Phoenix Academy Equips Students for Success Through Expo

The president of Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
spoke to the students about having the right attitude.

What started off as an idea to help students prepare for job interviews blossomed into a full-day business expo to prepare students for various aspects of life after graduation.

The Phoenix Academy held its “From Flame to Flight” Business Expo on Wednesday, April 13 at the Mansfield ISD Center for the Performing Arts. The event, made possible through a grant from the MISD Education Foundation, consisted of community and corporate leaders who gave the students real-world advice to apply in their future careers.

“I shared the idea with some staff members, and it took off from there,” said Phoenix Academy teacher Donna Craig. “So many people in the community collaborated together to make this happen.”

Students registered for sessions that included topics on business etiquette, career skills, leadership, and protecting their online reputation. Principal Regenia Crane said she hopes the event will allow students to unlock their full potential.

“It’s about creating a culture of success,” said Crane. “These kids are diamonds in the rough, and this expo will help them move their obstacles so that they can shine and be productive citizens and know their worth.”

Principal Crane and Donna Craig were excited for
the different workshops at the business expo.

Before the expo, The Phoenix Academy held financial reality classes for students. Mock job interviews will also be conducted later in the month so students can become more familiar with the corporate world.

“If we didn’t have this experience, we would be left in the dark,” said senior Glen Johnston. “We wouldn’t understand what we need to do and what we need to prepare for. The people that go to this school are going to be the next leaders of this country.”

The expo organizers said they plan to expand the program next year and continue adding components that give students the tools they need to succeed.

“It’s written into my DNA to equip. That’s what fulfills me,” said Craig. “And I’m grateful to be part of a district that encourages innovation and allows us to dream big.”

A Districtwide Celebration of Diversity

Many drums. One beat. That’s the theme for the Mansfield ISD Multicultural Fest, and the strength of the district’s diversity was seen in every ethnic cuisine, performance, and activity that was on display for the event.

An estimated 6,000 people were in attendance on Feb. 27 to embrace the various cultures represented within the MISD community.

Participants were welcomed into the MISD Center for the Performing Arts by praise dancing. Once inside, there was a live wax museum of students representing historical figures from all backgrounds, and a variety of activities that highlighted the culture of different nations.

Participants stop to view the live wax museum.

“It was fun!” said Grace Anthony, fourth grader at Annette Perry Elementary School who was with her classmate Abby Mincer. “We went around to the different areas to play the games and activities.”

The definite fan favorite was all the free food samples prepared by the Ben Barber Career and Technology Academy culinary students.

“I definitely enjoyed all the food tasting,” said first-time attendee Tricia Grinolds. “I kept going back to the Cuba booth for their food and that virgin mojito drink.”

Event coordinator Lynn Wilkie said the MISD Multicultural Fest is one of her favorites because she gets to see how unique everyone is, while still coming together as a district.

“We are all MISD,” said Wilkie. “I love seeing every campus, department, and community member come together and be proud of where they came from. We had a great turnout, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped make this event a success.”

The Multicultural Fest started in 2013 as a way to educate the community of the various cultures within MISD in a fun and interactive way. The event has grown every year since then.

View the full photo gallery of the event here.

Put It Down, Save a Life

A reenactment of a fatal car crash.

Distracted driving and drunk driving are among the leading causes of deaths for teenagers in the U.S. Because of this, the entire Mansfield ISD community came together this week spreading one message—put it down, save a life.

The two-day event challenges juniors and seniors to think about the consequences of driving while distracted or impaired. It helps turn the “what ifs” into a stark reality.

Each campus exposed students to graphic reminders of the dangers of unsafe driving—ranging from “grim reapers” reading a students’ obituaries and taking them out of class, a flat line heart beat playing over the intercom throughout the day, multiple crosses placed outside of a campus to represent the lives that could be taken, or a wrecked car on display to provide students a glimpse of what could happen.

One of the most haunting moments of the event is when the scene of a fatal alcohol-related and distracted-driving car crash was reenacted. About 300 students, 50 from each campus, experienced what it was like to be—or see their peers—seriously injured, taken to jail, or dead.

A student acting as if he died in an impaired/distracted
driver accident.

“We had the involvement of Mansfield police, Mansfield ISD police, Mansfield Methodist hospital, coroners, parents, teachers, administration, and so many more,” said Lynn Wilkie, MISD Center sales and marketing coordinator, who helped organize the event. “It was neat to see so many people working together to help these kids make the right decision.”

Students also heard from speakers whose lives were unexpectedly changed forever because of a drunk or distracted driver. Later in the evening, the students wrote a “last chance” letter to their parents explaining what they want to say if they passed away.

“It was definitely emotional. We were all just bawling,” said Evelyn Stewart, a senior at Summit High school. “Even though it was fake, it was so real because you never know when your last chance is.”

As prom, graduation, and summer are fast approaching, the program was a powerful way to communicate the dangers of getting behind the wheel distracted or under the influence. You never know the harm in which you could be putting yourself and others.

2014 Toys for Tots Event Brings in 26k Toys

The third annual Mansfield ISD Toys for Tots event was a stunning representation of the giving spirit of our community. Parents, students, staff, and local community members opened their hearts and donated 26,000 toys and an estimated $8,000 for DFW Toys for Tots!

The event was held on Wednesday, December 10, from 5:00 to 10:30 p.m. at the MISD Center for the Performing Arts. FOX 4 was on site to capture the magic of the evening, as joyful community members flooded the big event. The festivities were kicked off by a student/staff parade, followed by photos with Santa, a giant snow tubing hill, a bounce house and obstacle course, live reindeer, food trucks, more than 30 onstage student performances, and a variety of activities for kids and families.

We are so grateful for the continued support of this fantastic event. Thanks to the many student groups, sponsors, community leaders, and volunteers who make this event possible!

 

Go to full photo gallery

Special thanks to: Mansfield Police Department, the City of Mansfield, Mayor David Cook and the Mansfield City Council, MISD Board of Trustees, Mansfield ISD Police Department, MISD Warehouse Crew, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, Fox 4, Steele Freeman Construction, Huckabee, Lee Lewis Construction, Texas Trust Credit Union, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s Top of Texas Photography, Two Men and a Truck, Sports Clips, Starbucks, First United Methodist Church of Mansfield, Home Depot, Hawaiian Falls Water Park, Mellow Mushroom, BBCTA’s radio station 99.9 THE WILD, Dr. Chuck Roe from the Fine Arts Department, Mark Walker from the Athletic Department,  MISD Transportation Department, Quentin Myers the Music Man, and last but not least – all MISD schools and departments for supporting this event and helping promote the spirit of giving.

Tree Lighting Doubles as Student Project Showcase

The MISD Center for the Performing Arts is home to a variety of annual holiday season events such as the Big Brassy Christmas concert and Toys for Tots. Following last year’s Toys for Tots event, Flo Torres, the Center Director, and her staff decided the holiday season was missing one central item – a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree to display in front of the facility. True to form, Torres found a way to include students in the project.

“Our motto at the Center is ‘Where Education and Celebration become One,’ and we are always searching for ways to showcase student talent through our various programs and events,” said Torres.

After some planning and collaboration, the tree became a class project for students at the Ben Barber Career Tech Academy (BBCTA). It was designed and constructed by students from the Advanced Welding class, with students from the Welding 1 class assisting with the finishing touches. The magnificent tree is approximately 33 feet tall, weighs 900 pounds, and is decked out with 10,000 multicolored lights. A beautiful four-foot golden star shines brightly from the top of the tree.

Students spent about a month constructing the tree under the guidance of BBCTA teachers Rob Goodson (Engineering) and Alex Higgs (Architecture and Welding). Student used saws, cutting torches, grinders, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, and a CNC Plasma Cutter to build this impressive project.

The project was unveiled at a tree lighting ceremony in front of the Center on the evening of Sunday, December 7. Dr. Jim Vaszauskas, Superintendent of Schools, and David Cook, Mayor of Mansfield, kicked off the event with a warm welcome and a few words about the district and community. Students from the MISD Children’s Center sang a few holiday songs just before Dr. Vaszauskas led the crowd in the final countdown to the tree lighting.

Hats off to these talented and hard-working students:

Advanced Welding Class: Zach Alvarez, Tony Dowd, Chaz Galvan, Will Hager, Devin Holcomb, Zach Lee, Jake Mathis, Mike McGaugh, Ricardo Olivares, Makenna Ruder, Trevor Saltsman, Josh St. Pierre, Sean Vandiver, Kolton Widner.

Welding 1 Class: Sirilo Alegria, Logan Anderson, Zoobie Azam, Kyle Carmichael, Gabe Diaz, Triston Lesley, Aldo Maldonado, Dylan McCallum, Hudson Neal, Tommy, Nguyen, Jacob Proffer, Chandler Shumate, Dajuan Webb, Brock Wilson.