knowledge to solve the problem.
2. Learning through failure. Robotics and coding are learned through a long process of trial and error. Minton says that students feel a satisfying sense of accomplishment after working through several iterations and getting it right. This type of learning helps them develop the critical thinking strategies to prevail in the face of challenges. Such skills will serve them well as future physicians, engineers or even artists and designers. 3. Time management. No matter the career, time management is a must. As students are gearing up for robotics competitions these skills are put to the test. Students must learn to plan ahead to ensure their devices are ready for action on the big day. They must also be ready during an event to make quick decisions in the event of a mechanical failure or problem. Middle School students recently participated in the Regional Autonomous Robotics Circuit event and they are now gearing up for a workshop at the upcoming Red Stick Festival in April. Both events required students to plan ahead and ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner.
4. Teamwork.
Most professionals function as part of a team. Being a part of a robotics team helps students learn team dynamics such as being accountable to each other and dividing tasks among team members. Robotics team members also enjoy a sense of camaraderie and friendship created as a result of finding a group with common interests and goals. In addition, thanks to the PreK-3 through Upper School model of Episcopal, Middle School students also benefit from the mentorship of the upperclassmen. On May 4th, Middle School students will compete in the first-ever Middle School Battle Bots tournament. Students are working hard to prepare their devices and best their opponent. Along the way, they’re developing the skills they’ll someday use as adults. While there’s no way to know what job they’ll have in 2026, we hope the skills gained from their time at Episcopal will serve them well.  Photos by PreK-4 teacher, Julie Mendes Teddy Bear Picnic PreK-4 took advantage of the spring weather at their annual Teddy Bear Picnic. After a feast of pancakes, students took their bear friends for a Bear Hunt on the Coach Duplechin Trail. Inaugural Lower School Battle of the Books Lower School hosted their own version of the Battle of the Books event recently. Congratulations to Sophie Arnold, Gabi Hart and Chloe Rubin from team Read through the Knights who won this year’s event. Sixteen fourth and fifth grade teams competed. Students tested their knowledge of the books “Flora and Ulysses: An Illuminated Adventure”, “I Survived the American Revolution, 1776” and “Fenway and Hattie”.  Let's Go Fly a Kite! My Little Pony. Spider Man. A butterfly. Even a helicopter. The skies above the football practice field were filled with a wide range of kites this week as the seniors and their kindergarten buddies celebrated the annual Episcopal Kite Day. The tradition marks the last gathering of the buddies, who have spent time together for special occasions throughout the year. Kindergarten parent Michele Perez says she and her daughter Ella love the buddy outings. She says the connection with the senior buddy has been very special for Ella, who has actually saved every card she’s received from her friend. Tek Webster, whose son Coren “Ren” is also in kindergarten says it was hard to tell who was enjoying the kite flying more, the older or younger students. Webster says the experience is nice for both the kindergarteners and the seniors and that it helps seniors reminisce on when they were kindergarteners themselves. Many of the seniors said they actually couldn’t remember the last time they flew a kite. No doubt this recent experience will be something they remember long after commencement in May. As for the kindergarteners, it won’t be long before they’ll be a senior buddy to another group of young students. Second Grade World Travelers Vacation season will soon be upon us and the Episcopal second graders are ready to make a travel recommendation. Students recently studied the world, including continents, countries and their own hometown. To celebrate the completion of the project, the young explorers acted as travel agents encouraging the adults in their lives to travel to faraway places. Episcopal students are making a difference and earning impressive accolades. Congratulations!
Spanish Honor Society Inductees New inductees to the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica are:
Felicitaciones!  Not pictured: Shannon Ahmad Literary Rally
Congratulations to the following students who have qualified for state competition! Middle School: Catherine Barney – French I Emma Collier – French II Ruby Friloux – Algebra I High School: Madison Bell - Geometry William Bodron - Computer Science Austin Broussard - Civics Cliff Daigle - Calculus II Anna Garrett - Psychology Elaine Gboloo - Advanced Math - Functions and Statistics Arohi Gopal - Advanced Math - Pre Calculus Emily Knight - Biology II Alex Nelson - Biology I Jane Parker - French III Bethany Reid - Spanish III Jackson Sides - Principles of Business Robert Xing - World History  Tucked away amidst the hustle and bustle of College Drive, lies a Baton Rouge institution that is truly making a difference in the lives of the children it serves, as well as in the lives of Episcopal Upper School students who have partnered with the Center in class projects this year. The McMains Children’s Developmental Center provides a range of services to help children of all abilities live, work, and play independently. The staff offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech and language therapy, in addition to support services for the entire family. However, there’s much more to the Center than meets the eye. Walk around the building and you’ll find a brightly colored flower garden set at just the right height to be wheelchair accessible. There’s a playground, an elaborate playhouse, and a peaceful gazebo. Inside, there is a specially built rock climbing wall and a quiet space for children who need time to process their world. A tour with Kim Haynes, MA, CCC-SLP, the Center’s Clinical and Operations Director, also includes a trip to the Inclusion House. What happens inside this big red house is magical. It is in this house, which looks like a child-sized version of the average home, that therapists help families and children discover opportunities for the children to be a true part of their family and their environment. Families learn to take everyday objects and adapt them to their child’s needs. For example, by simply connecting objects to a switch, the child’s world opens up and they are then able to operate a blender, a can opener or even take part in family game night. Upper School students enrolled in Episcopal’s NuVuX Design Studio courses have had the pleasure of being involved in the McMains Children’s Developmental Center magic this year. Early in the year, students spent time at the Center to observe the work being done and the assistance needed. Like most guests who walk the halls of the facility, the students were inspired by what they saw and the people they met. Upon their return to Woodland Ridge, they began to brainstorm ways that Design Studio projects could help. What resulted were designs befitting the Center’s practices of making therapy fun. One such design was Blow Boats. Episcopal students Brice Frierson and Jack Morganti were inspired to create a boat racing track after meeting a child with a passion for boating. Their device allows a child in a wheelchair to race boats using a fan adapted to a simple switch. Frierson and Morganti added a tiny garden to the center of the device so that when the boats are not racing, the device blends in with the garden’s surroundings. Upon hearing about Blow Boats, the Center staff were so impressed that they invited the students to install the device permanently in the Center’s garden. The staff also hopes to receive the other NuVuX devices for the children to use. 
“I love working with high school students,” said Anne Hindrichs, LCSW, Center Executive Director. “It showcases the tapestry of connectivity that exists as these students visit with our children and become inspired to get involved. It’s exciting to see the projects evolve from a concept to reality and it’s exciting to see the joy in the children’s faces as they get to use the designs.” For Brice, the Design Studio experience has been personally significant in many ways. Click here to read his project brief where he describes how his NuVuX experience is something he’ll never forget. The Blow Boats installation is just one example of the Design Studio’s possibilities. Episcopal students also created Kids Mist: a device to allow children to engage in water activities; DRAwER: a device to assist children with opening drawers and cabinets; Dogger: a fun game for kids with limited mobility; and Geaux Throw: a device that allows a child in a wheelchair to throw a ball. Watch the video below to see seniors Cameron Dumas and Noah Dupree demonstrating their Geaux Throw device. To learn more about all of the Episcopal student innovations click here.
NuVu Studios was created by MIT graduates Saeed Arida, Saba Ghole and David Wang. The program uses the architectural studio as the mode of teaching Upper School and Middle School students. It is geared around multi-disciplinary, collaborative projects. There is a full-time school in Cambridge, Massachusetts for middle and high school students in addition to the NuVuX program, which is offered locally at Episcopal. NuVu provides any needed engineering instruction and students apply what they have learned from mainstream Episcopal academic classes. Studio students are presented with open-ended questions or challenges and asked to identify innovative tools or processes to solve them or improve upon them while working in collaborative groups. Each studio features equipment including a laser cutter, 3D printers, a vinyl cutter, a workshop and even a sewing machine and fully stocked electronics cabinet to help students make their designs a reality. Episcopal Design Studio students will have the opportunity to celebrate their impact, and Easter, with the McMains Children’s Developmental Center’s children at the end of March. Students will be on hand for the Center’s annual egg hunt and to see how the children interact with their designs. What a great way to see a design come to life! What a powerful way to make a difference in the lives of others! Want to learn more about the NuVuX Design Studio? Don’t miss the final showcase for this school year, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 3rd from 8:45 am to 2:30 pm in the Upper School Student Center. "The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow." Nelson Mandela  The first step. The first ride without training wheels. Kindergarten. Learning to drive. And now receiving their high school class ring. This week, members of the Class of 2019 processed into the Lewis Memorial Chapel of the Good Shepherd eager to begin the next phase of their high school experience. Parents, grandparents and friends who have been with them since those first milestones packed the pews to celebrate this Upper School rite of passage.
“We accept this call to leadership,” Junior Class President, Ethan Massengale announced on behalf of his fellow classmates. In fact, these students will now take on a greater leadership role not only in their school, but also in their own lives. The Episcopal College Fair is only 12 days after ring day and marks the unofficial beginning of the college application and selection journey for juniors. Having just received gold and blue jeweled symbols of their status, they now begin to make tremendous, life-altering decisions with the help of their family, friends and the Episcopal community.
After the seniors bestowed the last ring, the juniors joyfully exited down the center aisle, but not before sneaking a glance at family, smiling proudly at loved ones or even waving at the camera. It was reminiscent of times when as a little leaguer they searched the bleachers for mom or as a Lower School student they smiled brightly when dad joined them for lunch. Even as they begin the transition to young adulthood and look forward to promising futures, that youthful zest for family and community remains. It’s good to know that even as they grow, some things never change. Congratulations Class of 2019. We can’t wait to see how far you’ll go!
 Baton Rouge General physicians Candy Moore, MD and Sarah Drennan, MD and hospital representatives celebrate the Books for Babies drive. As a parent, reading a book to your child is a great bonding experience and a key component of a bedtime routine. For your child, daily storytime is so much more – opening up an entire world of possibilities. Thanks to the first-ever Books for Babies book drive by the Episcopal Lower School community, 97 newborns at Baton Rouge General will begin life with their own little library of possibilities. In just one week’s time the Episcopal students and their families donated approximately 850 books. Such an incredible response ensures that growing families in the Baton Rouge area receive a packet of eight to nine books to share with their little one.
Lemoine is active with the Louisiana Reading Association and the Capital Area Reading Council. Sparked by his love of reading and desire to help others, Lemoine helped both groups organize book drives for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club and the YWCA. However, one goal remained elusive. Knowing that not everyone has access to books at home, Lemoine had always wanted to collect books for new moms in the area. This year he made a connection in parent Candy Moore, MD that allowed him to accomplish this feat. Dr. Moore is an OB/GYN at Baton Rouge General and helped Lemoine organize the drive for the hospital’s newest patients.
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