Publication 4 Jan 11.pub - Baytown Chamber of Commerce

Baytown Chamber of Commerce
Partners In Education Newsletter
The Exchange
U.S. Congressman Ted Poe's Cards for the Troops Program
Most Collected & Most Creative Christmas Card Winners
Volume 21, Issue 4
January 2011
Inside this issue:
ExxonMobile & Travis
Elem.
2
In 2009, U.S. Congressman Ted Poe's District Representative, Kim Brode, contacted the Baytown Chamber of
Commerce and asked if the Chamber would collect cards
for the U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanastan.
Executive Vice President Rikki Wheeler stated that it
sounded like a good project for the Partners In Education
Committee.
CenterPoint & Gentry Jr.
2
ExxonMobil & REL
3
ExxonMobil & San Jacinto
Elem.
3
Rikki went to the Participants at the next meeting, along with Chairman Robert Hoskins (who's son was
currently serving in Iraq) and asked the participants to
collect the cards. Rikki and Bob stated they wanted to do
some type of award presentation, but did not have the
details worked out. The 2009 awards did not make it to the
schools during that school year – but they were not forgotten by either the schools (due to their continued participation in the program), nor by the Chamber.
Beacon Federal Credit
Union & Ashbel Smith
4
Highlands C of C &
B.P. Hopper
4
Kiwanis Club & Alamo
Elem.
5
ExxonMobil & Victoria
Walker Elem.
5
Community Resource
Credit Union & Lamar
6
San Jacinto Methodist
Hospital
7
St. Joseph’s & Partners
7
Community Auto Group &
Highlands Jr.
7
In 2010, Rikki once again asked the Partners In
Education Participants to have their students make cards
for the U.S. Service Men & Women serving this Country all
over the world, but mostly on the front lines in Afghanistan
this year & even more cards poured in..... A recorded
number of cards to be exact! More than 10,000 Cards for
the Troops came in from Goose Creek CISD Students and
their Partners out of the 14,000 cards collected from Congressman Poe's District!
Right before Christmas, Congressman Poe,
Kim Brode, Rikki Wheeler, Bob Hoskins, Dr. York and
many other GCCISD Personnel stopped by Highlands
Elementary to present 2 trophies, the 2009 & 2010 Most
Creative Cards. You see, it was clear early on that some
campuses were not going to bring in the record numbers
that others were going to be able to get, but there were
some that just poured their heart and souls into the ones
that they sent to the troops & that was Highlands Elementary! The students with the help from their Music Teachers
and their IT Teacher make a CD of the students singing
Christmas cards (one for every student to send), along
with a note from the staff, then the students put their
Christmas Card with the CD and note from the staff. They
were each placed in an envelope for a soldier to open like a present just for them & what a present it was!
So, on very short notice, as Congressional Leaders tend to
give you from time to time, we contacted Ms. Perrin and her
staff and an assembly was held bright and early the following
Monday morning! The news media received photos and aired
it that evening!
Just as special were the 2009 & 2010 Most Collected Card winners. In 2009, Robert E. Lee won that award
hands down. Rikki Wheeler tried to remember the total off
the top of her head, but all she could remember was it was
no competition, although Horace Mann is a near 2nd in 2009
and a near 3rd in 2010. In 2010, Ross S. Sterling turned in
3809 Christmas Cards with the assistance of their partner
San Jacinto Methodist Hospital. One day the cards came in
they totaled 2206, then an email came in from Mary Navarre
that she had more to make them almost at 3,000. Later that
day she said they would reach 3759 if she could turn them in
the following day. By that next morning they had reached
3809! Mary had sent email updates throughout the day urging each department to get their cards in so they (the partner)
could win! Then she was not able to be present when the
trophy was awarded. So, hats off to Mary Navarre and all the
departments at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital.
Also, thanks to Bob Hoskins and Enterprise Products for underwriting the trophies that were presented to all
the winners. This next school year, the trophies will be ready
for the kick off of the program at the first meeting of the 20112012Partners In Education School Year on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at Austin Elementary at 4:30 pm. We want
to encourage all the participants to get involved this year &
see if we can get 30,000 Christmas Cards for Troops! If we
received 10,000 and had 10 schools participate – I think it is
2009 - Robert E. possible, so let's set the goal now. Business partners, we
Lee High School need your help too!
& 2010 Ross S.
Thanks to those that participated: San Jacinto
Sterling High
Elementary, Ross S. Sterling & San Jacinto Methodist, HighSchool / San
Jacinto Methodist lands Elementary, B.P. Hopper, Robert E. Lee, Crockett
Elementary, Cedar Bayou Jr., Ashbel Smith Elementary,
Hospital
Travis Elementary and Horace Mann Jr.ă
Calendar of
Events
March 22, 2011– PIE
Meeting– Lamar Elementary– 4:30 pm
May 5, 2011– PIE Recognition and Scholarship
Award Luncheon– Goose
Creek Country Club–
11:00am
September 27, 2011—PIE
Meeting—Austin Elementary—4:30 pm
October 25, 2011—PIE
Meeting—CenterPoint
Energy—4:30 pm.
Travis Elementary and ExxonMobil Refinery
Everyone needs a journal to
be organized…Travis asked for journals for all 960 students, and that
is exactly what they got. Binders
and other supplies are recycled to
Travis and other GCCISD schools
on a regular basis.
Sixty-one 5th grade girls and
eight chaperones will attend the
2010 Sally Ride Festival on November 6. This event is a hit with the
students, and Travis attendance
has grown each year since the Festival began in 2006.
ExxonMobil employees teach Jr.
Achievement (JA)
at all grade levels,
inspiring students
to dream big and
reach their potential. JA’s hands-on
programs teach
key concepts of
work readiness
and financial literacy. Pictured in
the photo are 5th
graders Denisse
Heredia and
Adrian Pulido with their former JA
teacher “Mr. Chris” Bergh, an engineer with ExxonMobil Technology, and ExxonMobil Manager Joe
Blommaert. Denisse and Adrian
were special guests at ExxonMobil’s recent JA kickoff event. The
students wrote essays about their
JA experiences and agree that
they learned things they will use
throughout life.
For Red Ribbon week,
camouflage wrist bands were
provided to students and staff,
complementing the theme “Join
the Fight Against Drugs.” Once
upon a time, students brought
shiny red apples to their teachers on the first day of school in
the hope that the apple would
impress the teacher and the
school year would be off to a
successful start. In that spirit,
Kiwanis apples were purchased
by ExxonMobil for the Travis
staff as well as all of ExxonMobil’s GCCISD partners.
Students look forward
to the Big Deal at the end of
each semester. They can win a
gift card to Wal-Mart or Toys R
Us for achieving all E’s and G’s
in conduct. Incentives are
awarded for accelerated reading, and bicycles are awarded
for perfect attendance at each
grade level.
CenterPoint Energy and Gentry Jr.
At the beginning of the school year CenterPoint Energy delivered a popcorn machine to
Gentry Jr. to treat students who demonstrate good behavior and excellent academics. Red silicone bracelets were provided for all students and staff to support “DrugFree” week. CenterPoint is actively serving as a volunteer on the Instructional Leadership Team for Gentry Jr. During Safe School Ambassadors training, CenterPoint
served as a volunteer as students molded into safe school ambassadors. In addition,
CenterPoint will provide t-shirts for all ambassadors and teachers assisting with the
program. The “Student of the Month” program will also be rewarded with silicone
bracelets reading “Mustang of the Month.”
The Exchange
ExxonMobil BTEC East and Robert E. Lee High School Continue
Successful Partnership for Over Twenty Years
Students, faculty, and staff members are delighted to once again be paired with ExxonMobil BTEC East in a
partnership that is focused on success for everyone at Robert E. Lee High School. To plan for the year, Laura Ramirez
and Laura Krause from ExxonMobil BTEC East hosted a lunch meeting for representatives from REL during the summer.
Plans are in the works to schedule various diversity groups from EMBTEC to meet with students to serve as
role models for them and to inform them about post-secondary educational opportunities and careers to enhance our
College and Career Week.
To kick off Red Ribbon Week the last week of October, our PIE donated over 1700 camouflage bracelets for students and faculty members bearing the inscription, “DRUG FREE BEGINS WTH ME!” Our Baytown Chamber of Commerce Partner in Education also provided lunch and snacks for our Safe Schools Ambassadors training at the Baytown
Community Center. SSA involves faculty members and selected students identified to be leaders of groups on campus
training to encourage others to “do the right thing.”
Laura Ramirez recently delivered over 11,000 flyers that the ExxonMobil BTEC staff produced to advertise the
REL Theatre Department’s children’s play, A Little Princess, to the elementary schools. Several elementary schools
attended and evening performances were held for the public.
EMBTEC also helped with our wish list by providing several hundred batteries for our calculators and four new
TI-84 calculators for use in our In School Suspension (ISS). We also discussed gradually replacing several of our classroom sets of calculators.
Plans for the future include gifts for perfect attendance drawings for students and faculty members each six
weeks and a Senior Fun Day in May. We appreciate the support that our Partner in Education provides Robert E. Lee
High School, and we look forward to a continuing partnership with ExxonMobil BTEC East.
EXXONMOBIL BTEC WEST/San Jacinto Elementary
EXXONMOBIL BTEC West and San Jacinto
Elementary School are committed to helping students succeed academically in many different ways.
Our 2010 - 2011 school year is off to a great start
with donations of gently used office supplies.
Three Presentations from the Museum of Natural Science Educational Outreach Programs have been sponsored and included the
following:
•
Conoco Phillips Science on Stage – Exploring Energy:
these presentations will use student helpers to explore
amazing physical science demonstrations. Explore energy transformations with electricity, sound, and light.
There’s energy everywhere. Students from second, third,
fourth and fifth grade will attend this presentation. Our
partner paid $535.00 for the presentations and will take
place on November 19, 2010.
•
Chevron Earth Science on Wheels – Science Sort: which
is an interactive, hands-on inquiry based lab presentation focused on the scientific process where students
analyze and interpret information gathered from fossilized sediment. We chose this presentation because it is
one of our areas of weakness in science. ESOW ½ day
sessions for 120 students are $375.00 and will take
place in the spring semester.
•
ESOW full day presentations for 180 students – Know
your rocks where students will gain learn about different
rocks, what they are used for and how they are formed.
Students will also learn the difference between rocks
and minerals. Our partner paid $475.00 for this worthwhile presentation and will take place in the spring semester.
In October, during our Red Ribbon Week Celebration, ExxonMobil BTEC West provided “camo”
bracelets for all students to wear.
A gift card to the campus was given and
used to purchase 41 door prizes for Fall Academic
Family Night in November. The prizes included Tshirts for our students to wear during our district
college awareness day in November.
We will also purchase UIL T-Shirts for our
students to wear during our district UIL competition and Saturday School incentives with our gift
cards.
Kiwanis apples
were donated
and given to
every staff
member in our
school.
Volume 21, Issue 4
Page 3
Ashbel Smith Elementary and Beacon Federal Credit Union
Ashbel Smith Elementary
would like to warmly welcome Beacon
Federal Credit Union as our new Partners in Education. Beacon began this
school year by donating school supplies and backpacks for our students.
During Red Ribbon Week, they purchased the red bracelets for our students and staff that helped support
our belief that we need to live a drug
free life. In addition, the Beacon employees also supported our efforts by
wearing what the Ashbel students
and staff were wearing during the Red
Ribbon week. At the Red Ribbon Family Night, Beacon sent volunteers to
help us, and they provided popcorn for support. We look forward to a very sucour students and their families. It was cessful long partnership.
a very successful evening thanks to
their support. Beacon also helped
us provide the refreshments for
the October PIE meeting that was
held at our campus. During our
Career Day, Beacon participated
by sending one of their employees
to speak to our students about
staying in school, going to college
and having a successful career.
They have really come through for
Ashbel Smith in the short time
that they have been our PIE.
Thank you for all of your help and
B.P. Hopper and Highlands-Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce
B. P. Hopper and Highlands Lynchburg continue to enjoy their 7-year partnership. Hopper Staff and HLLC representatives, Jessica Woods and Samantha Hughes, have planned school events with one goal in mind, STUDENT SUCCESS!
What an incredible start to the school year we had! We started off with the Chamber providing breakfast and
goodies for teachers on Friday, August 20. Chamber and Pilot Club members assisted students, families, and staff
members throughout the first day of school. Thanks to the generosity of the Chamber, our students received a take
home folder that has the school calendar and dress code information.
Our annual Pen Pal activity kicked off on October 13 with students writing letters to their Chamber pen pal.
Students are anticipating getting a letter back from their pen pal soon. We were so excited when the HLCC rolled up
their sleeves and helped our school by providing materials to help paint a new mural for the library. The Chamber purchased fire prevention books for all students at Hopper and arranged for the Highlands Volunteer Fire Department to
bring the fire truck to help students learn more about fire prevention. Chamber members also purchased coloring books
for students to Red Ribbon Week rolled in with sparkle bracelets and enough themed stickers to finish off the days of the
week.
Our food drive is a “must” at B. P. Hopper and in November, the Chamber and students will join their efforts to
collect and distribute food to families from Hopper and
Highlands who have special needs. This is the way we
prepare to give back to the community. The food collection will take place in November. Hopper students will
decorate boxes to be used to distribute the food in.
Chamber members will choose their favorite box from
each grade level and the winners will receive a prize.
Chamber estimates they will be able to serve sixty families between the two schools.
We are very excited about our participation in
the annual tree decorating at Heritage Park in the center
of Highlands. This event has become a tradition for our
students and our school community. Hopper Primary
will provide ornaments for the annual tree lightning and
the Chamber will provide the tree and the lights.
All of these memorable events are possible due
to our partnership with our Highlands-Lynchburg
Chamber of Commerce.
Page 4
Alamo Elementary and The Kiwanis Club
This year Alamo Elementary is once again blessed with
having the Kiwanis Club as our Baytown Chamber of Commerce
‘Partner In Education”. As in years past; the Kiwanians continue
to help out our students in many ways. This year, $2000 was donated to our school for use for student services and support.
Members of the Kiwanis Club continue to serve as “lunch
buddies” to our students. Members come and eat lunch with several of our students and serve as mentors to them. The mentoring program give the Kiwanians a chance to mentor and encourage students at Alamo. Students enjoy spending time with their
mentors, while benefiting from having a positive role model to
visit with.
Apples were donated to each student and staff member as
a healthy gift from the Kiwanis Club. The Kiwanians also spend
time each six weeks recognizing Alamo’s honor roll students. The
members of the Kiwanis Club grill hot dogs and visit with Alamo
students during their lunch time. The students enjoy the time
they spend with the Baytown Kiwanians.
Alamo loves having The Kiwanis Club of Baytown as our
Baytown Chamber of Commerce ‘Partner in Education’! Thankyou for your hard work and dedication!
ExxonMobil BOP and Victoria Walker Elementary
ExxonMobil BOP and Victoria Walker Elementary is off to a wonderful
beginning! We ended our 09-10 year with a BANG! Together we celebrated the
tremendous work of the Victoria Walker Elementary teachers with a Teacher
Appreciation Luncheon.
Our partners, ExxonMobil BOP, led by Elaine Bodine provided a Back
to School Breakfast for our staff in August.
We have great plans for our partnership in 2010-2011. These plans
include incentives for attendance, Red Ribbon bracelets, too assemblies for the
student body with the Discovery Science Dome, participation in our Super Science Saturday and the support for TAKs through snacks.
We have already received a financial donation from ExxonMobil BOP
that will continue to supply our science lab with the best materials available.
ExxonMobil BOP also supports our annual science fair.
Our partners provide such support to Victoria Walker Elementary! We are looking forward to a wonderful year!
Volume 21, Issue 4
Page 5
Community Resource Credit Union and Lamar Elementary
Community Resource Credit Union and Lamar Elementary are thrilled to begin another
exciting school year, after being named Partner of the Year! Even before the school year began,
CRCU was busy lending aid to Lamar by purchasing text books for 5th grade students, investing
over $200.
As Lamar staff prepared for the students to return, CRCU delivered helpful tips and suggestions to the teachers on ways to keep personal and confidential documents safe with a free
Identity Theft seminar. Over 70 Lamar staff members attended, and learned a great deal of new information. On
Friday, August 20, CRCU made available an Iron Mountain document shredding truck to provide free document
shredding at no cost to the staff.
This year during Red Ribbon Week, Lamar decided to
“Wipe Out Drugs”! CRCU provided Hawaiin leis for the
students to wear for the week, as well as red wristbands
for the staff and students. To show Lamar their support, the entire CRCU staff also wore the red wristbands.
The rest of the semester is packed full of activities before
the holidays! CRCU staff has volunteered to help with Lamar’s
Book Fair, assisting teachers and students in the library. College & Career Week is scheduled for November, and CRCU has
planned a pizza party for the students during this event. Also in
November, CRCU staff will host a Thanksgiving food drive for
Lamar families in need, providing an entire Thanksgiving dinner
for more than 15 families.
As we have in the past, CRCU will continue to donate a
total of over $1,000 in Toys R Us and VISA gift cards to both
students and teachers for perfect attendance. At the end of the
year, CRCU will award a brand new laptop computer valued at
over $600 to one lucky teacher and also a bicycle to one boy and
also one girl, who have maintained perfect attendance throughout the entire school year.
To promote family involvement, CRCU supplied academic planners during
Parent Orientation night and served popcorn to the students and parents
during Accelerated Readers night.
Thanks to our newsletter sponsors:
Volume 21, Issue 4
Page 6
San Jacinto Methodist Hospital
Partnered with Ross S. Sterling High School
San Jacinto Methodist Hospital is
pleased to report the following activities for Fall 2010 Partners in
Education Program sponsored by
the Baytown Chamber of Commerce:
•
•
The hospital provided 72 tickets split between the Houston
Texans: vs. the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and
New York Giants, complimentary parking passes and 72
shirts to students and faculty.
the entire student body as well
as all employees at the school.
•
•
The hospital gave a $2,500
monetary donation to be used
on various school activities.
HOSPITAL supported the following school departments by
advertising in its publications:
—Ranger Football Program
—Yearbook
—Choir Program
—Sterling Stars Program
—Band, Circus program,
Silver Sponsor
Partners Needed:
DeZavala Elementary
Impact Early College
High School
Assistance Needed:
Ashbel Smith Elementary
Sponsored Red Ribbon Week –
provided 2,500 wristbands for
St .Joseph Catholic School & Awards & Engraving, Baytown Drafting,
Staffing Connection, & State Farm– Paul
Wankowicz
week. They had the annual fall festival on the 22nd.
In September we enjoyed the first
of 4 birthday celebrations
in the gym at the school. Cookies
and sprite were served
and students and staff with birthdays in August, September
and October received their special
t-shirt provided by
Staffing Connection.
Our next celebration
will be in November.
A great time was had by all!
In October the staff
and students were
provided with red
ribbons
for Drug Awareness
Awards & Engraving, BDI, Wankowicz State Farm and
Community Auto Group & Highlands Junior School
Highlands Junior School
and the Community Auto Group are
off to a great start for the 20102011 school year. Community was
gracious in helping us provide refreshments or the first partners in
Education meeting of the year
hosted on our campus. They have
supported our 2010-2011 Safe
Schools Ambassadors cohort by
Volume 21, Issue 4
providing the much needed supplies
for their kick-off and orientation.
We are looking forward to
having the judges from Community
come out to choose the winners for
our Red Ribbon week door decorating contest. They will host an ice
cream sundae party for the winners
of the contest.
another exciting year working with
the Community Auto Group, and we
are excited to have Jim Wadzinski
as our new liaison.
Go Golden Eagles!
We are looking forward to
Page 7
Pre-sorted
Baytown Chamber of
Commerce
Partners In Education
Newsletter
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Baytown, TX
Permit No 102
1300 Rollingbrook, Suite 400
Baytown, TX 77521
www.baytownchamber.com
Phone: 281-422-8359
Fax: 281-428-1758
E-mail:
[email protected]
The Exchange
Robert Hoskins, Chairman
Enterprise Products
281/385-4792
[email protected]
Thanks to Christine Hanson for
Typesetting this edition of
The Exchange
Partners In Education Roster 2010-11
Advanced Aromatics………………..Goose Creek Memorial
ExxonMobil BOP…………....Victoria Walker Elementary
Awards & Engraving………………...….St. Joseph’s School
ExxonMobil Chemical…………………..Baytown Jr. High
Bayer Byt. Industrial Park……..James Bowie Elementary
ExxonMobil AAEO………………....Cedar Bayou Jr. High
Baytown Auto Collision……………...Stuart Career Center
Highlands Chamber……..…………….BP Hopper Primary
Baytown Drafting………………………..St. Joseph’s School
Highlands Rotary………..….……..Highlands Elementary
Baytown Junior Forum……….GCCISD Dyslexic Program
Kiwanis Club………………..……….…..Alamo Elementary
The Baytown Sun………………..GCCISD Public Relations
LCY Elastomers…………………….….Harlem Elementary
Beacon Federal Credit Union…Ashbel Smith Elementary
Baytown Rotary Club..…...Baytown Christian Academy
CenterPoint Energy………………….....Gentry Junior High
Rhodia, Inc……………………….….…..Carver Elementary
Chevron Phillips………………...……..Crockett Elementary
San Jacinto Mall………..…….GCCISD Special Olympics
Chevron Phillips……………………..Goose Creek Memorial
San Jacinto Methodist Hospital……………….…………….
Community Resource Credit Union…..Lamar Elementary
……………………..…………..Ross S. Sterling High School
Community Toyota………………….Highlands Junior High
Service League of Baytown…..…..GCCISD Nurses Dept.
Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home …………...…………….……
SNC Lavilin-GDS Engineers……..Horace Mann Jr. High
……………..…Peter Hyland Alternative Learning Program
Staffing Connection…….……………..St. Joseph’s School
ExxonMobil BTEC East……..…Robert E. Lee High School
State Farm-Paul Wankowicz………..St. Joseph’s School
ExxonMobil Refinery…………….……….Travis Elementary
Texas First Bank…………….………....Austin Elementary
ExxonMobil BTEC West………....San Jacinto Elementary