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Aggie AdvocateVolume I Issue 4

Albertville High School402 East McCord AvenueAlbertville, AL 35950

FeaturesValedictorian & SalutatorianAggie AccomplishmentsAdvanced Placement ClassesSpring Sports

Albertville High School Valedictorian & Salutatorian

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May 2015~Volume I, Issue 4

Valedictorian8 A Tradition Continues at AHSCongratulations to Victoria Cheri Colvin for representing Albertville High School as the valedictorian for the Class of 2015!

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Sections4 Aggie Accomplishments8 Valedictorian9 Salutatorian10 AP Classes12 Aggie Sports

Contents4

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Salutatorian9 A Tradition Continues at AHSCongratulations to Ryan Gregory Oakley for representing Albertville High School as the salutatorian for the Class of 2015!

Aggie Accomplishments9 Aggie SuccessCongratulations to all of the Albertville High School students that have numerous accomplishments throughout the school year!

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AggieVision [Web/AV]

Aggie Advocate [Print/Design]

StaffJennifer Altamirano Carly DanielLaura Garcia Lola GarciaAngel Godinez Briley HardinCody Hill Jessica LeeSayra Martinez Taylor MasonMolly-Katherine Millwood Tania NietoAdam Rains

Adviser: Wendy Aycock

Ana Antonio Noah Fowler Martha Gomez Noah Kirkland Dylan Langley Jenny Lara Heather Leeth Leo Mariano Ashlyn Masters Angie Ochoa Taylor Ogle Bobbie-Anne Oliver Johnna Reeves Allison Smith Ashleigh Stephens Esther Ulloa Baylon Wood

Adviser: Jeanne Walker

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Aggie Accomplishments

AHS student Molly Katherine Millwood is a shining example of the good that can be done right here at home. Several years ago, Molly Katherine decided to help Albertville City School students by organizing and participating in Aggie Day Without Shoes. The event is part of a movement started by Tom’s Shoes to bring awareness to children around the world that need, not just shoes, but healthcare and an education. Over the years, Molly Katherine has sold t-shirts and bracelets in order to raise money for Aggies Without Shoes. So far, Molly Katherine has raised over $2,600 to help Albertville City Schools students receive new shoes. Donations can be made to the ACS Ready to Learn Foundation. Please contact Rhonda Springfield at 256-894-5040 for more information or to make a donation.

Congratulations to the AggieVision and Aggie Advocate team members that placed at the Alabama Council for Technology in Education. Members competed at the regional and state levels. Special congratulations to Laura Garcia and Lola Garcia for placing first in state in Multimedia Projects for the Art/Literary Edition of the Aggie Advocate and to Angie Ochoa for placing second in Multimedia Projects and third in Website Creation.

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On Saturday, February 7, 2015, the AHS Culinary competition team placed first at the Alabama ProStart Invitational. The team members received various scholarships and an invitation to represent the state of Alabama by competing in the National ProStart Student Invitational in Anaheim, CA on April 18-20, 2015. The team competed on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. The girls learned how to collaborate with others, manage time, overcome obstacles, and work alongside some of the most talented high school culinary students.

Aggie Accomplishments

For seven straight years, the ROTC at Albertville High School have visited the Birmingham VA Medical Center as part of their service learning project. The students were given the opportunity to visit with hospitalized Veterans,

and learn about Medical Center operations.

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Aggie Accomplishments

Congratulations to Caitlin Holt for successfully completing the requirements to be recognized as a Microsoft Office Specialist Master. This prestigious certification was awarded to Cailtin for completing certifications in Microsoft Word 2013, Excel 2013,

PowerPoint 2013 and Word 2013 Expert.

Congratulations to Laura Molnar for placing third at the FBLA State Convention for her Business Financial Plan. Laura competes this summer in

Chicago, Illinois at the National FBLA Convention.

Congratulations to Kyle Ray for placing 3rd in the state in 6A in Pole Vault. Kyle is also the first AHS

student to receive a scholarship for Pole Vault.

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Aggie Accomplishments

Congratulations to AHS FFA, Mrs. Natasha Tidmore and FFA advisors Gary Aycock and Heath Golden. Under the direction of Natasha Tidmore, the FFA

Quartet placed first at the FFA District Contest and will compete this summer at the FFA State Contest.

HOSA hosted a Blood Drive on April 23, 2015 with 53 pints of blood donated. This total was their biggest blood drive ever!!!

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Valedictorian

Victoria (Tori) Cheri Colvin

What was the most challenging thing about high school? I took on a big load my senior year of high school. I took 3 advanced placement classes, 4 dual enrollment classes, began assisting in a dance class, began subbing in dance classes, and became the captain of the AHS Danceline.

Where do you plan to attend college? I plan to attend Troy University in Fall 2015.

What will be your major? I plan to double major in chemistry and physics while minoring in dance.

What are your plans after high school? I am going on a senior trip to Disney World. I am then going to take a few classes at Snead State this summer before heading to Troy in the fall.

What is the best thing about high school? The best part of high school for me was being a member of the AHS Danceline I made so many friendships from my time on the line and danceline is what began my new passion for dance. It was definitely a very wonderful and memorable experience.

What is your favorite high school memory? My favorite memory is the first time I went on the field for a halftime show with no worries. I am a perfectionist so the feeling of just letting go and dancing was the best feeling in the world.

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Salutatorian

Ryan Gregory Oakley What was the most challenging thing about high school? The most challenging thing about high school was balancing my extracurricular activities of AHS Band, Show Choir, AHS Jazz Band, National Honor Society, and Junior Civitans while keeping high academic standards in Advanced Placement and Honors classes.

Where do you plan to attend college? Samford University.

What will be your major? Pharmacy.

What are your plans after high school? My plan after high school is to earn my Doctorate of Pharmacy in six years at Samford University.

What is the best thing about high school? The best thing about high school was the opportunity to travel and perform with the Aggie Band and the AHS Show Choir. We participated in the Dunkin Donuts Thanksgiving Parade in Philadelphia, PA, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA, Show Choir National in Nashville, TN, and the American Choral Directors’ Conference in Jacksonville, FL.

What is your favorite high school memory? My favorite memory was traveling with the Aggie Band to New York City to see the Lion King on Broadway and taking in all of the sights of the city.

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Advanced Placement Classes

AP BiologyThe focus of this course is to help students to learn and think more critically as it will also prepare them to face the rigor of college courses. According to AP Biology teacher, Mr. Glen Fox, AP Biology will "cover the full gambit of biological processes from the actions of atoms interactions all the way up to the interactions of communities and the ecosystem." Mr. Fox, who not only teaches AP Biology, but also Anatomy and Physiology, and Environmental Science divides his time among each subject devoting "a minimum of one hour up to two hours a day on AP classes plus extra time grading labs and exams." Students will complete independent projects over the course of the year such as designing and completing labs and labs reports. By taking this course "students will gain a better understanding of the biological processes, be able to think more critically, be able to complete biological labs, and complete lab and data analysis." Tips that Mr. Fox provides students that take

AP Biology are: keep up with your nightly readings, practice your math problems, complete tasks in an orderly time frame, do not procrastinate, and study nightly to help overcome the challenge of an AP course.

AP courses give students a choice of more advanced course work which will prepare them to take colleges classes. Students who take this course have the opportunity to take the AP Biology Exam at no cost to them during school hours and obtain college credit. Although the credit obtain depends on the college students desire to attend, but a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam will give students college credit. The exam will be given once the course is over in the first two weeks of May. Students will be prepared for the exam by being exposed to the type of free response questions and multiple choice questions they may see on the exam, by covering the essential course content and through the completion of labs, and by practicing questions.

AP ChemistryAP Chemistry is another AP course that is provided for students who would like to take the challenge of an AP course. Mr. Steve Owens is the teacher of AP Chemistry who asserts that he has learned a lot from teaching this course and that he truly enjoys teaching this course. Students who would like to take this course must have successfully completed Pre-AP Chemistry with an A or B average. AP Chemistry will provide students with the skills necessary to be successful in any chemistry course they take in the future.

According to Mr. Owens, by students taking AP Chemistry they “gain the ability to think through problems and they also get used to the rigor required for colleges-level work”. Some of the immediate benefits that students obtain “is a greater understanding of the world around us”.Other benefits are increased success in college chemistry and the opportunity to skip some college chemistry courses if the AP Exam score is good.”

Albertville High School students are being offer Advance Placement (AP) courses in the following subjects: AP English Language and Composition, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Calculus, and AP Government. At the end of each course an exam will be given, at no charge, to students. By taking an Advance Placement course students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and also obtain college credit. In this edition, we will focus on AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Government.

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Students will have the opportunity to take the AP Exam in the first two weeks of May at Albertville High School during school hours at no cost. Students who score a 3,4,5 can obtain college credit.

AP Government AP Government is also available for students to take during their senior year. Students interested in taking AP Government must have their former teachers’ approval (social studies) and have high grades in their social studies class. This rigorous course will prepare students for college level courses. According to AP teacher Kortney Johnson, "The content will hopefully help them be active citizens." Throughout the year, students have two independent assignments that include readings, essays, and presentations. Students are also required to read outside of class to prepare for discussion in class. Mrs. Johnson dedicates at least one hour per day preparing for her AP classes. Mrs. Johnson also takes two to four hours during the weekends to prepare her lessons for the following week.

Students taking AP Government will not only be challenge by the curriculum, but also by the teacher and classmates. This course will prepare students to become independent learners as it also gives them the opportunity to "gain college credit and cut college costs." The focus of this course is to widen students knowledge on a functioning government to diminish the misconceptions of the government. Students will also gain the ability to think critically, as well as, to refine their debating skills. Tips that Mrs. Johnson provides students with to overcome the challenge of this course are "to prepare to study, prepare to stop requiring rote memorization and spoon feeding, and prepare to have an opinion that you can support."

Every student taking AP Government will have the opportunity to take the AP Government Exam in the first two weeks of May. The AP Government exam is created by the College Board and it is based on 6 thematic units, and political concepts with three additional skill based requirements

such as historical analysis and evaluation. Students will gain the knowledge and the preparedness for the exam through AP training, a well-organized curriculum, project-based instruction, detailed lecture, vocabulary, experimental field trips, and practice mock exams. "Scores that receive college credit vary from school to school." " Most state and public institutions will accept a score of a 3, 4, or 5, however; private schools and other public schools have the discretion to accept only a 4 or 5.

Advanced Placement Classes

Why take AP classes?To be challenged by the curriculum, teacher and classmates

To prepare to be an independent learnerTo gain college credit, cut college costs, affordable

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STRENGTH DOESN’T COME

FROM WHAT YOU CAN DO, IT COMES FROM

OVERCOMING THE THINGS YOU ONCE THOUGHT YOU COULDN’T.

Varsity Baseball

JV Baseball

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Varsity Softball

JV Softball

THERE WILL BE OBSTACLES. THERE WILL BE DOUBTERS.THERE WILL BE MISTAKES. BUT WITH HARD WORK.

THERE ARE NO LIMITS.

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Varsity Boys Soccer

JV Boys Soccer

“ABILITYis what you’re capable of doing.

MOTIVATIONdetermines what you do.

ATTITUDEdetermines how well you do it.” ~Lou Holtz

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JV Girls Soccer

Varsity Girls Soccer

Your FUTURE is created by what you do TODAY

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Varsity Track

JV Track

The PAIN you feel today, will be the STRENGTH you feel tomorrow.

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Boys Golf

Girls Golf “Champions are made from something they

have deep inside them-

a desire, a dream, a vision.”

Muhammad Ali

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The online student magazine for Albertville High School

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