Hispanic Heritage Art Show and Winners!

The Saginaw Public Schools Hispanic Heritage Art Show will be available from November 4 until noon on the 13th. The exhibit is located at the Andersen Enrichment Center at 120 Ezra Rust Dr. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Center will be open until 6 p.m. on November 12th. All students with entries will receive recognition with certificates, ribbons and an appearance on SETV. SASA winners honored at the Andersen Enrichment Center are listed below.

Secondary award presentations, including SASA, begin at 6 p.m. on November 11th.

SASA Middle School: Drawing – Cheyenne Couture, 6th Grade; Painting – Amber Shivers, 8th Grade – and Best of SASA Middle School ; Design – Rachel Reh, 8th Grade; 3D non-functional – Kyle Enwiller, 8th Grade; 3D Functional crafts – Zacharias Parks, 7th Grade; 3D Body adornment – Bianca Anguiano, 8th Grade.

SASA High School: Drawing – Nicolas Sarmiento, 11th Grade; Painting – Sydney Veverka, 9th Grade; Design – Sage Morley, 12th Grade; 3D non-functional – William (Alex) Weber, 9th Grade – and Best of SASA High School; 3D Functional crafts – Amanda Wright, 12th Grade; 3D Body adornment – Charles Patrick, 10th Grade.

This is the last year for the contest theme of “Celebrations”. Come see the wonderful work the students are doing. The entries submitted by the top seven winners will be on display at the Board of Education at 550 Millard after the Awards ceremonies and until November 17th. The Best of School and Best of Category winners will be on display at the Instruction and Staff Development Center, 1505 Ottawa Boulevard until December 1.

Barnes & Noble Authors and Artists Book Signing for DRAGON LORE IV, November 13 at Barnes &Noble Bookseller's in Saginaw

When SASA hosts it 2008 Student-Parent Advisory Council Book Fair Fundraiser at Barnes & Noble on November 13, there will be a "book signing" for the Gr 6-8 SASA authors & artists of "DRAGON LORE IV: WHEN DRAGONS FLY" from 6:30- 8:00 p.m. The SPAC event is held annually at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore on Tittabawassee. See Mrs. Martina Leslie, teacher and editor/artist, for further information.

Parents: Do We Have Your Current E-Mail Address?

Do we have your e-mail address? Have you made sure your mailbox service provider will allow you to receive e-mail from the school (just add SASA@spsd.net to your address book).

The school's administration and counselor send out timely information to parents via e-mail throughout the year. Are you receiving anything via e-mail from SASA@spsd.net (or from Principal Janet Nash as jnash@spsd.net)? Such communications might be regarding upcoming dates of interest to families at SASA, enrichment opportunities for students, valuable scholarships, school information and notices and reminders of upcoming deadlines.

If you are not receiving this kind of information currently, log on to the Skyward Family Access on-line grades and attendance program for your chil(ren) and record your email address there. You can update it at any time.

We only send out a few e-mails to our list of parents each semester. Parent feedback has been very positive, and those who want to be removed from the list only need to email SASA@spsd.net to ask us to remove you.

To sign up, enter your personal or work e-mail address from your child's Family Access log-on screen. Log-on names and passwords are available to parents in the SASA main office. Stop in the office to see Gloria Wendling if you need assistance.

ICONS Cinches Gold Medalist Award for 20th Year!

We were recently notified that ICONS 2008, SASA's widely-respected art and literary magazine, was honored with the Gold Medalist Award through adjudication by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association at Columbia University.

Earning 925/1000 points, ICONS has continued the 20-year tradition of excellence at the national level. The Gold Medalist Award recognition is given only to magazines judged at the 95th percentile or higher overall.

Student staff for the 2008 edition are: Editor -in-chief, Michelle Tietz (graduate 2008); Layout Editors: Marianne Elizalde, Brianna Fulmer and Jessica Walker.

ICONS Faculty Advisors for 2008 were Becky Prine Sullivan and Joseph Center.

ICONS 2008 also received "All Columbian Honors" for organization (150/150 points) and design (350/350 points). "All Columbian Honors" are given to submitted magazines that are ranked in the 95th percentile or higher in national adjudication for any of the competition review categories.

The 2008 ICONS magazine will now move on to the second round of judging for the “Crown Awards” to be announced in the early 2009.

Congratulations to all ICONS 2008 student staff members, faculty advisors, and individual SASA students who contributed art and literary and musical composition works for consideration for this exemplary publication.

Nicholas Triantafillou, Senior, Named National Merit Competition Semifinalist

Congratulations are in order for SASA Senior Nicholas Triantafillou, recently named a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a U.S. academic scholarship competition based initially on scores received from the PSAT exams in the Junior year. The competition provides recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. NMSC conducts two annual competitions for recognition and scholarships: the National Merit Scholarship Program, which is open to all students who meet entry requirements, and the National Achievement Scholarship Program in which only Black American students participate. Each year a total of approximately 10,500 scholarships are awarded through NMSC programs.

Of the 1.4 million entrants, about 50,000 qualify for recognition and approximately the top 25% go on to become Finalists. Over half of the Finalists are selected to receive scholarships underwritten by corporations and business organizations, colleges and universities, and by NMSC with its own funds.

Nicholas is a senior enrolled in the Math/Science Concentration. He has attended classes as a dual enrolled student at SVSU in advanced mathematics since he was a freshman at SASA, and received a perfect score of 36 on the ACT in the 9th grade. Nick is still deciding where he will be attending college, with the potential NMSC scholarship serving to greatly broaden his choices if he is selected as a finalist in the spring.

Best wishes, Nick, and congratulations for a job well done!

Message Received from the Society for Science & the Public - Broderick Allan, Grade 7, is National Finalist and Safwaan Mir and Kavita Raval Are Named Semifinalists

The following message was received on September 18 from Nancy Moulding, Membership & Communications Associate, Society for Science & the Public in Washington, DC: "As you'll see from the attached press release, Broderick Allan of Midland, MI, has been named a SSP Finalist. Broderick submitted his project while attending Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, and was a participant in the Saginaw County Science & Engineering Fair in March 2007. While we have already worked to contact the media in your area to alert them to this announcement, we encourage you to do so as well. Please feel free to use the attached press release to support your efforts.

A full listing of the 30 national finalists can be found at www.societyforscience.org/msp; the listing includes brief Finalists' project descriptions, biographical information, and interviews are available upon request.

Finalists will travel to Washington, DC in October to compete for $40,000 in scholarships and awards, with the top winner receiving a $20,000 award from the Society for Science & the Public. Each Finalist will receive at least $500 in awards."

The SSP Middle School Program website details that it is the only U.S. national science competition for science fair participants in grades 5–8. 300 semifinalists and aubsequent 30 Finalists are selected annually from a national field of thousands to participate in the finals of this competition. Gathering in Washington, DC each October, the Finalists present their projects to judges, fellow students and the public. In addition, Finalists work in teams on a variety of scientific experiments to judge their science, reasoning and communication skills.

SASA had three very proud semifinalists this year: Broderick Allan, Gr. 7, Safwaan Mir, Gr. 7, and Kavita Raval, Gr. 8.

The SSP Middle School Program was created to serve the middle school science fair audience as during the prevous nine years through the Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. Society for Science & the Public offers this program to encourage middle school students to pursue their interest in science and independent research.

Seniors Sarah Chappell and Adam Kidder Named National Merit Scholars

Two Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy seniors, Sarah Chappell and Adam Kidder, have been named National Merit Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship sponsoring organization, The College Board.

The National Merit® $2500 Scholarships are single payment scholarships, which are awarded on a state representational basis. Winners are selected without consideration of family financial circumstances, college choice, or major and career plans.

From an initial applicant pool of over 1.4 million U.S. seniors, 8,400 are presented with the National Merit Scholarship each year.

Both Sarah and Adam plan to attend the University of Michigan in the fall, majoring in English and Computer Sciences, respectively.

Considering the Class of 2008 at SASA numbers only 48 seniors, the school is highly pleased to see both Sarah and Adam attain this achievement, placing them among the strongest seniors anywhere in the United States, and as a credit to the teaching and learning that occurs at SASA each year.

Five SASA Students Attend INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair This Year

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college science competition, annually provides a forum for more than 1,500 high school students from over 40 countries to showcase their independent research. The Intel ISEF is the premiere science competition in the world exclusively for students in grades 9–12.

Each year, millions of students worldwide compete in local and school-sponsored science fairs; the winners of these events go on to participate in Intel ISEF-affiliated regional and state fairs from which the best win the opportunity to attend the Intel ISEF. The Intel ISEF unites these top young scientific minds, showcasing their talent on an international stage, enabling them to submit their work to judging by doctoral level scientists—and providing the opportunity to compete for nearly $4 million in prizes and scholarships.

The "Society for Science & the Public" partners with Intel, along with dozens of other corporate, academic, government and science-focused sponsors—who provide support and awards for the Intel ISEF each year.

The Intel ISEF 2008, presented by Agilent Technologies, was held May 11-17, 2008 in Atlanta, GA.

SASA students were selected to attend the ISEF as top students in several regional science fair convocations including: The Saginaw County Science and Engineering Fair (SCSEF), the Flint Area Science Fair (FASC) and the Michigan State Science Fair (MISEF). Four were chosen as competitiors and one accompanied them as an observer/alternate finalist.

Representing the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy as the top Michigan SEF finalist was: David McMillon, Gr.12, John Barnes, Instructor; for David's project, "Optimizing The Accuracy Of A Universal Positioning System". David took first place at Flint's Kettering University in the Michigan SEF and was sponsored by the MISEF to attend the ISEF, leaving room for an additional finalist from the SCSEF to attend. Further information on the MISEF is available at the link http://msef.sciencefair.info/

Representing the Saginaw County SEF were: Christen Robinson, Gr. 12, Dan Sealey, Instructor; for his project, "Harnessing The Filtration Abilities Of Caustic Hydroxides Through Solid Absorption Processes As Means Of The Abation Of Carbon Dioxide From Automobile Exhaust."

Also attending the Intel ISEF as a competing finalist from the SCSEF was: Nolan Ford, Gr. 12, Matt Miller, Instructor; for his project, "The Use Of Alamar Blue Assay For Quantitative In-Vitro Assessment Of Oxidative Reduction Potential (ORP) In A Cell Culture Model Of Huntington's Disease".

Dalton Allan, Gr. 9, Stephen Tack, Instructor, was selected as a non-exhibiting ISEF alternate for his SCSEF mathematics project, "An Analysis Of Error In Rational Approximations".

The ISEF program is made available each year to Saginaw area students through the generosity of Dow Corning Corporation, in cooperation with the Community Education Department of the Saginaw Public School District, which hosts the competition, now in its thirtieth year.

Complete SCSEF Awards are listed at the following link for grades 5-12. http://pub.spsd.net/communityeducation/SCSEF08AwardList.htm

Four SASA Students Invited to Represent MI in National I-SWEEEP Competition in Houston, TX

The First International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering & Environment) Project Olympiad (I-SWEEEP)competition was held in May 2008 in Houston, Texas. The mission of I-SWEEEP is to stimulate interest in sustainability related problems we are facing today as humanity, and practical solutions to these challenges.

I-SWEEEP 2008 was held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas from May 1 to May 5, 2008. Further information can be found at http://www.isweep.org

There were five named National Finalists from Michigan, according to information provided on the I-Sweep website at http://www.isweep.org/images/stories/national_finalists.pdf. Four attending MI finalists are students of the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy. Students qualified to represent Michigan through applications submitted, based on adjudicated independent scientific research completed in Michigan Science Fairs in the winter or spring of 2008.

Students were housed, fed, registered and transported in Houston without charge for the five days of the I-SWEEEP conference. Students’ families provided airfare or transportation, or obtained grants from I-SWEEP to do so.

The SASA students and their project titles are:

“Water Quality: An Analysis of City Water in the Saginaw Valley”, Erika Trigg, Gr 10. Erika received an Honorable Mention award for her project at the I-SWEEEP.

“A Riveting River Revelation of a River Rat: A Comparative Analysis of Michigan Rivers through the Investigation of Common Pollutants and Heavy Metals”, Nicole Smith, Gr 10. Nicole also received an Honorable mention Award for her project at I-SWEEEP.

“Airbags and Force -The Effects of Side Impact Force Using Different Materials as Airbags”, Ryan Sarmiento, Gr 9.

“Harnessing the Filtration Abilities of Caustic Hydroxides as a Means of the Abation of Carbon Dioxide from Automobile Exhaust”, Christen Robinson, Gr 12.

The four SASA students were accompanied by SASA teacher, Mr. John Barnes, and/or their parents.

According to the official competition website, one other MI student, Jacob Isley, was selected to attend I-SWEEEP, but his school is not named.

Adit Venkatarman Lands 5th Place in State Geography Bee

Aditya Venkataraman, Grade 8, placed fifth in the Michigan State Geography Bee in Kalamazoo on April 3, 2008. The competition was quite intense and Aditya is said to be proud of his results.

There were 100 participants who had qualified from throughout Michigan to make it to the finals. The top 10 had to face the final round that was held in a large auditorium filled with parents, teachers and onlookers and was moderated by a member of Jeopardy's Clue Crew team and was held at Western Michigan University. For placing in the top 10, Adit received a personally addressed letter from the Governor of Michigan commending him as one of the top 10 finalists. As a token of his thank you to SASA, Adit donated to the media center a globe that he was awarded from his previous Goebee efforts.

Aditya and his family wish to thank so much the staff at SASA, and especially Mrs. Joan Klenk, for sponsoring the Geography Bee and providing this opportunity to Aditya.

Over 100 Eighth Graders From SASA "Bring Books to Life" in Annual Washington D.C. Experience

Four students were selected to present wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C. on Monday, March 31, during an annual 8th grade trip from SASA to the national capitol.

Through an essay contest at the Saginaw Arts and Science Academy, John Bihn, Neha Chavali, Imani Coney and Michelle Correra-Rivera were selected to present the wreaths on behalf of SASA. Applications for the wreath presentation must be made months in advance with the Arlington Cemetery authorities. It is considered a privilege for SASA to be selected for participation in the ceremony again this year.

This was the ninth consecutive year that SASA eighth graders were able to partake in the Washington D.C. "Living History" learning experience. More than 110 eighth grade students from SASA spent five days in our nation's capitol beginning March 30 and returning on April 3, 2008. The trip is tied to the Social Studies curriculum as a culminating experience for a year's study of U.S. History in classes at SASA taught by Mr. Brian Feldman.

Over $12,000 in scholarships are provided annually to students by Mr. Feldman through his work with students and parents in various fundraisers and through the school store. These fundraising efforts allow all students who wish to attend the opportunity to do so.

Students and their adult chaperones will also visit Mount Vernon, tour the Capitol Building and White House, explore famous monuments and memorials throughout Washington D.C., visit the National Holocaust Museum, the Smithsonian Institute, Ford's Theater, and more. Students, parent chaperones and staff travel each year by charter bus.

While visiting the Capitol Building, the students and their chaperones will meet our area legislators and have an opportunity to hear about the Washington D.C. experience from a professional perspective.

Instrumental Music, Dance, Voice, Art and Theatre Students Enjoy Trip to Chicago Musical

During the first weekend in May, you may have seen three Blue Lakes charter buses full of SASA students brimming with anticipation over a two-day trip to Chicago to enjoy the professional production of 'Wicked' at Chicago's famed Ford Theatre.

Students and staff from every performing arts program at SASA combined to fill the 156 seats on the buses and to make the trip a memorable experience. While in Chicago, students also toured the Chicago Institute of Arts or the Chicago Field Museum.

The trip was conceived early in the fall by SASA's Instrumental Music Director Timothy Kasten. Mr. Kasten and had no problem gaining support from other SASA teachers and their students, including: Visual Arts teachers Becky Sullivan & Sally Allan; Dance teacher, Susan Harrigan; Theatre teacher, Jenny Rogers; and Voice-Keyboard Teacher, Mike Brush.

Scholastic GOLD KEY Awards Granted to Six SASA High School Writers

Announced winners of the 2008 Scholastic Writing Awards competition were announced the week of March 13. Scholastic “Gold Key” winners from Mr. Joseph Center’s 9th and 10 grade English Concentration class are: Nickolette deClerck (Gr. 10) for a short story entitled "Where is that Gorgeous Woman?" , and Kandi Crockett (Gr. 10) for a poem entitled "Freedom, Autumn, Lost."

In the 11th and 12 grades, ELA Concentration teacher Rebekah Rogers celebrated the following Gold Key winners in the category of Short Story: Evan Eastman, "Sands of Freedom"; Samantha Hempsted, "Jocelyn's Garden"; and Devin Langham, "A Portrait of a Painter"; and for a Short, Short Story, a Gold Key was awarded to Tyler Soule, for "Best Wishes From Mr. Finnegan".

The Scholastic Writing Awards are a prestigious national competition for high school students to submit original works in both writing and art each year. This, together with two SASA student winners from visual arts, is one of the highest number of students from SASA to be selected to receive the Gold Key awards in one year in recent history.

SASA Band Students Perform at State Festival

On Saturday, March 15, 2008, members of SASA’s High School Band competed in the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA) State Festival. The competition was held at Central Michigan University and included band students from all mid-Michigan High Schools. All SASA band students in the competition earned medals.

Students receiving first place awards were: Alexandriya Emonds, Ayesha Yalamarthy, Devin Langham, Erica Trigg, Karyn Bate-Defoe, Sarah Lumsden, James Smith. Students receiving second place awards were: Carly Veverka, Stephanie Squanda, Mary Krapf, Adam Kidder, Jordan Riley, Newton Davis, Alicia Trevino, Lisa Greif and Logan Verner. Congratulations to SASA’s High School Band members and to Mr. Tim Kasten, SASA Bands Director.

© 2008 Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy
200 Congress Ave. • Saginaw, MI 48602 • Tel: (989) 399-5500 • Fax: (989) 399-5515 • Email Us